Paint Project 2.0

[328FTW]

Ok so another car to freaking bring back to standard, 1992 GT with 94+ tails in SMG. And people seem to love seeing paint and bodywork, this thing is going solid pure white, according to the paint tin that is what colour anyway.










Bought a donor for the odd bit, badges and all that stuff















So to start I took an alright car that looked okay then tore bits and paint off it till it looked kinda crappy. Also added a lip since it was gone. Removed glass and trim unlike my V6 I want to get all the edges this time.















I'll try to post up some simple tips for painting as I go this time and hope no one dies or my life otherwise doesn't crash into the ground while doing this paint. Not the only way to paint a car, people all have found their own thing that works for them but this is a general start.

So to summarise what I did here removing all the trim and such is that if you just mask and edge then paint you have an edge that can peel back with the tape and is prone to chipping. Removing the trim means less fussy masking and you can sand edges so the paint sticks well and the trim covers where the paint ends on the edges and is most prone to flaking off. Also rust prevention, as you see I found rust in my quarter windows, will take me not long at all to fix with the car apart but once it is together getting rust behind something sucks especially if you find it has spread under the paint like mine has so better to fix now than pay later.

Before you start sanding take pics and print them off and mark where the major dents and dints are, once the car is matt from sanding they are harder to find, you can spot coat and long board to find them but it is still good to know where all the major focus points are. I've used 60 grit to start and really tear through the 2342 layers of old paint from all the rattle can touchups the car has had. Don't worry it you hit metal just try to get all the clearcoat and oxidised layers off. Use a good sander you will die handsanding or trying to use a small cheap sander, get a behemouth of a sander to do the major you can downsize and upgrit later, I mainly use a large random orbital hitachi sander. If you use a massive sander make sure not to burn by sitting on one spot too long which will warp large panels like say bonnets and bootlids. Welding also warps panels if you get it too hot so easy on the welds if you are filling spoiler holes.



Also while I'm laying out basics pick good paint, cheap paint is usually enamel and kinda sucks. Most good paint jobs that will turn out shiny in your garage will be a basecoat/clearcoat job using acrylic paint. Skip 2 pot with hardeners and all that jazz acrylic will do a pretty good job and is easy to work with compared to other paints and isn't badly reactive or super toxic. Note the paint code as well and keep some spare totally sealed in a small tin, it will last a while like that, at least long enough to fix mistakes. Some colour basics

• Dark = Easy to see when applying, shows all your mistakes and if done wrong looks gay because it shows panel damage easy and
• Light = Can be hard to see what is wet and what isn't sometimes but is forgiving for the most part and not as showy of imperfections
• Bright colours = ie red and yellow are transparant so you even after applying can see undercoat if it is all blotchy not that you should be painting on blotchy undercoat anyway
• Metallics = Same issues as flat colour but also the metallic flakes will show grain and stroke marks bad from the spray pattern, requires when you do your final coat to pull back and kinda do a dust coat to even out the metallic finish. Also don't wet sand and polish very well it is an uneven surface (especially with a heavy flake) so you want clearcoat over it.

Also use a heap of primer you can use it to build the surface up a little and as a buffer to the small ripples left by the spots of paint left from sanding, if you are doing a full metal respray and using etch primer god help you and good luck with that





Pick paint gun tips for your paint don't try load a heavy flake paint through a 1.4 tip gun it will not end well. There are also lots of different types of guns that are good for different reasons LVLP, HVLP, HVHP, gravity, siphon, tank/paint pot but that depends on what you have to drive it and what you are doing and what you have to spend. I have huge compressors so big siphon feeds with large tips that just lay it out work for me but you might need to ask at the store for this one I don't know what you are running it off and what you are painting (probably an mr2)

Budget for sandpaper and thinners and all that junk it adds up fast to more than you think. I'm also at at home guy not a pro so my tips may not be pretty perfect but I'll try. Now someone PLEASE tell me why I took on another project (who is getting sick of them apart from me)

[Denz]

If I could turn back time I would have done this. Stripping the car completely would be a lot easier
also I wouldnt have removed the strips on the side of the car

[eRock]

You always seem to start project after project, and you never cease to amaze me with your attention to detail and the quality of your builds. I wish I had the time, resources, knowledge, experience, and whatever else you have (car related, lol). If I did my car would be amazing! Lmao.

Sorry if that's a little sappy, lol. I just always get hooked on your projects.

[mr3]

Why does that door not fit at all? There looks like a huge gap. Maybe it's the angle?

[328FTW]

Originally Posted by Denz

If I could turn back time I would have done this. Stripping the car completely would be a lot easier
also I wouldnt have removed the strips on the side of the car

I should of done it on my V6 but didn't. Removing the rear quarter glass was a PITA since where that pillar has the weird welded up bit is a replaced window and they used strong glue took a while to get it but like anything glass you just take your time and make sure you don't let any metal lever on it.

Originally Posted by eRock

You always seem to start project after project, and you never cease to amaze me with your attention to detail and the quality of your builds. I wish I had the time, resources, knowledge, experience, and whatever else you have (car related, lol). If I did my car would be amazing! Lmao.

Sorry if that's a little sappy, lol. I just always get hooked on your projects.

Lol thanks I put far too much time into cars, my hands never heal up. Right now I have a heart shape bit of blood under my fingernail that has been growing out for a few weeks, my cars luuuuuuuv me. I'm normally up at 10am and work way into the night then do it over it is why you get weird dark pics of testing cars at 2am, I am a neighbour from hell

Originally Posted by mr3

Why does that door not fit at all? There looks like a huge gap. Maybe it's the angle?

That was before the fender was bolted down at the bottom. It is off the same car I got my V6 front left fender off, I put it on the shell I picked up then took it off and put it on this. My dad said I should of just fixed the paint on it but it is oxidising and flaking plus there are dents which would need colour matching just easier to do a good job and make it something nice.



I've been trying to add up how many cars I've owned in my head and I keep getting lost

[328FTW]

Found rust out the ass in the quarter. Oh and the V6 is back







Anyway it was rusting between the skins on the pillar since it had a new quarter welded on and the flux from welding sets the rust in fast that and the heat bubbles the paint leaving the steel open to the air









The cure for rust is to get rid of it








I brushed the hell out of it with a brush attachment on the grinder and now I'm applying blackguard to the pillar before pumping a special rust proofer in till it is running out on the ground using an old cleaning gun to mist it. Rust is evil sh** you don't want it and if you find it put the extra effort in to get rid of it or bad things can happen to your nicely painted car.

[328FTW]

Ok so 2 notes/ slight tips and those are do engine work before paint cause you will be leaning all over the car and rubbing the sides and to get glued badges off use fishing line.























And I've restitched my steering wheel myself









And using a dremel to carve out the last of my gauge pod on the broken interior bit (ashtray area might as well do something)








Motor work before paint







Ummmm yeah that colour is way off what I wanted but anyways the can told me lies about how it would turn out. Bit late now so it's going on.

[MR JAS]

Originally Posted by 328FTW

fender

[328FTW]

I kept spelling guard wrong so I put fender. I won't say hood though it's bonnet. You are more offended by that than my pink valve cover?

[MR JAS]

i like it to be honest

[328FTW]

I used nail polish on the toyota letters, turquoise. Pretty manly.

The intake is going to be the same colour I'm just figuring out how to compression test it on my own. I did finish the RX7 cooling system though I want to service the carb, fill it with water and see if I can run it till it warms up given I have to pump the throttle so hard to keep it running I'm wondering if it is fuel not spark. In other news I've also figured out how to repair broken camera LCD screens by importing new screens for about $30nz from Hong Kong.

/end useless info

[MR JAS]

Originally Posted by 328FTW

I used nail polish on the toyota letters, turquoise. Pretty manly.

The intake is going to be the same colour I'm just figuring out how to compression test it on my own. I did finish the RX7 cooling system though I want to service the carb, fill it with water and see if I can run it till it warms up given I have to pump the throttle so hard to keep it running I'm wondering if it is fuel not spark. In other news I've also figured out how to repair broken camera LCD screens by importing new screens for about $30nz from Hong Kong.

/end useless info

yea i would say one of the bowls has rust in it and your only running on like one barrel

i can show you how to rebuild a holley if you want i learnt it back in the day when i went by the nickname of "mr nagato"

everyone who knew where i got the nickname is dead

[328FTW]

^ I do concur and I'm pulling it down tonight.

In other news I compression tested the motor 160 165 160 90, permission to swear loudly lol. So Before I paint I'm going to pull the motor out and do rings cause I added a dab of oil and the compression shot up to 160. So before any more paint it is rebuild time for this 3sgte, new rings, new headgasket, new gaskets might do the timing belt cause it is only $30 and undecided on the waterpump but prolly should. I'll get back to painting but apparently need to do other things first. I'm just hoping it doesn't have a cracked ringland.

[Sh0ty]

stitched wheel looks good.

[328FTW]

Originally Posted by Sh0ty

stitched wheel looks good.

Yeah I followed your guide but blue stitching and some aftermarket wheel not a stock one. I'm just annoyed I have to freshen the motor I went all round and no one does cheapish rings for the 3sgte it is a bit WTF cause it it a common motor and always modded and stuff. But the headgaskets are really cheap like $60 for a full regrind set with all valve guides and engine gaskets. I'll pull the motor apart this weekend and check ringlands.

[328FTW]

I welcome myself to turbo sports car ownership. Motor was a bit toasted from detonation. #4 ringlands were shattered and #1 bearing was flattened out from the same thing good thing it's been caught early before it got any knock or other bad things. So I'm rebuilding it on the cheap using my contacts and spare parts. I had a new belt out back and rings installed on pistons I never used so I'm reusing them. I needed a headgasket and bearings so rung round got headgasket, all valve stem seals, all top seals, some new hoses and new bearings for $120. Pistons I had a set I got for $50 ages back I'm going to put them on the 3sgte rods after checking them all out for sizing and junk. So it is going to be another motor made from the convenient pile of parts I have. Also realised I have a spare block and crank with bearings so I can fix my racecar HIGH FIVE


On another note I compression tested the chev in the rx7 and got over 200psi on the cylinders. My dad casually said it has about 11:1 compression, the hell man it's a 1960 something motor what would you run it on back in the 70's no wonder when it was going even on 5 cylinders it could do a burnout.






























Ok there was some painting








So sorted, over the next couple days this engine goes back together and I can finish off the filler and prime the car ready for smoothing and then the glory of new paint. I would have preferred not to go through doing the motor but for what it's costing it will give the car a few more years of life.

[beachbum]

I like how you take the time to take the car apart when it comes to the bodywork/paintwork. Really taping is not the way to go. So many people think that it is ok and saves time and labor. but really it just causes more headaches than anything and shows on the quality in the paint job.

[328FTW]

Originally Posted by beachbum

I like how you take the time to take the car apart when it comes to the bodywork/paintwork. Really taping is not the way to go. So many people think that it is ok and saves time and labor. but really it just causes more headaches than anything and shows on the quality in the paint job.

Yeah it makes a big difference on the edges and where the paint ends you don't get edges sticking up and flaking.



And since the thread got bumped I went further than I thought with the rebuild I haven't been posting cause this is bodyshop not engine shop but I'll do one large post now since I'm almost done. I found flattened out bearings so had to do them and while I was at it decided "you know I think I'll rebuild the cylinder head" so I did gave it a light sand a cleanup in the ports to prevent carbon buildup. So many new gaskets your head would spin if you saw even the dizzy the old seal had gone as hard as biscuits and broke away so I put a new generic one on out of the set I have. Headgasket is just a composite one, reused the head bolts, polished the turbo, cleaned everything ridiculous amounts, balanced the rods and pistons. List goes on but this motor is tight. As a bonus the intake seats and valves looked machined so i measured the intake valve size and it was 34.5mm and the standard is 33.5mm I think so looks like it has 1mm oversized valves.

[beachbum]

nice work. you''ll have to post a vid of this bad boy running when you complete it.

[mr29180]

Can't wait !!! Nice build!!