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DIY Paint your Car for under $300

102K views 37 replies 28 participants last post by  Honda-Rallying 
#1 ·
I'm going to show you how easy it is to paint your car and you can do it for under $300 in your garage. I've done it with another car before and this is my car I'm painting. First, I found the SummitRacing.com Paint Urathane System, you need:

-Primer Surfacer
-Epoxy Primer (if you have any bare metal spots, will go into detail later)
-1 gallon of Acrilic Urathane Paint (there is 20 colors, look on Summitracing.com to see the colors)
-1 Gallone of Clear Coat
-2 quarts of Activator(for you temp. range, it has to be almost exact)
-1-2 quarts of Reducer( for you temp. range, it has to be almost exact)
-1 Summit Wax and Grease Remover and 1 Surface Wash
-1 Fish Eye eliminator

I spent $280 on everything except the epoxy Primer.

http://image.popularhotrodding.com/...int-system-is-affordable-and-high-quality.jpg


PRIMER:
The Epoxy primer is for bare metal, if you put regular primer over it then it will rust, over the paint. You have to seal the metal. For us import guys we don't need to go down to bare metal, so epoxy primer isn't necessary unless you have bare metal. Also, primer is the most important part of paint, it can make or break the paint. Don't use spray paint primer, it doesn't work as good and the paint won't stick as well as if you use the Summit Primer.

PAINT:
The Paint in this system is Acrilic Urathane, it's one of the better paints that goes on shiny, and is more flexable than other paints. There is regular paints for $80 and Metallic paints for $90 Metallic paint pops in the sun and makes you really stand out, and it's not that much harder, I'll explain later. The paint comes in a gallon, and I only used a little less than 2 quarts for 3 coats, so you can always repaint it.

Clear Coat: There is low solids and high solids, the high solids is better, holds a shine better and will protect the paint better, and it's only $10 more. Clear comes in a gallon also, and for metallic paints you have to have it, or you just wasted your money. You also need reducer and activator.

Reducter and Activator: The activator is the only thing you need to mix before you paint, mix in a 4:1 ratio, a mixing cup has the measurments on the side, so just buy some. After you put it in you have a certain pot life, 2-3 hours. You need to select the activator for the temp you will be painting at, 75 degrees or below, 75-85, or 85 and above. It has to be right or the paint will either not dry and leave the change for more runs or even dry in the gun if you got the wrong kind. The Reducer is Used in a 4:1:1 ratio too (4 parts paint, 1 part activator, 1 part reducer). Reducer helps reduce the paint, just like it sounds. It's required for the clear coat and you can use it for paint and primer if the paint is coming out to thick, because of colder weather. I only used one quart of it, and still have a little left. I would buy 2 activators, and 1 reducter, or 2 if it's colder. They only last 30 days, so buy what you need, there only $10 each, so get more than you need it be safe.








Prep: First, wash the car and use the wax and grease remover on all the surface, before you sand. Then car sanded with 400 grit sand paper, fix all dents and damage (I can make a new thread about body work if enough people want it). Just take out all the lights, taillights, headlgihts, corner lights, it makes it easier and you can get all the cracks and make it look professional. Now time to mask. Get some good masking tape like 3M brand, don't get cheap or the paint will get under and leave over spray every where. First, cover the engine on top and bottom, overspray will get on your engine if you don't cover it up. I just took off the wheels and put it on jack stands, and cover the brakes up. Mask off all windows, put a strip of masking tape around the window and then use 3M Cling paper,(see below)it's easier than plain paper and then cut it to shape of the window and masking around it to make it seated. Take off the trim around the windows and the body, and consider replacing them.

Next, is the garage, get a large area, clean everything or it will get in your paint. Have a fan build into a wall, or have a door open, because the paint fumes need to move. I had pastic all around the car, to make a booth. Once you have the car masked off your ready to primer.




Tools and Equipment: Of course you need a paint gun, but don't go and buy a $200 gun if you are going to use it a couple times and it's your first time. Go to Harbour Freight, they have a paint gun for $12, works great, doesn't have the adjustablility or brand name as other guns do, but good for the first time. They have a $40 gun that has the adjustability that the $200 gun has, and that's what I use, or NAPA does too for $50. You need a compressor, 5 Gallon or bigger, you might be able to use a smaller compressor, but I don't know for sure. You need rolls of clear plastic, you need to nail or screw the plastic to the ceiling and cover anything you don't want overspray on, trust me you will get it on anything. Another thing is you can go to a wreaking yard and just get a door from any car and that can be the practice part.

Time to start Priming: Use the surface wash and go over the entire car, clean it good, it can make or break a paint. Then use a tack cloth, just go over it before you get started, it gets rid of the last dirt and dust. Get the mixing cup and add 4 parts primer and 1 part activator (make sure it's the right temp inside the garage), then fill up the paint gun, hook it up to the compressor and wait for the psi to build up. You need it at around 36-40 PSI at the regulator, it says at the tip for the pressure, but we don't know that and I used 36-40 PSI, because it's just about equal to 10-12 PSI at the tip. First spray it on the practice part you have and adjust the fan width (the width of the fan is the paint width), and the PSI. This is important, especially when it comes to painting, because then you won't mess up on your car trying to adjust it. Start on the top of the car and work your way down. Hold it about 6-8 inches away, and just watch the paint go onto the car it will go on shiny then you have the right speed, if it's dull slow down a little. Of course if you see runs and sags, speed up or pull back a little. You will learn through time and get it down. Try to get every where you will put paint and more. You need 2 coats, by the time you get done with the first coat you can start on the second. If you have bare metal spots, use the epoxy primer before and then use the regular primer. I waited 24 hours and went over it with 400 grit wet sand, fixed any runs or sags, and you should add more primer if you need it.







Cleaning the Paint Gun: This is VERY important, if you don't clean it right you will not be painting, take off the tank clean it with Lacuer Thinner, take off the tip and clean it good, and if you got any paint anywhere else on the gun. Then put it back together, and put some Thinner in the gun and spray it until it runs out, this cleans it good. You do this when stopping or changing colors, not between coats.

Next is the best part, Paint. After you sanded the primer, clean out the entire garage, even the floor. Then, use the surface wash on the car again, and the tack cloth. Hook it up just like the primer, practice on the practice part, get it flowing good. Then start on the roof and paint, 6-8 inches away at a steady rate, don't pull away at the end, keep it even distance away as you go along. Go down from the roof, start on a side of the car and go from front to back, don't stop, just do the entire side. Then go to the other side, back, and front. Do the hood first, before the bumper so you don't accidently lean on the paint. Get all the cracks, where you want paint. Do 2-3 coats. On Metallic paints, you need to do a drop coat, your last coat will be it. You do it by pulling back and being 10-12 inches away and just mist it on, this spreads out the metallic and makes it even. Then clean the gun, and wait 3-5 hours.





 

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#31 ·
Haha looks kinda familiar.




Im working on my rex right now.
 
#32 ·
I'm in bothell. It looks alot better in person, and if you don't wet sand it within a few days, then it's really hard to do. I'm going to try to get it a little better, but it's good enough for me. Will have a body work thread up very soon.
 
#36 ·
read the first page!

Primer Surfacer
-Epoxy Primer (if you have any bare metal spots, will go into detail later)
-1 gallon of Acrilic Urathane Paint (there is 20 colors, look on Summitracing.com to see the colors)
-1 Gallone of Clear Coat
-2 quarts of Activator(for you temp. range, it has to be almost exact)
-1-2 quarts of Reducer( for you temp. range, it has to be almost exact)
-1 Summit Wax and Grease Remover and 1 Surface Wash
-1 Fish Eye eliminator

I spent $280 on everything except the epoxy Primer.

http://image.popularhotrodding.com/f...gh-quality.jpg
 
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