A Basic Backyarders Guide to Spraypainting.

[DAKSTER]

I'm liking this post. Thanks Dax.
I've painted a couple of cars in the back yard and always tried to do the final colour coats in one hit over the entire car.
Not always with success I'll add.
Thinking back I can see your method of doing it in sections would be a lot less stressful.
Do you notice any variations in the colour doing it this way?

There is quite a variation between the new colour and the old, yes. I am not seeing any variation in the new paint though, its looking pretty good. Some of the scratches from the 4000G are visible in the right light, but they will disappear too once the car gets buffed and polished.

 

[Gunns VC]

Hey Dakster great info, i just finished reading threw your thread. Im looking at re spraying my VK and have a few questions. The paint is still ok but i want to respray it to get it looking good again. My question is what course sand paper should i use to sand the old paint before i lay down some primer? Also what course paper should i use for spots that have been repaired such as dints that are in hi fill?

Cheers

 

[DAKSTER]

It really depends on just how bad the paint is. If its all in reasonably good nick, but just needs a shine back on it, I'd consider giving it a buff with some cutting compound first, just to see how it comes up. Better to have a nearly but not quite perfect paintjob than one you have completely messed up due to lack of skill. (Of course as always with spraypainting, if you are committed enough, you will be able to fix any mistakes you make and eventually get it perfect anyway).

If you do this, and then decide its not good enough, MAKE SURE you remove ALL polish or cutting compound from the paint before continuing. This applies even if you dont try to buff it.. after sanding, you MUST very thoroughly clean the car with Prepsol ( Wax and Grease remover ) before you spray anything, and at every intermediate step along the way.

If you are sure it actually needs painting, and you plan on using primer, then 240G is fine. All you want to do is take the shine off it, so the paint sticks properly. Any modern hi fill primer will have no trouble filling any scratches you leave. Just be very thorough, make sure there are no shiny bits left on the paint. I recommend always using primer, although it is possible to spray straight onto the old (properly prepared) paint, primer ensures a good bond and a flat surface.

Once you have primed it, you will find that primer is much softer and faster to sand than cured paint. I hand sand primer with 800G or even higher.

Not sure what you mean with the dents. If you mean what to use to sand down bog, I usually use 120G until its down to near what you want it, then switch to 240G to finish it before priming, and continue as above. I've been known to use 60G on fibreglass reinforced bog, just because it takes too long otherwise, but 60G has no place being anywhere where paint is, so you only use it to take the top off the bog.

I always wet sand by hand, if you plan on using a machine you will want to move to finer grades or you will be sanding through bits that you didnt mean to...

 

[Gunns VC]

Thanks for the info. I have given it a few polishes but it doesn't last, goes to chalky for my liking but the paint is still in relatively good nic, I want to also go a darker shade of red. Now I know where to start. I'll hit it all with 240, I have a fair bit of 600 for some reason so I might even smooth it off with the 600 once Iv hit it with the 240, just to be picky. I'm sure I'll have a few more questions for you soon. Cheers thanks for the help!

 

[DAKSTER]

If you have a bunch of 600, you could just use that. It will just take longer, thats all.

 

[Gunns VC]

Ok thanks for the help. Appreciate it! How do you go about sanding your primer? I see you said 800 or higher but do you do that between each coat? And how Many coats do you apply?

Cheers

 

[DAKSTER]

The more primer you apply, the better it will fill any imperfections. You want a minimum of 2 coats, I usually prefer 4 nice wet coats, but even more is better if you have the time and enough paint. If applying more than 4 coats I would do it over two days though, or you risk trapping thinners under too much paint and getting soft spots. 4 litres of primer with 6 litres of thinners should do about 6 solid coats on your whole car, so 3 coats each day would work well.

Primer is pretty fast drying, so it shouldnt get a chance to get dirty or greasy, and it doesnt need sanding inbetween, so I lay on up to 4 coats one after another. You want maybe half an hour between coats, so if you spray the whole car, sit down and have a beer and a couple ciggies, and get back into the next coat with no further preparation you will be ok.

Just be careful that it is actually dry before you go to the next coat, or you will get soft spots that take a lot longer to dry and you may have to wait overnight to rub it back. If each coat is dry before the next goes on, then you can start rubbing back an hour after the last coat.

Just wrap a piece of your 600G around one of those foam sanding blocks and dont use too much pressure. I like those, they have their own sandpaper surface but you dont use it.. the rough surface of the block makes it a lot easier to keep a good grip on the paper though. I use sandpaper dry on primer, wet on base coats and clear. Base coats and clear will clog paper quickly if you use it dry but the same problem doesnt happen as much with primer.

Once you have rubbed back the primer, then clean thoroughly and inspect closely, making sure you have removed all blemishes. If you find any, clean and add another coat. If you are happy with it, dont go straight from 800G to paint though, you will want to do it again with at least 1200G (cleaning again afterwards) before you start laying on your base coat. Again, because you have a bunch of 600G and you are going to finish with 1200G anyway, you could get away with substituting your 600 for the 800 if you like. Just dont rub too hard lol

 

[Gunns VC]

Thanks for the info DAKSTER, your so thorough with your replies it's a credit to you! Appreciate the help! Valuable info that I can use!

 

[DAKSTER]

Thanks mate, glad to be of help The rep button is that star at the bottom left of your posts :rofl2:


I finally got back to the Acclaim today, to try and fix the fuel once again. Since I moved it to the backyard, it hasnt moved since.. once again the bloody fuel.

Since all I have done is up the rear, it seemed like a good place to start, but I really didnt want to get under the car again and you need to be able to see the test lamp and turn the ignition at the same time.

This is because when you switch the ignition on, the system only gives the pump power for two seconds, just to prime the pump, then switches off again until the motor is running.

Since I have the back seat out looking for an access plate that didnt exist, I just tapped into the purple wire that goes through the grommet and down to the fuel tank. After that point, there is only one connector and the fuel pump itself, so if the power gets to here, you need to get under the car.

The power got to here.. turn the ignition on and the test lamp went on for 2 seconds then went off, just as expected. grrr under the car I go..

This is the last connector before the wiring goes into the fuel tank. YOu can see the longer fuel tank socket above, and the much dirtier plug below it. The rectangular socket is for the sensor.

All i did was unplug these again, spray some CRC into the socket, and plug them back together. Crawled out, turned the key, waited a second and started the car. Problem solved. Cool, I was hoping not to have to replace the brand new fuel pump and that was the only possibility left after that connection...

 

[mattytess]

Next time you have to be in two places at once to check something set your phone on video camera and film the light whilst turning the key. Just play back the video to check it.