I have spent days getting the surface ready to paint on 2 hoods, 2 decklids and an IMSA spoiler till it is now about as smooth as glass on the primer after wet sanding with 600 fine. I have a Turbine Paint system HVLP Gravity feed gun I will be putting the base coat clear coat on with. I have 1 quart of red paint and plan on 2 coats of base after my fog coat and then 2 coats of clear. I think I have about enough paint but plan on buying more for the rest of the project. Martin Senour paint made by Sherwin Williams however is not cheap. It's about $560 a gallon and not quite ready for the additional paint unless 1 quart after thinning is not enough for the panels I am describing above.

Comments? Suggestions?

Mike
I paint a car about every six months; I have for the last ten years. I use nothing but Sherwin Williams paint and when you buy the good stuff it covers very well. 1 quart should do all that you have listed, just do not make any mistakes. The only thing I could warn you against is painting a car in pieces at different times will almost grantee you that the panels when put together will not match. I would put a good coat of epoxy primer on your finished pieces and wait until the whole car is ready to paint and do it all at once. If you already have the quart just keep it and mix it with the other two quarts you get to do the whole car.

James

If you haven't painted before I highly recommend getting some cheap paint and some old parts to practice with beforehand. Most paint suppliers have miss-matched paints that they sell cheap, like $5/quart cheap, though the hardener and thinner typically sells at full price. I'd sure hate to shoot an expensive paint for the first time only to use up a bunch of it on refining technique and new gun setup.

James

Jazzman: Email sent.

Painting a car can be very trickey.The paint can run,wrincle or insects can land on it (there are booth rentals in some big citys).You will definately need a water extractor for the compressor and a resperator.Considering what you have in time and the cost of the paint.Go to a quality paint shop (with your paint) and have them paint it.Don't risk the gamble if this is your first car to paint (I've painted 2 cars befor,and they wear both Fieros).

James

Turbine paint systems do not have compressed air run from a storage tank there fore a water seperator is unecessary for my needs. The turbine unit heats the air drying it so there is no moisture and the reducers I use have extended drying time. These types of units have been used in Europe for some time. The great thing about these HVLP systems is they have very little overspray which is good for not wasting materials and getting paint where it does not belong.

I do not fore see fisheyes from silicone or waxes as the panels were cleaned extensively and completey covered with Ureathene Primer Surfacer. I have wet sanded the surfaces until they are as smooth as glass with no imperfections that I can detect. Runs and thickness are my main concern but I plan on making a couple of practice passes to make sure I have the material setting and distance about right before I hit the finished product and yes I know I need to overlap my passes and keep the gun aimed flat at the panel.

I am going to wait about a week to let the primer dry and cure before attempting to paint with base coat clear coat system. Don't think the wrinkles will be a problem if I have used the proper materials for the base and allowed this much time to cure.

I grewup working in my Dad's Pontiac Dealership back in the 60's and 70's and we had a bodyshop that I worked in sometimes prepping cars so it is not like I do not have any experience. Yes I could have sent them out to be painted but why? I have the tools and equipment besides who says I won't do a good job?

I do not have a paint booth but the garage will be pretty clean with the floor wet to keep down dust & dirt and I plan on putting up a plastic curtain from floor to ceiling. I am painting the car with the body parts off of the car inside a heated garage in the middle of an Indiana Winter so I doubt there will be a problem with insects and for my own safety yes I will be wearing a resperator.

One of the reasons I posted here was for a little encouragement and some suggestions. I have spent a lot of time prepping the pieces and the last thing I want is a screwedup mess with imperfections and that is what I got the last time I shipped a paint job out for several items on my 87 GT.

I do appereciate everyone's comments though please feel free to respond. Jazzman had several helpful hints and as the excitement grows when I get closer to finishing the product it is nice to have an advisor to slow you down so you don't charge ahead blindly.

[This message has been edited by Mike Murphy (edited 12-10-2006).]

Go for it and have fun.

As was said above, you may have a problem matching paint color when you paint the rest of the car later. That is the one thing I was always told, get all your paint up front so you know it matches.

I can understand that as soon as you hit the trigger you will be under some time constraints. But If you could you get some pictures? I'd like to see how you set up for painting, the garage, the gun, etc. Some of us want to save money where we can, and the prices seem to be pretty variable on Paint Shop paint jobs. Turning a wrench is something I can do with some confidence, but painting a car seems like a black art from where I'm at.

------------------
Ol' Paint, 88 Base coupe auto.
Turning white on top, like owner.
Leaks a little, like owner.
Doesn't smoke, unlike owner

You probably already know this but, use a suface prep and wear rubber gloves to keep oils off the primer. I think 600 grit is a bit fine. I use 400 so the paint has something to grab on to.

------------------

I will try to have my son take some photos when I get going so I can share some of this. The paint gun & system I purchased about 8 years ago from Tipp Tools or Tipp City Tools in Ohio. They have a website and you can check out their stuff like the HVLP turbine paint system. I think with the gravity feed gun and some other items I spent about $800. Also bought their pressurized sand blaster which I used on some rusty wheels. The materials by far are more expensive. A gallon of 81 code bright red for a Fiero is almost $600 and that is without the reducer. A gallon of Ureathane primer surfacer is about $145 and this does not include your hardeners, clear coats, flex additive and adhesion promoter. Ever wonder why a good paint job was so expensive these days?

I do plan on painting everything at once but may have to use a second garage as I do not want to crowd too much stuff in and get a bunch of overspray from one item to another.

1) I highly recomend using epoxy primer (PPG is the best) thinned as a sealer before you start shooting. It will seal the surface (reducing the likelihood of problems) & make everything stick better. As said the 600 is a little fine; 400 would have been better for adhesion, but the epoxy will take care of that. No need to sand the epoxy before shotting the paint (follow directions).
2) Swap your slow drying thinners for ones made the next grade *down* for the temps you'll be in. You want everything to dry fast, to reduce the chance of runs & dirt/insects. Once done, you'll still be able to sand & buff out any orange peel that you have.
3) If you do get runs or dirt in the clear, ignore them & keep shooting (unless they're really big wads of dirt or insects). Once dry again you'll be able to sand & buff it & you won't see them. Sanding runs can be tricky, but using paint paddles cut to length you should be able to flatten them out.
4) Shoot 3 coats of clear to give you more thickness to sand & buff.
5) Be sure to get all the manufacturers tech sheets for the materials you use. They have them where you get the paint.
HTH,
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

There is no problem that cannot be solved with the *right application* of high explosives.

quote Originally posted by bonzo: .......I think 600 grit is a bit fine. I use 400 so the paint has something to grab on to.

This was one of my concerns. I also use 320/400 grit before spraying, but I'm using PPG Deltron. I've found that Martin-Seynour paint is very thin and runs easy and I didn't care for it. If you have never sprayed before, you shouldn't have any problems as you'll be learning how to spray whereas I had to adjust my spray technique for the thinner paint. Since you are allowing the primer to sit for a week before spraying, you'll need to scuff the surface before you spray as the primer will seal itself and the paint won't stick to it. Using a red 3M Scotchbrite is a perfect scuff pad and it is pretty equal to 400 grit sanding scratches. Your base color should have no problem covering scratches made with 400 grit paper or scuff pads after a couple of coats.

I spray my cars disassembled and I have never had any issues while painting a Fiero. Other painters such as RogerGarrison prefer to paint a Fiero assembled. It's a preference thing. It's very easy to have your panels not match up when painting metallics as any change in air pressure, spray pattern, speed of paint application, or a host of other changes can change the way that the metallic particles settle. Then the panels don't look the same.

I have my home garage set up for painting as you are doing and my paint work is show quality. Take your time and clean everything as it sounds like you are doing and you'll do fine. What's nice about base/clear systems is that the base sprays very easy and if something doesn't come out right you can correct it as soon as the base is dry.......about 30 minutes. Fix your boo-boo and respray. Base color is a very forgiving paint to spray and you'll get comfortable with your gun and how you spray rather quickly. One thing to try to do is spray consistantly. Spray at a 90 degree angle to the surface and at the same distance from the surface you are spraying at all times, plus try to keep the same air pressure if you can. I have a regulator and pressure gauge at the gun for adjustments with full tank pressure in the line so all of my adjustments are at the gun.

Good luck and be confident. Painting is a very time consuming endeavor and takes patience. Go slow, be careful, and post pictures!

Mark the paint guy.

------------------

Mike as mentioned above, take your time--get up early--double check everything before you pull the trigger , no need to rush, it does take time. This site has been floating around for a while, good info here, www.autobody101.com everyone does things different, you do what works for you, and try not to read to much into it, the labels on the cans are helpfull as hell, so are some of the supply house techs, and of course ---our crew here is cheering you on--- it`s a midnight run....Have fun with it...

Pretty much what everyone else has already said. I generally paint nearly a complete car (or whole smaller car) with 1 qt of unreduced basecoat. Fieros and Corvettes for example are ez to do with one quart unless your doing a color change. I did my corvette in caddy pearl white....1 qt, and 1 qt of clear urathane. I do many show quality jobs and specialize in repairs to vettes and exotics and do all my work in a 2 1/2 car garage including the paint. Wet sanding and buffing eliminates any surface problems with dust. I try do do any painting in the summer during the early morning after the sun comes up because bugs are relatively non existent then. I have litteraly a roomfull of show trophies for cars Ive done. Main thing is cover or remove anything you dont want overspray on. You shouldnt have any problems with runs since all the panels you describe are flat that can be laid out on sawhorses or tables. I also just finished a Dodge Avenger in black...with 1 qt of black basecoat over red oxide primer.

------------------

Owner / Operator Custom Paint and Body...
specializing in Corvette & other Higher End Autos.

1 Quart basecoat for 1 Fiero? Without a color change I would have thought at least 2. The hood , decklid and front bumper will be in grey primer as will the rockers and areo moldings.

Probably not a good example, but I just painted a 78 Z28 Camaro, trunk area, jambs and all, and used right at 3 quarts.(Dupont Chroma base).
I will agree with the "go for it" coments. The painting itself if not that hard, with a little patients and practice. You have to start somewhere. But I would NOT recommend, painting with the paint you have, then get more to finish the car. It more then likely will NOT match with out blending the panels, no matter who mixes it. Especially the red. But to each his own. Surely you have seen cars driving around your own town, that you can tell, someone tried to cut corners, and the fender doesn't quite match the door, or hood, etc.

Kevin

Yeah I think I'm going to order another quart and mix both so they match. I already have a 2 tone white with 20 year old and 3 year old paint that does not match. This is my sons car a red 86 SE with 53,000 one owner miles that was purchased from a guy in Jersey by the name of Artie Ecock if I remember his name right. He wrecked it one night after hitting some ice and meeting up with a telephone pole. The doghouse is all new and found an IMSA wing for the back. All in 81 bright red but he wants to change the lower accent to silver like the 85 GT. Had to repair the rockers anyway and reshoot the rear bumper.

I think Artie posted it here on Pennock's. We drove all the way to New Jersey to bring that one back home to Indiana. Hope he still has the same email I need to send him pics of the finished product.

[This message has been edited by Mike Murphy (edited 12-11-2006).]

Its prob my experience level and professional guns. The only time I get more than a quart of a basecoat color is an all over on a Caddy or Lincoln. After I got done doing my vette, Ive still got a little touch up white and pearl left over. Most fender bender repair jobs, I get 1/4-1/2 pint of basecoat. My supplier will sell that much to me. I painted my whole airplane with less than 2 gallons of Acrylic Enamel. There are a few colors (some reds, yellows and whites mostly) that take quite a bit more to cover. I guarantee I can do any Fiero with less than a quart (except for the rare exceptions mentioned). It did take me 2 quarts to paint the entire top and bottom of my 18' jetboat in pearl tangerine. My primary gun is an Accuspray ($500-600)and its got prob an 85% transfer rate . I get about the same overspray as a few aerosol cans on a job. I use R&M/BASF paint exclusively...same as Chip Foose's shop. R&M is not expensive and just as durable. Most colors except reds, usally cost me about $50-60 @ quart, and about the same for clear urathane w/ hardener. I did a whole Honda civic recently that was hail damaged. All including new hood, decklid in silver for maybe $150 in material. Anyone spending $500 and up to paint an OEM color is wasting plenty of cash to me. Your welcome to come over with your quart and paint them here with my supervision just to prove my point. My guess is you will go home with prob a pint left over depending on color.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 12-12-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Firefox: This was one of my concerns. I also use 320/400 grit before spraying, but I'm using PPG Deltron. I've found that Martin-Seynour paint is very thin and runs easy and I didn't care for it. If you have never sprayed before, you shouldn't have any problems as you'll be learning how to spray whereas I had to adjust my spray technique for the thinner paint. Since you are allowing the primer to sit for a week before spraying, you'll need to scuff the surface before you spray as the primer will seal itself and the paint won't stick to it. Using a red 3M Scotchbrite is a perfect scuff pad and it is pretty equal to 400 grit sanding scratches. Your base color should have no problem covering scratches made with 400 grit paper or scuff pads after a couple of coats. I spray my cars disassembled and I have never had any issues while painting a Fiero. Other painters such as RogerGarrison prefer to paint a Fiero assembled. It's a preference thing. It's very easy to have your panels not match up when painting metallics as any change in air pressure, spray pattern, speed of paint application, or a host of other changes can change the way that the metallic particles settle. Then the panels don't look the same. I have my home garage set up for painting as you are doing and my paint work is show quality. Take your time and clean everything as it sounds like you are doing and you'll do fine. What's nice about base/clear systems is that the base sprays very easy and if something doesn't come out right you can correct it as soon as the base is dry.......about 30 minutes. Fix your boo-boo and respray. Base color is a very forgiving paint to spray and you'll get comfortable with your gun and how you spray rather quickly. One thing to try to do is spray consistantly. Spray at a 90 degree angle to the surface and at the same distance from the surface you are spraying at all times, plus try to keep the same air pressure if you can. I have a regulator and pressure gauge at the gun for adjustments with full tank pressure in the line so all of my adjustments are at the gun. Good luck and be confident. Painting is a very time consuming endeavor and takes patience. Go slow, be careful, and post pictures! Mark the paint guy.

i always 350 grit before painting anything also.

but after teh clear coat even though it is expensive consider using 2000grit or even 3000 grit YES it does exist. its crazy stuff - you can barely tell it is there. if at all.

quote Originally posted by Mike Murphy: Jazzman: Email sent.

It's better to PM me, my email addy is so spam-riddled, like 200 pron/viag-ra adds a day, that I normally only scan for the word "FIERO" in the subject before doing a mass select and delete. I probably deleted yours already.

James