So I decided that the nasty, faded, sun-burnt, peeling paint job that my car acquired while sitting in the last owners driveway was just not doing the car justice. The surface of the rigid panels all feel and look much like 80 sand paper. So they will be the first to be done, simply so the car looks like a work in progress, not a piece of un-cared for junk.
So if anyone has any tips/tricks for spraying these panels, I would really appreciate it, and am also planning on doing a write up on it as I will be removing the front/rear roof and deck lid sections and spraying them off car.
Also, my dad mentioned that it was strange that only the fiberglass or what ever these panels are faded and peeled. Is it common for these panels to do this when left exposed? Almost seems like the heat/sunlight pulled something out of the body panel that messed with the red top coat.
Are you seeing glass fiber marks in the color coat? That happens because moisture gets into the SMC panel. You need to make sure the part is dry and prime it so rain does not get down to the resin. This applies to the SMC panels only.... Hood, Top, and rear deck panel. The other panels don't retain moisture.
Nope, not seeing any fiber glass or anything through the paint. What it looks like is that just the red color coat has separated from the paint beneath it and is orange peeling/flaking away. The hood was the worst, with the roof and rear deck lid not great but no where save-able. I got the hood sanded and prepped today, but I'll get a shot of what I'm seeing on the rest of it next time I am out working on it.
Side note: Going with black. Easy to keep clean lol. But really paint right not is just to make the car not embarrassing to drive. Final plan if an LNF (Cobalt SS, the turbo one that puts out 260 across the board stock) swap, but all is subject to change. And when engine and all the other goodies are done it will probably get another, much nicer and more thought out paint job.
[This message has been edited by KillerFrogg (edited 08-25-2013).]
Most important thing I have experienced is the value of doing a super good job on final sanding of the primer coat. Avoid using your fingers and avoid an overly heavy primer coat unless you sand it down. the next time I do mine, if I do any panel repair I'll prime it and let it sit for a month or two before final primer and sanding. I was able to block sand and polish the clear coat to a beautiful smooth finish, but a couple of small repair places (like where I filled the emblem holes in the nose and the antenna hole in the fender) had shrunk under the clear coat. So while the finish is smooth you can see the little dents of the holes from certain angles.
I just started a how too on painting and will be doing step by step projects in the the near future.https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/092596.html#lastpost I would like to see your write up on dis-assembly of the upper panels. As for your question and your description of the parts. I would use a DA with some 180g to carefully sand down those panels just try not to cut into the fiberglass, then prime with a good 2K urethane primer/surface r, block sand you may need to repeat then you can top coat with your choice of bc/cc or single stage
I am in the final stages of painting my 86 with Krylon gold, and I am very happy with the outcome. While it is far from show worthy, that wasn't my goal. My goal was to improve on the faded, oxidized, worn out, scratched, cracked, (etc), remnants of mismatched paint my Fiero was covered in. Instead of just a daily beater, my Fiero now looks presentable on the road.
My tip is to take your time with all the work. If you feel frustrated, or tired, walk away and come back later. Removing panels makes for the easiest painting, but some panels are difficult to remove and are best painted in place. Use lots of plastic sheeting to cover the parts not being painted, unless you want to spend time removing over spray. If you are going for perfection, you will spend a lot of time achieving it. The better the result, the longer it takes.
If you are looking for fast results, hire it done.
I am in the final stages of painting my 86 with Krylon gold, and I am very happy with the outcome. While it is far from show worthy, that wasn't my goal. My goal was to improve on the faded, oxidized, worn out, scratched, cracked, (etc), remnants of mismatched paint my Fiero was covered in. Instead of just a daily beater, my Fiero now looks presentable on the road.
My tip is to take your time with all the work. If you feel frustrated, or tired, walk away and come back later. Removing panels makes for the easiest painting, but some panels are difficult to remove and are best painted in place. Use lots of plastic sheeting to cover the parts not being painted, unless you want to spend time removing over spray. If you are going for perfection, you will spend a lot of time achieving it. The better the result, the longer it takes.
If you are looking for fast results, hire it done.
Just remember, if you ever put on a real paint job, ALL the spray can stuff MUST come off first. Automotive paint will attack it.
Covering the vehicle with plastic is fine, but some plastics dont hold the paint and big chucks of dry paint will flake off from the air pressure of the spray gun. Always cover at least a foot away from the panel your painting with paper...preferably waxed automotive masking tape. Newspaper will allow paint to soak thru to your good paint.
Just remember, if you ever put on a real paint job, ALL the spray can stuff MUST come off first. Automotive paint will attack it.
Covering the vehicle with plastic is fine, but some plastics dont hold the paint and big chucks of dry paint will flake off from the air pressure of the spray gun. Always cover at least a foot away from the panel your painting with paper...preferably waxed automotive masking tape. Newspaper will allow paint to soak thru to your good paint.
I agree... well put
and do not use any lacquer type primers at all... only two part hardened primers such as epoxy primer first followed by 2k urethane primer/surfacer for fill and blocking
[This message has been edited by mark1970 (edited 08-26-2013).]
The current plan is to get a quart or two of cheap automotive black, and spray with a proper spray gun. This is going to be more of a learning experience in painting body panels. I already have the equipment from when my dad did a project car/resto years ago. I am going to be getting help from from him, but he doesn't have experience painting on fibergalss.
So it is not going to be a rattle can job, but I am not too worried about getting it perfect. The hood is getting done first because it was totally trashed. The roof panels and rear deck lid and trimmings will be removed before the car gets stored in the barn for the year. Being the smallest thing in the barn, It goes in the most inaccessible spot
and do not use any lacquer type primers at all... only two part hardened primers such as epoxy primer first followed by 2k urethane primer/surfacer for fill and blocking
Hoping Driver dont crash in, but why do you say that ? Ive owned a custom paint shop for 45 years and ALL ill use is lacquer primer surfacer. Ill only use a 2 part primer on special cases like a clearcoat failure that a customer dont want to spend $4000 on. Ill DA sand off all the clear I can with 320, then 2 part prime and paint. I use only lacquer primer on all high end cars (recently repaired a new Bentley Continental) and all my own show cars.
The 2 part DOES seal off the strata under it so peeling, sandscratching, etc dont show. The downsides are it costs 3 times as much, you cant leave it in a gun...you MUST use what you mix within hours, the overspray catalyzes on everything in the vicinity...cant get it off, if there is ANY moisture in the parts under it...it will bubble because its sealed in and cant expand. It doesnt fill any better than lacquer. With lacquer, I can sand, reprime and resand over and over again usually within 15 minutes. 2 part must cure an hour or two till you can sand. (it says 30 mins, but my experience is it will gum up that soon). On the other hand, you are correct its just a personal choice. I wont use it in my shop because its caused me too much warranty work repaints. In 50 years, ive never had a single warranty job from lacquer primer. I also prefer red oxide over gray. Paint seems to have a problem adhereing to whatever is in the gray primers. Look on the road at any cars that you see with peeling paint...its always gray...never red oxide. With an older vehicle with gray primer, I can shave the paint off down to the primer with a single edge razor blade. Cant do it with red oxide...it will dig in or break the blade.
Alright, thanks for the info. I will definitely be printing this and throwing it in with the rest of my fiero related resources. When the car gets its real paint job it will be good to have all of this to go to.
Now as far as the flexible panels go, what kind of process is used to prep those for paint? For the hood i knocked off everything with an orbital sander and some 80 or 120 paper so it took everything off fast but didn't just instantly chew straight to fiberglass, then went over it again with i believer 200 or finer to get it nice and smooth. For how soft the other panels are, I feel that route may be too agressive, and am wondering if it is even necessary to take the paint off of those. They are generally in good shape. some have a few nicks and scaratches that you would expect a 30 year old car to have but not much else.
One last thing, then i believe i am done with questions for tonight, the grille over the engine, the service panels on either side of it, and the luggage rack on the deck lid, I assuming that factory they all came gloss black? I just want to be sure before i do those.
Anything thats sanded with rougher than 320 will need primered. Sand everything you already sanded with 180 or finer and thats fine for primer (whatever one you chose). Sand the primer with 320-400 and its ready to paint. Anything finer may not allow good adhesion of the paint to the primer. You would use 600 or finer in the old days of lacquer paint to reduce scratches...but lacquer paint 'burned' itself into the primer for grip. Your prep work is what will make your paint stick. Primer is not this magical glue that 'makes' paint stick. If you sanded the hood for example and got into stringy fibers, you will need to skim a light coat of SMC filler over that. If you just got down to the plastic, you will be just fine with primering it. There is no special way to prep any of the plastic parts...just sand and scuff the same as any other car. You dont need any of the snake oils they want to sell you like adhesion promoter, flex agent...they are not needed. If you do basecoat/clearcoat 2-3 coats is ALL you want on it, plus 2-3 coats of clear. Anymore than that is asking for trouble. 10 coats of clear wont shine any better than 2...but it will crack much better. You ONLY see the last coat. If you do a single stage paint with no clear, you only need 2-3 coats and stop. A few colors are pretty transparent and may need more...just make sure its evenly covered and no more.
Most people paint those grills with a semi gloss paint like Krylon BBQ black....which is also heat resistant. I also use the same paint for other trim. I dont believe the factory finish was glossy. Your free to go with what you want....silver, or even car color is your choice.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 08-28-2013).]
Alright, thankyou very much for all the info! At the very least i have good information to work off of for when I am ready for paint. In the mean time I have a few other projects on the table right now. Low profile HID's, head light motor rebuild, refinish my headliner, and a few other ideas i have been tossing around for a while in my head.