INFO: Autobody and Paint Q&A

Need to get you one of these to alleviate the finger cramps....

Thanks for setting this Body Work Forum up... I will DEFINATELY be utilizing it in the upcoming months as I try and tackle the R&R of my drivers side inner rear quarter structure!!!

 

Look forward to all the insite and tips on how to get PROFESSIONAL results from all our membership for my upcoming repair!

there are other brands on the interent that work well and are inexpensive and even a step up from HF bu don't knock the HF guns as I use one for my primer gun,that way If I forget to clean it out and let some 2 part primer harden in my spraygun i'm not worried if I ruin it as I paid $15 and if I can't clean it out and get it working again I can throw it out and buy a new one cheap.

I have however had that happened and just scraped out the harden primer and get as much of the particles out then fill it with thinner and let it soak then finish cleaning it later.

still works god to this day.just be sure to clean your equipment when your finished using it so it works properly the next time.

anyway my point is you can sometimes buy a pint or quart of inexpensive autopaint cheaper then what it cost you for multiple spray cans of paint.Say your painting a fender for example ust to put some paint on it to protect it till someday you get it painted properly.you might need

3-6 cans to get enough coverage and coats on there and then you have what usually is a cheap enamel paint which later when sanded and a auto paint is applied over top bites into that cheap enamel paint and wrinkles it all up and now you have a nightmare as it all has to be stripped off.

so why not save some headaches and buy a cheap Gravity feed spray gun as it doesn't take a huge compressor to use these types of guns as the fluid comes out even without air connected to the gun by pulling the trigger.The air is what atomizes the paint and makes it spray in a fan pattern.

Also I don't recommend using the cheap spray can primers to go over your sheetmetal or bodywork on the body as it is lacquer type primer and the automotive Uerethane paints don't tick to it even when sanded,trust me fond this out the hard way on a little dent when I was prepping a vehicle for paint and didn't have time for the auto 2K primer to cure as I need to paint the vehicle and get it done so the paint was cured to deliver the job the next day.guess what I had to keep it another day as when I was spotting in the inside lip on the bottom of the door I had tapped off the outside panel as I didn't want any overspray on the fresh paint and when I removed the masking paper and 2 in masking tape I use the paint peeled off the area where I had used the spray can primer  cause it was a lacquer product and used a Basecoat/clearcoat Urethane automotive paint but the paint stuck fine round that area and only peeled off on the spot with the spray can primer.Also I used all the basecoat color to paint the job and only had a tiny bit left to spot in the inside bottom lip which I used.I had no money to go buy more paint the correct factory color so I had to go into my paint cabinet and pull out paints and mix them together and custom tint a color close enough to spot it in so you couldn't tell.Thankfully I'm very good at color matching and can custom tint a color,but you see my point as why I tell you not to use them if at all possible.

It's fine to prime and paint small parts on the car with spray can but when it comes to the actual body,save yourself some grief and go get the auto paints and supplies at an autobody paint supplier and do it correctly with the correct products.It might cost a little but if you DIY then you will save on the labor costs which is also what makes taking repairs to a shop expensive not just the paint and materials.

I use spray paints all the time detailing out parts under the hood or suspension but when it comes to the sheet metal body part especially the exterior won't use spray can paints.

there are specialty paints for the trim and such and even for interior that I will use in spray can form but it is not just cheap enamel or lacquer paint but automotive type put in a spray can for easy use

Custom Paint is a whole other ball game and don't recommend it for a beginner or novice painter as that is experienced professional grade and the candy paint and materials is not cheap so it is better left to someone who has experience with candy paints.Even professional auto painters don't all know how to shoot candy properly, it's not like shooting regular colors and easy to get light and dark shades in it from not applying it evenly or Zebra stripes as we call it with light and dark stripe looking variances in the color.

This is one I did and I know what i'm doing so it looks awesome

it's a two tone candy fade and the transition is flawless and blends well as many don't know how to do it correct even when they can do one color candy good but there is a secret to doing a fade and I don't give that out for free,that costs money as i'd rather not have alot of people know how as it lessons the competition

Normally that would have been a $10K build for all the bodywork involved with the huge wheels and the truck was a rebuilt wreck and had to redo most all the previous hack body work to make it somewhat right.

Primer type and tips

 

Short version:

Generally when you remove (drill out) the spot welds, a replacement panel is then inserted to replace a rusted or damaged one and then the holes are welded up solid to secure the old panel to the new panel.

You slide it under the molding and it hooks the clips, then pry the clip open by rocking the tool onthe triangle or pull slightly to the center to release the clips from the molding but be careful not to snag the edge of the glass with the tool as it will crack the glass.

 the tools can vary buy this is one design and they are cheap

 now for the side quarter i'm not 100% sure but i think the moldings either pry up and have plastic clips or the may have a few T bolt clips also that you need to access from inside the trunk.I know the formal roofs have some T-bolts that have to be removed from inside the trunk.

Never did a fastback with vinyl so  not sure if they have any bolts from inside or just clips

Sorry you can thank those who complained about me as now the others have to sufffer as well

hopefully another skilled professional or  atleast an experienced member can help you with any

Paint And Body Technical stuff