My cheap paint job (so far)

5685 Views 42 Replies 18 Participants Last post by palladin, Jan 29, 2011

skittle

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2011

5

Since I am waiting for to get a new ECU to get my z running I decided it was time for some color on the car.

I read about rolling/brushing on rustoleum off of the internet and people have had good results. So today I went to Lowes and bought a Pint of Semi-gloss white and had them add some green to it ($8.56). I got home and took off the hood, fenders, cowl, and sugar scoops. I then sanded them down starting with 80 grit (orbital sander).

After they were what i was looking for I took out my handy dandy Harbor Frieght paint gun and added a little paint thinner to the paint. So far the pieces look really good. I know I still have alot of work to do since it is the first layer. I'll be spraying it all again after I wetsand it out. The next time I get the paint I will prob have them make it a tad darker and then I will add some yellow flake to it for looks.

Here is what it looks like so far. Remember this is just the begining stages of a super cheap paint job.

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zxtoy

· #2 · Jan 23, 2011

What was the mixture ratio of thinner to paint? How long did it take to dry?
My experience is rustoleum enamel takes a while to dry (3 days) if you roll or brush it on. I put it on a trailer and it took that long in 90 degree weather.But I didn't thin it.
I bought some really nice dark blue rustoleum and was thinking of spraying my ZX this summer. After I fix a few bad spots in the body I want to put an inexpensive paint job on it.
I expermented with some rustoleum aluminum color paint mixed in with blue and got a really nice old school metal flake or metallic look.I brushed that on a spot on the inside of the door of my parts car and let it dry for a week.I thought it came out really good.
I'm saving money for another project that I'm keeping a secret for now! 8)
Yours looks really good! Are you planning on a clear coat on the top?

Jaket2k9

· #3 · Jan 23, 2011

Holy crap dude that's pretty cool looking!

skittle

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 23, 2011

Yeah I will be doing a clear coat with yellow flake. Still along way to go though. Tomorrow I will try to get the rest of the body some what done, I should have enough paint for the bottom layer with only 1 pint used.

zxtoy

· #5 · Jan 23, 2011

So more pics tomorrow? I hope!

speednick

· #6 · Jan 23, 2011

Kermit!

Nick

zxtoy

· #7 · Jan 23, 2011

You know- It's not easy being green!

black gold man

· #8 · Jan 23, 2011

Wet sand and polish would be best over clear coat.
Clear will highlight the flaws. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9WiPxsMpXU

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heroe

· #9 · Jan 23, 2011

So basicly your using a paint that I could wipe off with laquor thinner on a rag. In other words a few dribbles at the gas pump could result in repainting the rear quarters? Or a mishap with brake fluid on the fender, or carb cleaner, and you got a smear? Or is the clear somehow going to seal it somehow? Theres places here that will paint a car for 400 bucks. For 400 bucks and no extra labor you could be using an automotive paint. You are a great person skittle but I cant support this type of paint on a z. If you were near atlanta and I knew you were going to put some work in, I'd have given you a gallon of auto paint. I respect your drive to improve your ride but you may lack a little patience. And the thinner will make it dry slightly faster. Too much will make it chaulky. Keep us updated on how the paint wears/fades/chips/lifts etc..

venus

· #10 · Jan 23, 2011

zxtoy said:
So more pics tomorrow? I hope!

I'm lovin' it! I do think the final coats are key to making ot pop. Silver flake might top it off. Gold or Yellow flake will make too chartreuse IMO – like antifreeze. I like the electric green better.

heroe

· #11 · Jan 23, 2011

yellow pearl and gold pearl layered would give the antifreeze effect.

skittle

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 23, 2011

Heroe, check out the thread on hybrid regarding this type of paint. There are some on there that have had this paint on their cars for years with out any problems.

palladin

· #13 · Jan 23, 2011

You could pick up some sherwin williams single stage auto paint fairly inexpensively.

skittle

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 24, 2011

Yeah If an when I decide to do a real paint job I'll go all out and get Alsacorp paint.

heroe

· #15 · Jan 24, 2011

sherwin williams does make great single stage, maybe 230 dollars a gallon here. But for metalics, I'd go with ppg. I'll stick to the real thing.

palladin

· #16 · Jan 24, 2011

Still better than rustoleum

JGW006

· #17 · Jan 24, 2011

I don't know enough to know if it's good or bad, but I'm super impressed Skittle!

ktm

· #18 · Jan 24, 2011

heroe must have had his head in the sand for the last 5 years. Here is part of the original thread that started the rage: http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2655425&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

skittle

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 24, 2011

I wanted to do some more work on it today, but I totally forgot we had to take the kids up to the mountain to go play in the snow.

Tomorrow I will work on taking off the doors and getting ready to paint the jams and what not. I'll also tape off the glass and anything else I dont want painted.

skittle

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 26, 2011

Ok a little update, I was not to fond of the green after all. It needed to be a little darker. So I went and got a gallon of paint and now the car will be a darker green with a black hood and hatch.

Will post some pics as soon as the paint dries.

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