Cebby

I want to color match some of the plastic and "chromed" plastic on my 2nd Gen.

I want to first do the door handles, then the back of the mirror housings and finally the license plate surround. I'll also finally be getting around to 'black pearling' the emblems on the tailgate, but I know what to do there. I have spare parts of all the things I'm painting, so I can take my time - no rush!!!

I went today and got a quart of color matched paint and some clear (with activator and reducer), some 600, 1200, and 1500 sand paper and a mixing cup. I figured I need a strainer too and some sort of primer, but I needed to tap this knowledgebase for some direction. I'll be spraying the parts I want to color match with an HVLP sprayer (dedicated turbine, not glorified air compressor gun)

I need some tips on what other things I need to make sure the paint stays and is durable. What Prep? What primer? Curing times? Etc, etc, etc.

Thanks in advance!!

Cebby

Well, I got the door handles apart tonight (what a pain). I started sanding them with 220 or 320 grit (I forget what I grabbed).

Bama, you out there?

914runner

I was thinking about doing the same, as i have a access to paint guns, etc. But I do not know how to prep chrome surfaces?
Thanks

bamachem

Ok, here goes...

For the chrome parts, it's a little tricky, but can be accomplished. You'll need some 220 or 320 grit and will need to really rough up the chrome good. From there, you need to apply some Auto Primer - NOT rattle can. Let it dry for about 2 hours in the sun, then sand w/ 220 or 320 again and prime again. Let it dry for 2 hours again, then sand w/ 400 to get it nice and smooth. If you go all the way through the primer while sanding, then you'll need to recoat and re-sand w/ 400. Next, you want to spray it w/ some very thin primer and then follow it with some basecoat ASAP. Make sure to clean the gun good when going from primer to base though. The first coat of base should be fairly thin and you want to lay it on lightly. The primer should still be slightly tacky when you lay it on, but not wet.

Allow that to dry for about 30 minutes, then follow it w/ a regular coat of basecoat. Let that dry for about 2 hours in the sun. lightly sand out any orangepeel w/ some 600 grit. DON'T touch the paint w/ your hands. Wear latex painter's gloves if you need to. Spray w/ another coat of base, and let this one dry for about 2 hours.

If everything is nice and smooth, then mix up a VERY THIN coat of base and hit the parts w/ it. Immediately dump the basecoat from the gun and pour in some clear, activator, hardener, (appropriate amounts) then thin it out, and follow the thin coat of base w/ a thinned coat of clear. Allow that to dry and follow w/ progressive coats just like you did w/ the base.

If you have any orangepeel in the clearcoat, then after it dries for 24 hours, you can wet-sand it w/ 1000 followed by 1500 followed by 2000 followed by "Scratch-Out" polishing liquid on a clean dry terrycloth towel and then buff it out w/ another clean dry terrycloth towel. Work it all in by hand and you'll get the best results.

By allowing the base and the clear to be laid on top of a thin TACKY substrate, you will promote chemical bonding and have a much stronger finish.

Good luck.

Best advise I can give for paint is to TAKE YOUR TIME and NEVER get in a hurry.

Don't forget to get the bumpers and that front grill while you're at it.

Cebby

Thanks Andy! That's just what I was looking for!!

bamachem

You're welcome!

li_runner

I have a follow up question, what brand/type of gun are you using to apply the paint with? Do you use different guns with the paint and or clearcoat?

Cebby

I'll be using a Fuji HVLP rig. Same gun for primer/color/clear. I don't have anything else, so I hope it will work.

bamachem

Yup. I have a pair of gravityfeed guns that are "Central Pneumatic" brand that I got from Harbor Freight for $30 for the small one and $45 for the big one. I use one for Primer and one for Base/Clear just so I can change over quicker and then have time to clean them throughly between uses.

They now have them on sale for $40 each.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46719

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43430

Cebby

Would there be any benefit to baking these pieces a little?

They will all fit in my oven...

bamachem

Not unless you're crunched for time or it's cold when you shoot them. If you put them in your oven to cure, do it on 170 (or the lowest it will go) w/ the oven door cracked open and have all your doors and windows open because it WILL fill your entire house w/ fumes. Don't ask how I know that - just know that I KNOW what I'm talking about on that issue...

Cebby

Can I use this primer (even though it's a rattlecan?) I would use the SEM version since I can get it locally.

Regarding primer - does it have to be the same make as the auto paint? For example, the paint and clear are Dupont.

Cebby

Hell, if I get good results, I might fix the rust on top of my tailgate and repaint that. (The shop that "fixed" it did a crappy paintjob - the repair only remained for 2 years)

bamachem

You can try rattle can primer, but most of the time when I've used it, I get fisheyes all over the place. It doesn't HAVE to be the same brand, but if it were, then you could rest easy and know that it's going to work and not have any adverse effects on finish or durability.

Cebby

I was thinking of being able to switch over to paint from primer quickly. I want it to look good, so if that means using regular automotive primer (non-rattlecan) then that's the direct I'll go.

bamachem

you don't have to be super-fast, but don't take your time, then go make a sandwich, take a nap, come back, clean your paint gun, then take out the trash, wash the runner, do some laundry, play with the dog, then go spray the basecoat.

Cebby

I don't do laundry.