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Best way/Cheap way to paint car


92_rugby_subie
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I want to do some paint for my car, but I dont want to pay $500 to have it done professionally, only to mess it up while wheeling:grin:

 

I have a 1984 GL Wagon - Wanting this to be some forest green, or army green, navy blue etc, just a dark color that isnt black. But I also want it to not be shiny, just be like primer.

 

My friend has a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder and he wants the same thing, only in the army green color, and were hoping to do this either in his front yard or my driveway or garage.

 

Ive read up on heat being a factor and here its anywhere from 85-92 on a given day during the summer.

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Probably the easiest way yes would be with just rattle cans. I had a friend who did that in high school. It took him a good 20-30 rattle cans but he was able to do it. It didn't look too bad, and it definitely wasn't shiny.

 

His probably would have come out better if he did it all at once. But instead he'd use like one or two cans at a time and he just kept the extra cans in the car. So if we'd go somewhere, every time we'd stop we'd have to pull out the cans and help him paint for a couple minutes. It was weird but it was also very funny thinking back on it.

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o.k.

 

Don't laugh.

 

I've seen more than one vehicle locally over the years painted with latex house paint and a roller.

 

Not proud that I've seen it. Kinda one of those things you can't "unsee".

 

Gotta be cheap, and a large selection of colors and a few "sheens". Heck you can get a gallon of mistint for what - 5 bucks? Can't get cheaper than that.

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o.k.

 

Don't laugh.

 

I've seen more than one vehicle locally over the years painted with latex house paint and a roller.

 

Not proud that I've seen it. Kinda one of those things you can't "unsee".

 

Gotta be cheap, and a large selection of colors and a few "sheens". Heck you can get a gallon of mistint for what - 5 bucks? Can't get cheaper than that.

 

 

Ok this is bad, i just pictured an old car painted with Martha Stewart brand paint and be called designer....

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Rattle can paint adds up quick. I shot my 93 legacy wagon in SEM flat black. Took about 12 cans or so to do it. ~$100 in paint, plus probably another $50 or so in primer. It's lasted about 2 years and I'm starting to have some flaking problems with it.

 

I'm about to sand it down again and re-shoot it. This time it'll be with Nason Fast Dry equipment paint and some flattener. That's about $60/gallon including the hardener. The flattener is super expensive, but I'll end up needing MAYBE an ounce to do the whole car.

 

So if you've got an air compressor and a paint gun, this is the method I'd recommend.

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Yea I dont have either of those.

 

I wanna primer it basically...

 

I figure if I end up lifting it and going to NWWO then I will probably scratch it up, dent it and such, so being able to pop out the dent, sand down and "touch up" my primer is important.

 

and Nick (with the Pathfinder) just wants the primered army green color.

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If you can rough up the surface with some sandpaper and maybe wash the vehicle with TSP trisodium phosphate before painting it might help it stick better.

 

Latex house paint, that would be an interesting look. I saw an old wood side station wagon last week that somebody put vinyl siding over. Ok just kidding I didn't actually see that.

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Roll on rustoleum is the only way!!!

 

I have spray painted at least 20-25 cars, and this time around i have moved onto roll-on rustoleum out of the quart cans.

 

They make matte and semi-gloss finishes. Ise the 4" foam rollers, and only pour out a little bit of paint in the tray at a time so it doesnt get sticky on you. There is much less prep and masking doing it this way, and a whole quart will coat the car 2-3 times at least.

 

save yourself the hassle of masking, overspray, wind and dust.

 

If you are painting under a light, expect a bug or 2 to land ont he car. if you make a mistake or get a bug, let the paint dry and wet sand it off. Much faster and less messy!

 

Spray paint is only good when you can make it look like it has not been spray painted.

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haha that's great. Hey how about that contact paper stuff they sell for kitchen cabinets? Get a nice big area of coverage in one sheet, and available in a variety of patterns to suit your tastes.

 

Again, not bad idea :)

 

Lol and sooo much cheaper...

 

 

The only problem... in Oregon, it rains so much :(

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I'd agree with miles,

roll on industrial/equipment paint

i did a 64 f250 in neon safety green about 18 months ago - still looks great

it took a whole gallon (about $70)

foam rollers from the dollar store(don't wash them out)

 

make sure you clean it well with MP thinners to get all the oil etc of the paint, then get rolling

 

can wet sand after if you want it smooth otherwise it will be a textured finish

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haha that's great. Hey how about that contact paper stuff they sell for kitchen cabinets? Get a nice big area of coverage in one sheet, and available in a variety of patterns to suit your tastes.

 

 

If he goes woodgrain he would need to get ejected from the group

 

:lol:

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When I painted my GL I went and bought 2 cases (8 cans in each if I remember right) of flat black from home depot. It was a bargain name made by Rustolium (spelling?). Called "Americas Finest" or something like that. Cost about $0.99 a can in the end. (this was about 3-4 years ago) I ended up only going through about 9 cans. Sanded the crap out of the old paint, masked stuff off, ect.

(I didn't paint in the doors or anything. Only what shows from the outside. Proly why it only took 9 cans.)

 

Heres the thing with flat paint on a wheeler. With black after awhile it turns gray. I've even hit it with the powerwasher but it just absorbs the grime and mud. I can still see the ripples from the wave that came over the hood on it's first deep water crossing after the painting. :rolleyes:

 

Will not be as noticeable on lighter colors you are looking at. But flat is like a roadgrime sponge.

I'd go with a satin for washability on those days you don't want it covered in mud. (but why would you want that? :lol: )

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