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$50 paint job


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I am going to do that next time I paint Rocky..after having alot more underbody work done..Looks great! Nice shine..wish I could get that out of my rattle can job...its too thin to buff out

 

and it cost me alot more then $50 LOL..still not bad for rattle can....no where near as nice as that Corvair though ( I used to have a 65 convert one)

 

moreRockyPics044.jpg

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(havent clicked the link, im assuming this is the rustoleum/tremclad paintjob using the high density foam rollers, etc?)

 

its been done over at hybridZ.org a WHOLE lot... im surprised it hasnt caught on here sooner. top notch results seem to be had, and any future repairs are as easy as sanding the area down and giving it a couple of coats...

 

Colors can be tinted at the store where you purchase the paint; they have tints that work in all of their paints. Still, for something like that it might be best to splurge a little..

 

I see no reason this should even be looked at as a sub-par idea.. alot of folks have been diluting it and using it in HVLP guns just like regular auto paint and having the same success. the wetsanding and the multiple coats is still important.

 

Honestly, a GREAT DEAL of experimenting has been done over at hybridz.org.. I will try to find a couple of links to the threads for y'all.

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i tried to talk a guy out of doing a spray can paint job on his RX7. he did it anyway and proved me wrong. it's a bit more expensive, this cost him $64 and looks rediculously good. if cheap paint jobs interest you, take a look at this because i know this kid and saw the car. it was his first time ever painting a car and he has very little mechanical background:

 

http://xt6.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1440&highlight=dollar

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i tried to talk a guy out of doing a spray can paint job on his RX7. he did it anyway and proved me wrong. it's a bit more expensive, this cost him $64 and looks rediculously good. if cheap paint jobs interest you, take a look at this because i know this kid and saw the car. it was his first time ever painting a car and he has very little mechanical background:

 

http://xt6.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1440&highlight=dollar

 

The biggest point emphasized in any of these "$50 paint jobs" is that, as in any paint job, prep work is key. the cheapness of this paint job adds some to the time it will take an amateur to do it..

 

Basically, the key in any paint job is getting even, level coats adhering well to each other an the car, right? Build up coats until you have a solid shell around the metal. Professional auto paint is specifically designed to do this easily, in a minimum of coats... and even with top notch paint it takes a good 1200 to 1800 grit wet sanding before final polishing to REALLY make a paint job show quality..

 

Basically, if you can read between the lines of these rustoleum paint job write-ups, and know a little bit about paints and painting already, the entire theory of it all is laid bare in your lap. Usually once you get into doing it, the job seems to teach you ALOT about painting and paintwork; it is an art for those with patience, but that is about the number one "talent" required.

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the longevity of the finish will only be as good as the paint quality. the cheaper 99cent wal mart paints will oxidize after a while. krylons and rustoleums are much better to the elements.

 

you can use the higher quality paints ove the cheaper wal-mart primer.

 

enamel paints finish out better but take longer to dry.

 

i like to use a bullk concentrate tire shine (in a spray bottle) like they use at u-haul or some car dealers to "wax" the finish after washing

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wholly wow, batman.....i think that i'll go the Rustoleum route on my Rx! that turned out very very nice, it looks (in the pics at any rate) as good as some certain big-name auto manufacturers factory jobs. for roughly $50, i'd say it's well worth it.

 

my question about it though, is: how is it over non-metallic bits? i would consider doing this also to my Nissan 200SX, but the front and rear bumper-covers are plastic and i'd worry about flex cracking.

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I dunno about a $50 paint job, but...

I've discovered a new farm and tractor paint line that I'll be trying out on my newest project. Check it out:

http://www.valsparrestoration.com/val/resident/agricultural/restoration/

 

I've always been a fan of farmer paint because it's tough, relatively inexpensive, and comes pre-mixed in gallons, quarts and spray cans, hardeners, etc. This new one is the best I've ever tried. The finish is extremely smooth and glossy - more like automotive paint. Even with minimum prep, it covered beutifully on the areas I tested.

There are some downsides to this line though. The gallons and quarts can only be sprayed, so you cannot hand brush the floor pans and underbody. Also, it's a little more expensive than standard farmer paint. The colors are limited, and there are no metallics available in this line. However, if you can live with these limitations, you should be able to pull off a pretty respectable paint job for $100 or less.

I'll post a write-up and pix when I get mine done.

John

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I figure I'll end up doing this to my 88 GL at some point. The paint on my hood is gone, and it's starting to disappear on the doors and A pillars as well :rolleyes:

 

My friend who works at a auto paint shop figures it will work, but will just be a lot of extra work compared to a 'normal' paint job.

 

-Dave

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I figure I'll end up doing this to my 88 GL at some point. The paint on my hood is gone, and it's starting to disappear on the doors and A pillars as well :rolleyes:

 

My friend who works at a auto paint shop figures it will work, but will just be a lot of extra work compared to a 'normal' paint job.

 

-Dave

 

That is exactly it. How much is your time worth? if this takes 100 hours that you wouldnt have otherwise spent, at ten dollars an hour, it is "costing" you a thousand dollars worth of your own time.

 

However, the typical DIY (like say, a subaru owner?) type person typically DOES hold (relatively speaking) a "low value" on their time, so to speak. In this sense, I know I do for one.. but it is about more than valuing my time, its also about doing it myself and ALSO knowing it is done right, and a host of other things. These tip the scales to the point where my time is gladly spent on such endeavors.

 

Am I right? Any one of us COULD find a decent mechanic, but in the end we save money doing it ourselves. that money costs us time to save. So, in the end, the conclusion is, time IS money, and contrariwise.

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I can't speak for others, but I've always approached these projects the same way - whether the car was a classic or a beater. Personal standards, I guess...

As far as painting, the secret is in the prep, as stated above. The paint is important too, but then you get into "diminishing returns" when you move up the ladder. $100 worth of farm paint (or $50 worth of Rustoleum) will not look as good as $500 worth of PPG product. That being said, the $500 paint job will not look 5x better than the farm job, all else being equal.

And $500 worth of high quality paint will always look like sh*t on a poorly prepped car...

John

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Man, that is just great:headbang: . I've been contemplating having our 91 S10 painted. But after seeing the result on that Corvair I may make an attempt, can't hurt it any more then what it is now:lol: . There is no rust or body danage but the truck is from OK and the paint is baked. Thanks for posting that pictorial. Tim

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this is awesome, I have seen this get mentioned once or twice here but it hasnt REALLY caught many peoples eye.. now it finally is. can't wait to see the pictures of the rustoleum subaru fleet start to roll in :- )

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Now I am regretting my paint job on Rock..cost be about $150 to do his..between the sandpaper grinding wheels paint remover..decal remover..paint..pin stripping..undercoating..clear coat...now the special wash with wax stuff to keep some sort of shine on it..just picked up more of the yellow and clear coat too to have for touch ups:-\

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Now I am regretting my paint job on Rock..Dont.cost be about $150 to do his..between the sandpaper grinding wheels paint remover..decal remover..paint..pin stripping..undercoating..clear coat...now the special wash with wax stuff to keep some sort of shine on it..just picked up more of the yellow and clear coat too to have for touch ups:-\

 

All the red highlighted stuff was needed in any case. its only a $50 paint job from beginning prep work for final painting, through painting.. body repair and finish trim are not factored into the $50 price tag; painting and finishing the paintjob is all that entails.

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