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I'm repainting the '89 GL this weekend


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I decided this afternoon that the '89 GL is getting repainted this weekend. Probably not as fancy as Beefaru's (since I'm just doing it over a weekend), but same idea. I like it fine with my "custom" rattle can striping now, but everyone in my company keeps asking me why I don't buy a new car with the new job, and a service station guy did comment that it was the ugliest car he'd ever seen. Actually, I've gotten that comment from several of my friends too. But it still starts reliably even at -5F, goes through snowdrifts with aplomb, holds me and whatever else I cram in it, and gets around 30mpg. Why get a new car? I'll just paint up the old one so it looks nicer.... Picked up a bunch of sandpaper, some bondo, some automotive paint, a few rattle cans of trim colors, and an air compressor this afternoon (been waiting for a while for an excuse to get an air compressor). Watch out, here I come :grin: It's going to get black hammerite under the door strips, medium metallic green (a mix of two 1999 VW colors) for the basic color, and white roof. And all the wheels silver (instead of two silver/rust and two black).

 

Before and after pics coming on Sunday. If it turns out good, I'm doing the same thing to the '82 wagon too....

 

Z

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patience in your prep work is key; it shows alot more than spray technique (unless your spray technique is AWFUL, but you can practice on the underside of the hood) Thorough high grit wetsanding when you are done, or in an area where you may have a run, is your best friend.

 

Maybe I am being a windbag and telling you what you already know, so I will cut it short. If you are asking for pointers, i can respond with a few more :grin:

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Hey, Since this is a painting tread i have a question! If i go to a auto paint store and giv them the Paint# and name "Ruby red metalic" and a Vin# and have it put into a rattle can will the paint match and have a gloss??? Because i did a little bondo/fiberglass work on Roland a few week's ago and havent got'in the paint yet.

 

If anybody know's please let me know:)

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Hey, Since this is a painting tread i have a question! If i go to a auto paint store and giv them the Paint# and name "Ruby red metalic" and a Vin# and have it put into a rattle can will the paint match and have a gloss??? Because i did a little bondo/fiberglass work on Roland a few week's ago and havent got'in the paint yet.

 

If anybody know's please let me know:)

 

 

Sorry to say, it will never blend with the old paint exactly, the metallic flake probably won't match either.

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Sorry to say, it will never blend with the old paint exactly, the metallic flake probably won't match either.

 

It's also getting difficult to find a paint dealer that fills cans. Environmental and liability issues, I'm told...

 

Sometimes you can get lucky and blend in a touch up paint that's close, but you'll have to take compound and a buffer to the surface. Otherwise, the variations in color and texture will be still be visible.

good luck, John

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It's also getting difficult to find a paint dealer that fills cans. Environmental and liability issues, I'm told...

 

Sometimes you can get lucky and blend in a touch up paint that's close, but you'll have to take compound and a buffer to the surface. Otherwise, the variations in color and texture will be still be visible.

good luck, John

 

I'm pretty lucky, I have a local supplier that matches color pretty good, I brought my tailgate in and he put the "eye" on it... it came up with a blend of 2 different make/model years and it matched almost perfect.

 

From everything I have read, you can't compound/buff metallics because it will roll the flake?

 

If you can't find a local supplier, there are a bunch on-line that will mix spray cans for under $25. plus shipping.

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Hey, Since this is a painting tread i have a question! If i go to a auto paint store and giv them the Paint# and name "Ruby red metalic" and a Vin# and have it put into a rattle can will the paint match and have a gloss??? Because i did a little bondo/fiberglass work on Roland a few week's ago and havent got'in the paint yet.

 

If anybody know's please let me know:)

 

You can try these guys out, but you still gotta do the work to bring out the shine.

 

http://www.automotivetouchup.com/index.htm

 

 

-Doug

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Yeah that's right, Maybe they can match it close enuff by takeing the "Eye" to it?? I know most place's do that!!! And about the shine i should be able to do it's good by watching how i paint and after a few week's i can hand wax it.... So will see.. And about the can thing i dunno? Maybe i'll get lucky:) Because i'm going to go to this place called "Auto paint and supply" and i think they do can's so, I'm hopeing:slobber: :slobber: Anyhoo this site is great everyone is so nice:grin:

 

 

Thanx for the info

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Hey, I've got another tip for ya. If you're gonna shoot with spray cans, let the can soak in a bucket of hot tap water (not BOILING, just straight from the "hot" faucet) for a few minutes before each use.

I picked this trick up from a Honda motorcycle FSM, of all places..dunno why it works, but it does. Paint just lays down nicer when the can is warmed up. Less orange peel and "dry" areas.

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That seems to make some sense, especially if it's warm and slightly humid... it's bringing the two a bit closer. hmmmm... I may try that when I paint my air breathers. I had them put the "eye" on the clean part :) Hope it matches as well as the car.

 

BTW, hit up a cruise night for old cars in your town... the attendees can usually point you to any car restoration service (paint, upholstery chroming), that you won't find in the "Yellow Book". The best ones don't need to advertise.

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still not done on the passenger side because it started raining, but it's looking good....

 

Originally, it was pavement colored, so when I first got it I added the green and yellwo accents and white roof (all rattle canned), and laminated the solar panel to the roof.

Before1.JPG

 

Before2.JPG

 

And after. The metallic green is a mixture of two 1999 volkswagen colors -- polyurathane enamel, applied with a real paint gun -- the first time I've ever used one -- much easier to get a uniform paint layer than with rattle cans. The white roof is just rattle can gloss enamel, and the black is hammerite black enamel -- I picked it so when I scrape the rocker panels off (they get pretty scratched running through snowbanks and ice in the winter) I can fix it without getting the whole paint sprayer and stuff out. Bumpers and trim and mirrors are some sort of laquer for plastics, with glitter in it. Looks pretty slick -- we'll see how long it lasts.

 

After3.JPG

 

After2.JPG

 

Whaddayouthink?

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Looking Good!!!! .. I used to have a Toy truck like the one in the back ground..cept mine was blue..also with the long bed ( That truck broke the cam on me and thats how I ended up with Bucky).

 

Nice job ..nice shine also!

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Yeah look's good!! I like the tire's too! Are they P165/80R13's?? The green look's cool and the hood has a great shine!!

And about the hot water thing i'll give it a try. If i use spray can's:-\ I probely will!!

 

I found a place on the web called expresspaint.com and they want $14.95 for starter's and if you want spray can's it's a aditonal $10.00 buck a can!! Is that cheep?? Someone check out the site!

And what's weard is they don't list any Subaru loyale paint, But if you type the paint code like mine is 947 it will bring the color and name yup and then you can order it?

 

The paint name by the way is Subaru mica ruby pearl! The OEM color!!!!

 

In case anyone wanted to know:)

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Wow! That came out very nice (at least from a digital pic point of view), and the color combo looks great! I was thinking two-tone white over green was gonna end up looking like a forestry service truck, but that's really pretty danged attractive.

:banana:

One question though..what's the story behind the solar panel?

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Yeah, I'm pretty happy about the way it's turning out. Not perfect for sure (for one thing, I'm just masking most of the trim instead of taking it off), but from a few feet away, it looks nice.

 

The tires are Hancook Ipike 175/75/R13's. They work great in the snow. I think I'm going to get a pair of 195/75/R14 Ipikes for my set of pugs (for the '82 GL).

 

The solar panel.... it keeps the starter battery charged now. I used to have an inverter and second battery to run lights and laptop and stuff while camping. And, I design solar installations for a living, so I just had to stick one on the car :)

 

The toyota is a 1981 longbed diesel -- had a stuck ring that I had to replace to stop the smoking, and I haven't quite got it back running again (needs two new batteries, and I hope it'll be all good again).

 

Z

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