Completed my very first paint job - self taught

[jrlegacy23]

I have been watching a lot of youtube videos on how to paint a car over the last year or so. A friend of mine had a 1999 Toyota Solara with dents, dings, and peeling clear coat. He asked me to paint it for him, just to see if I could do it. I told him that I have never painted anything before and will guarantee nothing. He was fine with that.

I bought an Eastwood Concours gun, regulator, and in line air drier (cheap one). I then fixed some of the dents with a body hammer (both quarter panels), put a skim layer of filler over them, and primed them with a descent aerosol sand-able primer.

Here is what I started with,with the body work started:

 

[jrlegacy23]

Here are where the bigger dents were. And the passengers side bumper was pushed in. He did not want to replace the bumper cover due to money issues, so I used a heat gun to pop it out:

 

[jrlegacy23]

After spending 2 days repairing dents, body filler, sanding, priming, and sanding. I went to the paint store, picked up two quarts of Omni plus base coat toyota Opal Silver Metallic, and 2 quarts of production clear. Here were the results:

 

[4spdragtop]

DAMN fine job! Looks great!

 

[jrlegacy23]

Thanks, it has a nice finish, no wet sanding needed.

 

[R4Sedan]

Nice Job, Looks like you might have a new profession.

 

[jrlegacy23]

Thanks, he is very, very happy. No runs, no sags and a perfect shine. He even gave me a few hundred bucks over the cost of paint. It was cheap for him and a priceless learning experience for me. Now I may paint my own car when she is done.

 

[JDMopar]

Good job dude! I think you did all you could have possibly done to that big divot in the rear bumper cover......without making it look worse than if you'd left it alone. LOL. Again, AWESOME JOB! rayer:

 

[Dodge72]

Wow, looking great!! Might have more people asking you to do their cars, lol!

 

[67dartgtgo]

Man, That looks pretty great. You found a new calling.