Diy paint/high school budget

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doopdoop67

doopdoop67

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Hey guys I'm wondering if anyone's painted a car themselves. I went to lowes and bought some gray paint. It's rustoleum in a gallon bucket. I have spray guns and I've painted wheels and all kinds of random things but never a car. I wish I could afford a better paint job but Im on a highschool budget so im doing what I can with what I have. If anyone has any advice for me let me know. I don't know what kind of primer to use. If you have any advice let me know thanks guys
 
Take a picture of what you have to work with, if you want a paint job that will last, and is fairly cheap I recommend Summits 2K primer and single stage paint.
That will run you about $200

Take the rustolem back for a refund, you will seriously regret it later when you can afford better paint and have to strip the car.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=330648
 
I'm in the process of painting my car and from what i have read, you have to get primer that is compatible with your paint, like urethane primer for urethane paint. If you use a flat paint it hides a lot of imperfections and should save you money in paint and primer
 
I painted my buddies Plymouth coup with the same paint. It was semi black. It went on nice. Don't forget to reduce it. It can be painted over bare metal.
 
I've painted a few cars over the last 15 years, starting with my first in high school. I have no training in it, and learned by trying, with mixed results. The first mistake I made in high school was using sealer instead of a high build sandable primer. Any body work I did showed up, even the sanding scratches where I stripped certain areas. Also, buy a long sanding block, and hand block the whole car after primer, it will show any body work or dents your eyes miss. The most important part is to take your time with prep, your paint job will only be as good as the work under it. I wouldn't use the rustoleum, it won't hold up the best, and will be a gooey mess to sand off if you want to re do it. The most important thing is to try it, learn from it, and improve on the next try or the next project! I first painted this car in 1999 with mixed results, and just repainted it in my barn this summer.
 

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clhyer who is a member here painted his Duster with Rustoleum and it looks fantastic.
 
I went down to the local autobody paint shop. They surpluy a lot of shops with paint around here. I asked for a simple easy to use paint for a first timer. 1 stage, spray and look good. Well they set me up and just said measure carefully and spray on a nice day, low humidity would be best. And so I did with ease. Just the engine bay frame rails, radiator support, everything white. outside in the sun.
 

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Your best bet for a low buck paint job, take it to MAACO. Couple hundred bucks will get you a better job than doing it with no equipment or training. I've painted for 30 years and made a how to video. But for a quick and painless job, you're seriously better off letting a budget shop do it.
 
ralphie361 said:
I've painted a few cars over the last 15 years, starting with my first in high school. I have no training in it, and learned by trying, with mixed results. The first mistake I made in high school was using sealer instead of a high build sandable primer. Any body work I did showed up, even the sanding scratches where I stripped certain areas. Also, buy a long sanding block, and hand block the whole car after primer, it will show any body work or dents your eyes miss. The most important part is to take your time with prep, your paint job will only be as good as the work under it. I wouldn't use the rustoleum, it won't hold up the best, and will be a gooey mess to sand off if you want to re do it. The most important thing is to try it, learn from it, and improve on the next try or the next project! I first painted this car in 1999 with mixed results, and just repainted it in my barn this summer.
Click to expand...

What kind of paint do you recommend
 
doopdoop67 said:
What kind of paint do you recommend
Click to expand...

I have always used ppg stuff, they have an economy brand called Omni that I have sprayed for years that is very good for the money. If you are doing a solid color, a single stage paint will be easy to spray and get even color/gloss. I personally prefer basecoat clearcoat in everything, that way I can get even coverage with the color, and then worry about gloss with the clear. Plus you can wet sand and buff dirt, runs, and orange peel out much easier in the clear. I'm not that good of a painter, but I'm a helluva buffer😁
 
Summit paint but they wont ship it many places including where the OP is,tried to order and they wont ship it to WI either. I just bought paint,clear,epoxy,2K primer with all the fixins in the Omni brand and was close to a grand so not really in a HS kids budget either.
 
I sugeest you read the "sticky" under the body thread. all good info even if its not in your budget to do a "pro" type job. but understand these points:

you must have a good foundation! NO rust, NO flaking pant, NO comtaminants, as in oil, silicone, get an automotive cleaner as in the oil/grease remover from a REAL paint store, not Walmart of lowe's.


the surface must not be slick, needs to have have something to adhere to. one reason people prime with an epoxy primer, is it adheres SO well. and does good job as a sealer.

any dings, ANY imperfection you see before you paint, will be multiplied by 10 after you paint. just a fact. a flat will not show as bad as a gloss. ( one reason guys spray with "hotrod black)!

the "Rustoleum" oil based Tractor paint! ???? it is tough stuff, I use it on floor pans, BUT for one thing it is hard to sand off if you or another someone does a REAL paint job. it will not have a lasting shine in UV rays. I also, vote to go with PPG's second brand Omni or another co. 2nd line. DuPont, other companies.... I use Acrylic Urethane. nice shine, durable, cost effective, I don't care for the look of BC/CC... just me..

I would save enough $$ to scuff and clean off the metal, get a 2nd line of Epoxy primer, spray rattle can "guide coat" and block that and you will then see how many "boogers" will show up after final coat. or epoxy prime and come back with decent brand of " hotrod flat back'. the later would get you buy and NOT be a waste of time and $$.
 
This is not my recommendation, but a friend painted his Karman Ghia with Rustoleum and a paint roller. It came out looking good. I think he might be able to beat anyone in an arm wrestling competition after all of the sanding but it looks nice. He did his one panel at a time too. He started with a front fender then a door, rear quarter, trunk, etc. until it was done. I told him I would help him spray it correctly but he wanted to prove out the old hippie method to himself. Search for paint your car with Rustoleum and a roller. http://www.cartalk.com/blogs/craig-fitzgerald/how-paint-car-bucket-rust-oleum-and-roller
 
I bought omni primers and paints and didn't really like them. Particularly the primers.
The primer sanded very gummy for me and hard to get a suitable surface for color. The metallics didn't have much for pigment. I had to spray on more basecoat than a better brand just to get it to cover which added to the cost. The clear was OK.
Never had a problem with their solid colors, covered well. I just found the omni line hard to work into a great paint job but its possible.
We only have one paint supplier in the town I live in and he pushes the omni. I will try to mail order a different paint next time as the omni really worked me hard. Would be lots cheaper also to go with a older method.
I will probably go with lacquer as primitive as that sounds. It requires some patience
to give it time to outgas or shrink during the bodywork or fill stage but sands so easy and is super easy to use and repair any flaws you may encounter during your learning curve.
Just plan on going over the areas that need straitened in many thinner coats unlike the modern fill primers. If you got more time and patience than money it is a way to have great control over the end result. Mistakes are so easily erased.
You will have to buff the topcoat after it has time for the solvents to evaporate for a couple months. And also wax it more often particularly if kept outside. Definetly a higher maintence finish but it will shine great for years if you keep it polished regular like guys used to do in the old days. Chips easier if you drive on a gravel road though.
Almost forgot it goes on in a bunch of lighter coats so it takes a lot more circles going around the car during the spraying process and can be sanded between coats to take out any dust or bug that lands while it was still liquid.
This would not a be a good way to paint a car for a guy who is tooled up or skilled in the modern finishes because of the slower process but for a beginner on a tight budget it definitly has some advantages.
Being a hobbyist rather than a pro myself its how my paint money will be spent.
 
doopdoop, please share a little more info with us. I see that you are new here, welcome aboard. You should do a search for this topic, it periodically comes up and most of your questions will be answered. That said...

What are you working on, original classic or daily driver?
What are your plans, keeping it forever or driving the snot out of it till the wheels fall off?
What are you painting over? Bare metal, bondo, faded paint, peeling clearcoat?
Keeping the same color or changing it?
How much are you painting? Engine bay, trunk, door jambs, outer body only?
Where will the car be parked when not being driven? Outdoors, garaged, under trees?
Are you looking for a show car, a 20 footer, or something in between?

I did spray Rustoleum on my Duster. But, I also put a clear coat on. It has been about four years now and still looks good - but it is also garaged when not driven. I built it on a shoestring budget. Would I do Rustoleum again - I would depending upon the circumstances.
C
 
clhyer said:
doopdoop, please share a little more info with us. I see that you are new here, welcome aboard. You should do a search for this topic, it periodically comes up and most of your questions will be answered. That said...

What are you working on, original classic or daily driver?
What are your plans, keeping it forever or driving the snot out of it till the wheels fall off?
What are you painting over? Bare metal, bondo, faded paint, peeling clearcoat?
Keeping the same color or changing it?
How much are you painting? Engine bay, trunk, door jambs, outer body only?
Where will the car be parked when not being driven? Outdoors, garaged, under trees?
Are you looking for a show car, a 20 footer, or something in between?

I did spray Rustoleum on my Duster. But, I also put a clear coat on. It has been about four years now and still looks good - but it is also garaged when not driven. I built it on a shoestring budget. Would I do Rustoleum again - I would depending upon the circumstances.
C
Click to expand...

Just gonna stand out all the scratches and give everything a light sand for the paint to stick to and degrease it really good. I'll be painting the whole body and after that I'll do the engine bay
After I do the body. I am not looking for an amazing paint job just something clean and simple I can take to the local car nights and car shows. I already painted my jambs because I just painted the floor so now I can get my carpet in it and now it's time for the body
 
wannadrag said:
Summit paint but they wont ship it many places including where the OP is,tried to order and they wont ship it to WI either. I just bought paint,clear,epoxy,2K primer with all the fixins in the Omni brand and was close to a grand so not really in a HS kids budget either.
Click to expand...
. Yeah I assuming California wouldn't allow it.
 
Easy to get carried away here. As I understand your wants & needs you are on a tight budget and thats cool. I would not use anything but something specific for auto work. The price of all this stuff is going space schuttle upward. If I want budget automotive stuff, I like the Martin Senour product. Cost effective, should be available locally (our dealer was NAPA with a trained guy) and will do everything you want. Just be aware of the law of diminishing returns. Once you start sanding for primer, you will not know where to stop. Then it will be well I will fix this, then you will want to fix that and it never effen ends.
But, that is not an inherently bad thing.
My $00.02 worth---Good luck, we are rooting for you.
DR------:coffee2:
 
Hello,

I have been painting aircraft and automobiles off and on for the past 12 years and can offer some insight. I have used many brands of paint depending on the end result I am after. I have used TCP Global paints on a few of my vehicles with great sucess. They are pretty economical in price. What condition is your current paint in? If you can just sand your current paint and it use it as a base. I would pick a urethane primer/sealer such the kustom shop 2k. You can pick it as a sealer to spot spray over body filler and as a surface over the whole car. Then you guide coat and wet sand that. Just use a single stage paint for the top coat. Don't pick a color that is dark nor has metallic in it if it's your first time. You can wet sand and buff single stage if the final finish comes out crappy. I wouldn't recommend rustoleam. I used it one on my honda civic. It's spray crappy, clogs sandpaper, and still allows moisture to go through it eventually rusting the substrate.
 
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