QuestionQUESTION: Hi Mike,
I need to get my daugthers 98 Toyota back on the road so she can commute to school.... I have purchased an OEM fender, bumper skin, and hood, but not sure how how to handle painting since it's cold here and I don't have warm garage. Ideally, I'd like to put the panels on the car and just wait till spring, but I don't know if the OEM primer would hold up till till then? I have a decent HVLP gun / compressor and have done a little paint work, but the warmest I think I can get the garage area would be around 45-55 degrees. Alternatively, I can call around and see if an autobody shop will paint the panels off the car, but money is very tight and I'm figuring that would cost at least $500 vs $150 for paint? One question regarding paint, I was assuming a 2 part urethane base / clearcoat system (nothing fancy...might even go just single stage urethane) , can I use that on the bumper skin or does that require a whole different mix?
Your advice greatly apprecicated!
-Craig
ANSWER: CRAIG.....IF YOU CAN GET THE GARAGE TO A MINIMUM OF 60 DEGREES YOU CAN USE A 2 PART PRIMER.
IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER APPLYING A SEALER.....SOME PRIMERS CAN BE TURNED INTO SEALERS BY ADDING ADDITIONAL REDUCERS.YOU PRIME MIXING TO THE PRIMER DIRECTIONS...ADD REDUCER
TO NEXT MIX AND APPLY AS A SEALER.
NOT TOTALLY NECESSARY THOUGH. YOU COULD LAY DOWN 2 WET COATS...DRY...SAND AND LAY A 3RD ONE.
HAVING A SHOP PAINT THE PANELS WOULD RUN ABOUT $600.00 .
TRYING TO SPRAY A SINGLE STAGE PAINT IS A LOST ART.....I SPAYED MY SONS CAR WHITE AND HAD TO
BUFF IT UNTIL MY ARMS FELL OFF AND IT STILL WASN'T WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
FORTUNATELY I AM A STUBBORN SOB AND WAS ABLE TO CORRECT TO MY SATISFACTION.
IF YOU DO SPRAY A SINGLE STAGE....STAY AWAY FROM METALLICS AND GO WITH WHITE OR A SOLID COLOR.
SPRAY LIKE YOU WANT THE FINAL RESULT TO LOOK LIKE ON EACH COAT.
BASE COAT CLEAR COAT IS EASILY FIXED IF YOU GOOF UP...A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE.
AS FOR THE COVER YOU MAY HAVE TO ADD AN ADDITIVE CALLED FLEX ADD....ADD TO THE PAINT MIX AS THIS GIVES THE PAINT THE FLEXIBILITY REQUIRED SO THAT THE COVER DOES NOT CRACK WHEN SLIGHTLY FLEXED.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Mike! Unfortuneatly, getting the garage up to 60 for any period of time will be a real challenge, but I think you're suggesting that I could just lay down a couple of primer coats and wait till spring? I really would like to do just enough now to protect the metal, then wait till warmer weather when I can do it right. The fender just bolts on, so really not too much work to take it off again when warmer weather hits. If use a 2 part primer, what are the issues with waiting, other than making extra work?
thanks again,
AnswerYES....PRIMER AND WAIT TILL YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT HEAT. YOU WILL HAVE TO SAND DOWN THE PRIMER IN THE SPRING AND RE COAT PRIOR TO PAINTING.
I USE A BULLET TYPE OIL FUEL HEATER TO MAKE THE TEMP GET TO WHERE I NEED IT....
JUST A THOUGHT.... YOUR GARAGE MAY BE BIGGER AND THAT WOULDN'T WORK.
