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A custom paint job requires many things. Here’s an example of what it takes to produce quality results using an example of a 1965 Pontiac GTO we did.
Originally this car was Reef Turquoise with a black vinyl top, but the owner painted it red. Due to a lack of careful prep work by the first painter the finish was sub par.
To get rid of the waviness from the previous paint job, we block-sanded the surface with a 12-inch board and then filled in the dips with fiberglass Evercoat Polyester Finishing Putty and House of Kolors' Ko-Seal 2 primer. (Bondo is normally used as a filler on bare metal, but since there was already paint and primer on the GTO, that step wasn't necessary.) The secret is to not put too much material on at one time. You have to have several thin layers, and make sure each one dries thoroughly, or you'll have problems with the paint later on. This particular car required blocking and sanding four separate times, using a sequence of 80-grit paper followed by 180 grit after applying a "guide coat" of black powder that reveals dips in the surface. Once we were satisfied with the smoothness of the contours and surface, we did a final sanding with wet 600-grit sandpaper just before painting. Typically a custom paint job on a newer car would only take a day of prep work, but an older car like this one may take a week or more. Another tip to get quality results is to always use products from the same manufacturer all the way through the project. If there's a problem with the paint, that's the first thing the tech rep will ask you, whether you used a different company's product or not. With all the prep done, now we can focus on the actual application of the gold pearl paint. Even though the actual spraying of the color is fairly easy in comparison with the amount prep work required, it still demands special care. Before applying any color coats, the painter must have patience. It's really important to make sure the primer is dry. If you spray too soon, the solvents haven't had a chance to come out, and you'll get 'die back' or a haze. The paint will look real nice in the booth, but will lose its luster in about week. That thinner has got to come out first. In addition, as you apply the paint, you have to watch for any potential problems to catch them early. If you notice fisheyes (small craters), stop. The worst thing is to add more paint. Anything you see that doesn't look right, that's the time to fix it. The biggest enemy of paint is contamination, especially in the spray gun's lines, where moisture can develop from condensation. Other sources of contamination can be airborne particles, a vinyl dressing, the painter's clothing, or diesel fumes from a passing truck. All these potential sources of grit, oil or moisture can ruin an otherwise quality paint job. For this particular paint job on the Pontiac GTO, we took extra care to get paint into remote corners and jambs in order to cover every square inch. Smaller parts were removed as well so they could be painted while hanging from a rack. We started with a white primer, then added a white base coat about an hour after that, and then began a series of four coats of House of Kolor's Gold Lime Pearl. While spraying the color coats (normally about five to 10 minutes apart), it’s essential to walk the whole length of the car while holding the gun perpendicular to the surface and overlapping about 75 percent of the layer just applied. You have to be consistent with your trigger finger for both the angle and volume of paint applied, The most important part, though, is to watch your edges, around wheel wells and moldings. If you don't turn the gun to hit them, the paint will be too light otherwise. In about an , if the paint is ready, we'll then apply the clear coats, making sure they're wet enough to adhere well. Consistency in paint means everything. My best tip is to always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Some painters are like mad scientists in mixing the paint, doing it by sight. Sometimes they get it right, but other times the paint doesn't lay down. If you do things the same way every time, you won't have that problem.
For a really thorough paint job, every remote corner and jamb needs to be hit with the spray gun.
Some parts (such as the hood, front fenders and small trim pieces) need to be removed from the vehicle before spraying.
The door panel will eventually cover the old red paint (at left), but you have to make sure the new color reaches every visible area of the body.
The most important part about spraying is to watch your edges, around wheel wells and moldings. If you don't turn the gun to hit them, the paint will be too thin. |
