1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
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1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
Hey everyone. So I'm pretty much a n00b but I enjoy researching and trying to figure things out so here is my first attempt at any real wrenching, body work, and paint.
I bought a '93 Del Sol Si with z6 vtec about 11 months ago. I'd been looking for a del sol for about 3 months with no luck. So when I came across this one I jumped on it... and shortly afterwards regretted it lol
208k
5 speed
salvage title
busted out turn signals
front end completely out of whack
hood pop cable hanging out of front
no ac or radio
worn out cv shaft
4 bald tires
Rusted off exhaust after the cat
and some good ole Honda Rust
I replaced the turn signals, cv shaft, and tires. Then a few months ago I found the Del Sol I had been looking for. Bought it from the original owner (middle aged lady) and instantly became my daily driver. It is in a lot better shape and straight and clean title.
93 del sol si
5 speed
d16z6 vtec
working ac
After a little begging my younger brother talked me into selling the first Del sol to him. So I wanted to fix it up a little more so he had a respectable first car.
My goal is to keep it pretty much stock, get it running well, and have it be decent looking but overall do it as inexpensively as possible.
Now i can pop the hood from the inside of the car!
[IMG][/IMG]
Picked up a bumper as the original was sagging
[IMG][/IMG]
The car had no exhaust. It either rusted out and broke right after the cat or the previous owner cut it off there. It was Loud to say the least
Threw a cheap ebay cat back exhaust on there and instantly regretted it after hearing it. But its on the lil bro to upgrade that when he gets the car.
Fixed a couple shorts in the wiring and now I had a working radio and tail lights.
[IMG][/IMG]
Now for the rust... from what I can gather cutting out the rust completely and welding new medal on is the best and only real way to fix it... well I don't have the skill or welder to do that. So I took the easy way out and bondo'ed. I am fully aware it will come back and I'm ok with that. Trying to get an economical daily driver here is all.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
hood dent
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG]http://[/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
Well that's how she sits. I'm waiting for the gun I ordered to come in and I'll be ready to tape shoot the primer.
Tell me what ya guys think and if you have any tips on the taping and painting process.
I bought a '93 Del Sol Si with z6 vtec about 11 months ago. I'd been looking for a del sol for about 3 months with no luck. So when I came across this one I jumped on it... and shortly afterwards regretted it lol
208k
5 speed
salvage title
busted out turn signals
front end completely out of whack
hood pop cable hanging out of front
no ac or radio
worn out cv shaft
4 bald tires
Rusted off exhaust after the cat
and some good ole Honda Rust
I replaced the turn signals, cv shaft, and tires. Then a few months ago I found the Del Sol I had been looking for. Bought it from the original owner (middle aged lady) and instantly became my daily driver. It is in a lot better shape and straight and clean title.
93 del sol si
5 speed
d16z6 vtec
working ac
After a little begging my younger brother talked me into selling the first Del sol to him. So I wanted to fix it up a little more so he had a respectable first car.
My goal is to keep it pretty much stock, get it running well, and have it be decent looking but overall do it as inexpensively as possible.
Now i can pop the hood from the inside of the car!
[IMG][/IMG]
Picked up a bumper as the original was sagging
[IMG][/IMG]
The car had no exhaust. It either rusted out and broke right after the cat or the previous owner cut it off there. It was Loud to say the least
Threw a cheap ebay cat back exhaust on there and instantly regretted it after hearing it. But its on the lil bro to upgrade that when he gets the car.
Fixed a couple shorts in the wiring and now I had a working radio and tail lights.
[IMG][/IMG]
Now for the rust... from what I can gather cutting out the rust completely and welding new medal on is the best and only real way to fix it... well I don't have the skill or welder to do that. So I took the easy way out and bondo'ed. I am fully aware it will come back and I'm ok with that. Trying to get an economical daily driver here is all.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
hood dent
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG]http://[/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
Well that's how she sits. I'm waiting for the gun I ordered to come in and I'll be ready to tape shoot the primer.
Tell me what ya guys think and if you have any tips on the taping and painting process.
#3
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
I wire brushed it off, sanded and sprayed some rust reformer on it. Went down to bare metal about an inch above where the rust was.
#4
Sanji
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
Did you weld any sort of replacement metal in the rusted areas? If not, then I wouldn't be surprised if that body filler breaks free and falls out at some point. Filler is to be used as a light skim coat to smooth out minor imperfections in metal (tiny dings, scratches), not cover larger distances.
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
Did you weld any sort of replacement metal in the rusted areas? If not, then I wouldn't be surprised if that body filler breaks free and falls out at some point. Filler is to be used as a light skim coat to smooth out minor imperfections in metal (tiny dings, scratches), not cover larger distances.
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
I painted the single stage top coat today. Any suggestions from people who have finished a single stage before. I've read 1000-1500-2000 hand buff. What would you do? I want it as glossy as possible and I'm afraid if I sand it, I will lose some gloss.
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
Is that semi-gloss black? If that is full gloss black, it looks to me like you have gloss dieback. Trapped solvents and whatnot. Do you have any paint left? Was it a true urethane paint?
Regardless, if you put on a thick enough coat, buffing should not be a problem (and won't LESTEN gloss at this point unless those pictures are really, really bad.)
What I'd do: Buy a rotary buffer, not a DA buffer (I have a HF buffer that works well for me, but I use LCC pads with an aftermarket backing disk.) Kill the orange-peel with 1500 grit wet (make sure to get good quality wet sand paper. 3m and meguiars are both good.) You can hand sand or use a flexible block, depending on your experience level. I typically use a block. Finish up with 2000grit and crosshatch (go against the grain of the other paper) so you can tell when you are finished. The surface should be extremely flat and dull looking with no remaining 1500 grit scratches.
Load up a coarse pad (waffle pad or a purple LCC or a nice sheepwool pad) with meguiars M105 (you can buy this at napa or online). Buff the **** out of it (check youtube for videos on how. The main idea is avoid edges, go with the body lines, short and even passes, don't leave the pad spinning in one spot.) Now load up a finer pad (a "sponge pad", LCC white or orange (I think, it has been a while since I bought pads, ect.) with megs m205 mirror polish. Buff again, then remove residue. Wait a month or two, then wax it.
Regardless, if you put on a thick enough coat, buffing should not be a problem (and won't LESTEN gloss at this point unless those pictures are really, really bad.)
What I'd do: Buy a rotary buffer, not a DA buffer (I have a HF buffer that works well for me, but I use LCC pads with an aftermarket backing disk.) Kill the orange-peel with 1500 grit wet (make sure to get good quality wet sand paper. 3m and meguiars are both good.) You can hand sand or use a flexible block, depending on your experience level. I typically use a block. Finish up with 2000grit and crosshatch (go against the grain of the other paper) so you can tell when you are finished. The surface should be extremely flat and dull looking with no remaining 1500 grit scratches.
Load up a coarse pad (waffle pad or a purple LCC or a nice sheepwool pad) with meguiars M105 (you can buy this at napa or online). Buff the **** out of it (check youtube for videos on how. The main idea is avoid edges, go with the body lines, short and even passes, don't leave the pad spinning in one spot.) Now load up a finer pad (a "sponge pad", LCC white or orange (I think, it has been a while since I bought pads, ect.) with megs m205 mirror polish. Buff again, then remove residue. Wait a month or two, then wax it.
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
Post some pictures from some different angles and lighting conditions. It looks like you lost alot of gloss to me.
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Re: 1993 Del sol Si body work and paint job
2.5 coats (1st coat was very light) 2k primer with 1.8 tip
3 wet coats of top coat 1.4 tip
Harbor freight 50 dollar gun.
Small compressor I know. 15 gallon craftsman.
3 wet coats of top coat 1.4 tip
Harbor freight 50 dollar gun.
Small compressor I know. 15 gallon craftsman.