I have some jdm fenders with oem paint on em. I'm about to bolt em up with a bumper and CF hood and markers in the next couple days.

I want my fenders to match the other srs plastic peices and primer black components. Aside from just spraying them black.. what shall I do to prep them b4 I paint em up???

What can I do to get my fenders smooth and free of paint for cheap cost and with penty of time to do it.

BTW: i didnt post in cosmetic since all the flyby ricers and socals kids have threads about thier shoes and shiny +HP stickers....

please post with quality info on paint prep THANKS

 

ok, I've gone through 2 paint jobs and I've learned a lot since then. Paint prep huh! Go to your local automotive paint supply store or hell, even autozone or advanced auto. They carry 3m sandpaper. Get some assorted 600 - 1,000 grit sandpaper and some wet sanding paper ( 1,000 - 2,000) , primer, paint, clear, 3m Perfect it kit, wool pad, and a foam pad for your buffer.

Sanding: Start with your 600 grit sandpaper and gradually increase to 1,000. You won't need filler primer so just stay away from that. If you have a paint gun and whatever else to paint then go ahead and start priming the fender(hopefully the fender isn't on the car) Prime the fender and then sand after it has dried. Use a 1,000 grit sandpaper. It will keep it pretty smooth. After you've reached your desired smoothness go ahead and prime it again, then sand. You should be all set for primer. Next, take a tack cloth to the fender or if you don't have a tack rag go ahead and use some rubbing alchohol and a lint free cloth to remove any dirt and dust from sanding. After this is done, go ahead and paint. I would recommend about 3-4 coats of paint but make sure you wait about 15-20 minutes in between coats or you might end up with runs. After you've painted go ahead and clear it. Clear runs so be careful!


Whatever blemishes occur after you're done clearcoating (about 4 coats) you can wet sand it out! Make sure you use plenty of water when wet sanding and start with 1,000 grit WET SANDING PAPER ONLY. Work your way up to 2,000 grit, for that will give you a very smooth finish. After you're finished wet sanding you can start buffing. The paint will look very faded and dull. That's what you want. Word of advice, ORANGE PEEL IS A BITCH! You'll be able to see the orange peel after you're done painting. This will take time to wet sand out. Don't sand through your clear though. As for buffing, I recommend 3m perfect it kit. Make sure you use enough pressure on the buffer to bring out that shine using the buffing compound(swirl mark remover). When using the compound, make sure you're using a wool pad. After you've brought out the shine in the paint you're ready for polish. Use a foam pad for the polish and after you've polished go ahead and wax it. You can use any kind of wax you want. This will take time and as you stated

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What can I do to get my fenders smooth and free of paint for cheap cost and with penty of time to do it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

have fun. I did with my paint jobs. I learned a lot and well I'm sure there is tons more to learn but hey that's my advice to you. If anyone can add to this be my guest!

 

^^ nice post

 

thanks

 

that was exactly what I was lookin for..

600-1000 then prime... paint wetsand wetsand wetsand buff and use 4 coats of clear still deciding what to paint the whip.

I'm just preping all the peices for paint and bolting them up to see all the lines match and fix any gaps. This will prove for a showcar appearance when all is finished.

I will spend the day preping my parts tomorrow.. thanks man

BTW: i will be painting in spring.. i'll have many more weird questions when that time rolls around.

 

Thanks noob.

How long did it take you to paint the first car that you did? I'm planning on repainting my car in the spring. Is it something that you can do in a 2-3 day weekend?

Can you prime the car, drive it for a week, and then do the paint?

 

Get this... i have had primer on my car for a YEAR!
You can buy primers that bond to metal and actually eat away rust and corroision.... they are acidic... look for <U>acetone</U> on the label. This chemical is popular for preping greasy engine components b4 enamel/paint/powdercoat

I live in AZ... so having primer on my car for a year is no biggie.. It was black when i spayed it... now its a dull dark grey..

I wouldn't recommend driving in the rain/snow and all that... i'm sure that moisture between primer and paint will have adverse effects... make sure to sand wetsand and wipe with a lint free cloth^^ like the 2nd post says.

 

I recently helped paint a 240sx for a silvia conversion... it took me 2-3 days with 2 people just to mask the car. Let alone spray wetsand buff//wetsand buff..
dont forget clearcoat!!

If you're looking for a clean OEM appearance... remove

hood
trunk/hatch
fenders
bumper
skirts-------------------------------------------optional
windsheild door moldings
weatherstripping
doorpanels
doorsills
fuel door

remove all ur lights and tape up plugs and harnesses/wheels/catback

paint the fenders, trunk, hood, bumper, spoilers all removed peices ... all seperate
and then compare each peice to the vehicle between coats
less paint in thin even coats is key'

When all said and done your looking at a 4-5days maybe a week if you want a great paintjob. It all depends if your a perfectionist...

I'll probably spend a whole week when I do mine... not inluding shaving the enginebay and trunk

 

Thanks a lot Elwuudz. I've had my car primed for over a year as well. I had bought a bodykit and then I became poor.

I'm pretty much to the point where I can afford to buy the stuff to paint it, just don't have the 3 grand to take it to a shop, not to mention I'd be without a car for a week.

My plan for mine is:
-To clean the car very well, sand and prime the car one weekend.
-Clean and sand the car, then do the paint and clearcoat the next weekend.