Hey Huw:
There are a ton of "how to" books out there that can give you all of the
info you'll ever need on the actual mechanics of painting.. I'm doing
a complete "frame-off" (http://www.jacksonville.net/~suchak/toys.htm) on
my Spitfire and can share a few insights that you might not find in the
texts..
First off, be REALLY nice to the guy at the car paint store.. They are
a wealth of information and have some latitude in what they charge you
for supplies.
If you decide to sandblast the underside and floors as I did, DO IT
OUTSIDE!!! I'm *STILL* cleaning up sand...
Disassemble as much as possible... It's worth the extra few seconds to
pull something out instead of taping it, and it will make the car look
more cohesive when it's painted.
Consider having the topcoat done by a pro in a proper facility. I'm
doing all my prep and painting all my jambs and "underneaths" but having
the final coat done by a local paint shop.
Prep work is 99% of a good paint job. Be REALLY fussy. I've redone my
bonnet about 6 times.. It's perfect.
Sand sand sand. *LOOK* at what you're doing. (It sounds basic but took
me a while to learn...) Always use a block when sanding.
Get two different shades of primer and use them alternately... when
you sand it out the "other" color will show the low spots really
clearly..
Use your hands to "feel" for waves and imperfections.. Wet down your
work and look "along" the car to see how it'll look with a glossy
topcoat. Remember, everything looks great in primer!
When you think it's "perfect", get your buddies over and offer 'em a
buck for every flaw they can find. It's amazing what they find...
That's a start.. Listers, any other "pearls of wisdom"?
John
Huw Upshall wrote:
>
> I would like to ask for any and all advice in regards to painting a
> spitfire. I currently have a spitfire that I have almost completely
> stripped that I need to do some body work on and then paint.
>
> The car still has the wiring in it, I have taken out the dashboard and all
> switches/gauges. The only hardware still installed includes the fuel tank,
> transmission, and wiring harness. The motor has been removed as well as
> all other engine compartment components.
>
> How should I go about painting this car? (I know there are people with
> experience out there). What is the best way to remove the existing paint?
> How / What should I prime the car with? The original color was french blue
> (under several aftermarket spray jobs) but I wish to redo the entire car
> BRG including the engine compartment and the interior. What is the best
> way to primer and paint? Advice please!!
>
> I have never attempted this before so please, spare no expense... :)
>
> Thanks.
>
> -Huw
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Huw Upshall Addresses: hupshall@wolfenet.com
> hupshall@hotmail.com
> a-huwu@microsoft.com
> http: www.wolfenet.com/~hupshall
>
> 'Misspelled? Impossible! My modem is Error-Correcting!'
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Huw Upshall wrote:
>
> I would like to ask for any and all advice in regards to painting a
> spitfire. I currently have a spitfire that I have almost completely
> stripped that I need to do some body work on and then paint.
>
> The car still has the wiring in it, I have taken out the dashboard and all
> switches/gauges. The only hardware still installed includes the fuel tank,
> transmission, and wiring harness. The motor has been removed as well as
> all other engine compartment components.
>
> How should I go about painting this car? (I know there are people with
> experience out there). What is the best way to remove the existing paint?
> How / What should I prime the car with? The original color was french blue
> (under several aftermarket spray jobs) but I wish to redo the entire car
> BRG including the engine compartment and the interior. What is the best
> way to primer and paint? Advice please!!
>
> I have never attempted this before so please, spare no expense... :)
>
> Thanks.
>
> -Huw
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Huw Upshall Addresses: hupshall@wolfenet.com
> hupshall@hotmail.com
> a-huwu@microsoft.com
> http: www.wolfenet.com/~hupshall
>
> 'Misspelled? Impossible! My modem is Error-Correcting!'
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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