Ok well i figured someone on this site might know how to do this so im gonna throw the question out.

My question is to those who know how to. Im more concerned on the techniques in prepping fiberglass and polyurothane. Im not too sure on how to do these and i was wondering if anybody on here could point me to a good book that I could purchase on Amazon or something that would give me a step by step brakedown on prepping and painting fiberglass and polyurothane body kits. Maybe a book uve read, or saw, watever. I have all the necessary tools, compressor, paint guns, etc, i just need to learn the process.

Tahnk you

Bryan-

 

eurothane, must be a new matieral?

 

i meant polyurethane, at least ur read my thread this time

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....hreadid=100681

 

here you go.. hope this will help you do your body kits. i'ved done mine on my e30 and i would say that it's hard to do it.

http://www.wingswest.com/techInfoVideo.asp

 

umm ehh, that kinda helps sorta, i was looking for something more detailed like a book. Thanx anywayz.

Bryan-

 

Painting a car is not like painting the walls in your house. It takes a lot of practice and experience. Your not going to learn how to paint by just watching a video. I think you should get your bodykit painted professionally.

 

goto paintscratch.com and they can mix cans of spray paint for you. But I am not sure how close it would look compared to a professional job

 

Well heres the thing, im not going to be painting this thing as my first time painting something. Ive painted computer cases and stuff like that so i do have experience painting with a gun. A bodykit is not "That" big so i doubt the amount of skill required to paint a kit is lower than that needed to paint an entire car, wouldnt ya think?

Heres the equipment that i have....

I have an 11 cfm @ 90 psi 60 gallon air compressor by Campbell-Hausfeld, a DeVilbiss Finishline III HVLP spray gun (primer, basecoat, clearcoat), and all the necessary buffing compounds (ie 3m Perfect it III). I think i should be able to do it. I have read and followed books on how to custom paint thing and i have learned how to prep and work the gun (ie set your spray pattern, keep gun 6 inches away from work, etc). I dunno, i almost want to try this just to see how it comes out. Im not some newby with a spraypaint rattle can trying to do this, i have power sanders, buffers, all the necesary equipment. Iono.

Does anyone know where i can get paint mixed in semi large quantities that are the same code as my car??? Thanx

Bryan-

 

there's one down at long beach. i know it's way out here but most paint store will mix it for you they just have to check your vin number for the paint code. but after all that you still have to mix your paint with thinner or acetone to get the proper mixture. then what the guy told me at the paint store that it's better to use gravity feed than one of those regular spray gun. i'ved prep the bodykit and primed my e30 but after that i just took it to a body shop to get it painted.

 

Ahh icic. Howd the prepping process go? Im kinda sketchy about fiberglass as everyone says it needs "allot" of prepping, im not too sure what part does and how to get rid of it, sanding? Ya its a gravity feed gun that i have. Thanx for the resource on the paint.

Bryan-

 

it's a PITA to prep fiberglass specially when there's a lot of pinholes on them. as far as polyurethane (i don't know if i spell it right) but it looks like there's gonna be less prep on them. I'm not an expert on painting just had an experience on it. you have to buy a "bondo for finishing" and sand paper (make sure its wet and dry). i would suggest buy at least 800 grit or higher. it's better to put bondo on any visible pinholes or scratches after that sand it. dont use a machine cause it will scratch your kit. if the kit is flat use a block or something to sand it dont use your finger or hand to sand it. wet sand your kit so that it'll be more smoother and no dust compare to dry sanding. after that prep your kit for priming. they sell those solutions at pepboys which takes any dirt or oil contaminants away from your kit. after that prime it. you need to have a well ventilated garage and some shop light (shop light is for drying the primer since it's really cold outside) moisture can get in between your kit and the primer, paint, clear coat and this will cause the primer to have bubbles. after that inspect again for pinholes. if you think everythings good then paint it. again i'm not an expert just giving you an advise. here's the car that i'm talking about. that's why it's better to have a pro do it rather than DIY they have warranty and you can match the color almost identical to the color of the car.

 

 

Yeah, fiberglass needs alot of work, especially replicas. They're usually pretty wavy, so you'll have to sand them flat. If not, they'll be pretty wavy later. You can try and spray a coat of gloss black on it to see that its smooth.

Your local paint shop can mix paint for you based on color code, but that doesnt guarantee it'll match. Stick to the same paint system from primer to clear.

To avoid moisture getting through the gun and into the paint, get an inline moisture filter, its a few bucks at the paint shop (works pretty well for small jobs).

For polyurethane, I think you need to put flex additive in the paint so the paint can flex a bit without cracking.

You should talk to the paint job people, they usually have good tips. I'm no pro, but this what I picked up from painting a few times.

 

Yaya for sure, i was thinking about going to a paint shop, i dunno, like maaco, i dont really have any performance paint shops around here but ill do some looking.

Ya, i allready have a water trap on my compressor, as well as a regulator so gun moisteur isnt a problem. Ya i heard there are glosses that you can apply to see the surface of paint, to see whether its flat and what not, could probably use that to see for the swirls, im going to be painting polyeurothane so its no biggie.

I will probably just go down to a local paint shop, and ask them if i can spectate or maybe pay a little to "study" the technique or something.

 

Be sure to post pics if you do it yourself....good pics too, not fuzzy ones.

 

wow, doing yourself cool!

 

ya, well see how it comes out. I figured out some prep for fiberglass. Heres how you do it. Of course, im also going to swing by this custom paint shop by my place in Temecula, Socal. Im gonna observe how they do it. But heres what i know soo far.

Heres some advice i recieved from a friend..

Sounds strange but if your plastic part is a flat black and has a slight texture to it, then clean scuff and paint away. Unfortunatly, these body kits that we all have been installing for you guys are 'virgin' plastic, or very rough fiberglass. The fiberglass parts that I have been seeing are designed for race cars, rough, just replace it and plan on it breaking the first time you slid off the track. When these parts are to be installed on a street car, 20 hours is the average to prep a front and rear bumper kit for paint.
The virgin plastic will be glossy and have a slick finish. That is the good 'ole mold release agent. Nasty stuff to try to have paint adhere to if not prepped properly. Here is a procedure from training and "hands on", that haven't failed me yet.
- Wash part with HOT SOAPY WATER, use 409 or Simple Green (an Alkaline cleaner you have laying around). Don't use dishsoap, they are adding Lanolin and other types of additives that our paints don't like. It must be HOT SOAPY water, Helps to remove the top layer of mold release agent.
-Clean the part with a cleaning solvent. Glasurit 541-30 is the best solvent for this application I have found (local automotive paint store)
-Heat part to 160 degrees for 40 minutes. This step can be tough without a heat lamp, you may find a good heat gun and keep it moving until your part is good and warm...160 is ideal. The main purpose of this step is to make the plastic expel the mold release agent from in the plastic. If you don't heat the part you run a risk of having the paint peel off like Saran Wrap the first hot summer day, when the mold release agents do leave the plastic after the part is painted. (seen alot of those on the road)
-Wipe the part with solvent again and scuff the part with your alkaline cleaner using Comet or Ajax.(note for the experiecened; do not use Sandfix)
-Rinse with water, if the part still feels greasy, go back to heating the part and continue again.

Final prep and paint away. You local paint jobber will be able to tell you what your best 'undercoat' will be.