Spraying a car in sections, one panel at a time

[jimrat]

Hi

First post - be gentle!

I've just been quoted £2-3k for a pro respray on my resto project, so I'm looking into doing the job myself.

So far I have used rattle cans to protect any new metal I have welded in. I don't have a garage, so I thought I should spray a coat of Jotamastic epoxy before the winter arrives, then in spring I would do the high build primer and colour (in cellulose).

Most of the existing paint is shabby and has microblisters, so I think it would be wise to take it back to bare metal. However, as I only get to work on the car in the evening, I cant strip the whole car, otherwise I'll get flash rust. Is it realistic to strip a panel one evening, then shoot epoxy on it the next, and work round the car in stages?

Can I take the same approach with the celly high build? And colour? How do I get it all blended in nicely at the edges? Any particular order for the panels (e.g. top down)

Cheers
Jim

 

[cumbriasteve]

Nothings impossible and I know of more than one instance over the years where a 'panel at a time' respray has been done.
However this was in the old days when car panels tended to have a finished edge or chrome strip divider and did not tend to blend into each other.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah dont see no reason why not

we can talk about blending in when you are ready , or id choose to do say the roof and quarters (or whatever joins up) in one bash to save any blending

just make sure you buy enough paint to get round it , and stir it well

 

[Engineer]

You need to carefully consider what you hope the finished car is going to be worth before spraying it yourself, as a patchy spray job will take an awful lot off the value. Also remember you will need air fed mask to spray epoxy primer, as this is pretty nasty stuff if you breath in the vapours,

 

[jimrat]

Hi

Thanks for the quick replies.

Maybe I'll be able to do the priming in stages then the colour coat in one go.

I read somewhere on here that Jotamastic is ISO-free. Is that correct, and if so, does this mean I'll be able to spray it with a conventional vapour mask? I dont have enough air to run a spray gun and AFH at the same time.

Cheers
Jim

 

[steveo3002]

yes it says its iso free

 

[pedrobedro]

If you buy your paint in one go from the same batch it should all be the same colour no matter how many sections you spray it in. The only thing that may affect it is if it is metallic the spray angle and pressure can alter the distribution of the flakes and make it look different.

 

[Engineer]

http://www.awlgrip.com/support/appl...tionEquipment.aspx?chapter=General Guidelines

Details safety aspects and also the lower viscosity materials you would need to use if spraying with conventional spray equipment.

 

[Chipper]

He's not using Awlgrip though.

Jotamastic: you can use their thinners if you like, I just use 2k thinners. 2.0 tip, conventional gun, sprayed well. It's good stuff but but wouldn't use it topside myself, automotive epoxy's much nicer to sand (though bring the isocyanate issue). Sure it'll be fine, just harder work.

If doing it in bits, prime and colour together, so the primer doesn't sit about for weeks getting damp and oily etc etc..

What's the car Jim?

 

[jimrat]

Chipper,

It's a 1972 bmw 2002tii. Not seen the road for 25 years. It was advertised as '90% restored', but I guess restoration means different things to different folk - it had polyfilla in the fuel tank, gaffer tape over holes in the subframe, I think he'd used an arc welder judging by the mess he left

Still, you live and learn, and in this case I've learnt a lot about mig welding....

Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm sure I'll be on here again soon.
Jim

 

[Chipper]

Nice cars. Polyfilla's a new one, heard of concrete in sills before but that's
Good luck with it.

 

[DaveM-sport]

Stupid useless thread without pics!!!



Yeah... really, I just want to see the '02