Another $50 paint job

[DavyZ]

...I was pleased with my results, but it wasn't worth my time. It was a very interesting experience and I learned a lot but on my next job I will definitely be using my compressor, a homemade booth, and a gun. I'll also focus on getting my prep work perfect rather than hoping multiple coats will remedy tiny flaws.

 

Good advice here. I have read many of the threads and posts about a roller job and I admit it's not for everyone. I have also read Pat Ganahl's How to Paint Your Car on a Budget that goes into how to DIY. I think I'll go the latter route since the final product should (in theory) need less work in the end to get a decent looking outcome.

 

One thing I did like was the boat paint. That stuff DID look intriguing and offered a better finish. Granted, it was $30/gal, but offered better results overall. I think spraying that would be the best thing though.

 

Davy

[93anthracite]

Came back to this thread for one more thing.

Depending on the purpose of your car, the cheap way can really be worth it. If your car is going to car shows and you really want to win awards, by all means, put the most expensive paint job you can afford in there, and in the meantime you need to start pulling off parts and polishing them yourself .

 

However, if you are in the middle of a project, or getting ready to be, but want the car to look good and be protected, a cheap spray or roll-on is all that is necessary. You can always come back later and put more time into it.

I personally track my cars, so I'm not going to put a four thousand dollar paint job on something that I could plant into a wall the next weekend or that will inevitably be having rocks and rubber thrown at it. Paint does not make you go faster!

[ihatejoefitz]

Crispy chicken, I have to admit your post bothered me a little. Im not sure why, maybe its just the wording you used? Though i will admit i highly respect the effort youre trying to put into your project. I just want to say the "hard" (lengthy, expensive, extravicant, whatever) way isnt always the better way. And while cheap crappy paint may be just cheap crappy paint, its important to point out that not all things "cheap" are "crappy".

 

 

I agree, there is undoubtedly some animosity over this issue which I don't understand. This is a DIY forum, yet every time the subject of roll on paint comes up there are people who are strongly opposed to the idea. This would be understandable on a ferrari forum, but here on hybridz we are talking about datsuns! Most of us got our cars for next to nothing because that is what they are worth. Why would we spend thousands on a paint job?

 

The issue of longevity I think should be put to rest. Numerous testimonials showing Rustoleum being effictive as long as conventional paint have been posted. I think the same goes for durabilty and ability to hold shine.

 

What more can you ask for? Cheap, effective paint that can be put on with inexpensive tools.

[Guest Crispy Chicken]

I think most people are missing the point in hand.. First of all in anything in life you must seek the truth and nothing less. You can not base information and knowledge solely from the person next to you. Which most all people do. You can only state opinions questions and ideas not "facts" of which you know nothing about.

 

The world is everything that is the case. To state the nature of a proposition is to state the nature of the world. I am speaking the facts not my personal opinion in any way shape or form. Maybe I could have worded things differently to make a point. I am for both cheap/inexpensive and expensive/quality material in correlation to my objected goals. I just don't want people here that aren't familiar with paint. To think 50-100 dollar enamel is something it's not.

 

I want them to make a decision based on their fully understood knowledge. So they can better make a decision based on the desires they seek. To say "I spent 50 bucks on my paint and not 400 on that other stuff." Means abousluty nothing, in the world of paint you pay for what you get.

 

First thing I would like to point out is enamel paint is cheap for a reason BECAUSE it is cheap. It's not an conspiracy why other products cost more. The enamel used in these one stage products is the same stuff used in your grandmother's finger nail polish. While good Polyurethane paints are all most or equal in durability to powered coated finishing. Polyurethane paints have the highest degree of chip, nick, and scratch resistance of all automotive paint systems period.

 

When you drive down the road and see cars with faded dual nasty paint and purple window tint. It is for a reason. The materials couldn't hold up to the conditions for the amount of time in which they failed.

 

I also would like to point out again that every single project exception and goals are different with each of our cars. I have red scotched bright, taped up waxed grease remover and one staged cars before, 3 hours done. WIth enamel paint. Now here is my point. If I have a car that is on a budget, if I have limited resources or I simply do not care. There is nothing wrong with using 50 dollar paint. If I plan on just having some fun with it. Whether its for the street. Any type of racing, off road driving, circle track, demolition derby or whatever. It wouldn't really matter to me the level of quality in products which I used.

 

Now my real point it this. If I have a car which I want a REALLY nice finish! If I am willing to put a lot of my time into painting my car 50-100 hours. If I want my cars paint to look like a sheet of glass! Like it's wet and I can see my reflection 15 feet into the quarter panel. If I plan on keeping my car for a really long time maybe never selling it ever!! If I plan on driving my car every week in the sun!! If I want my paint job after 10-40 years to look like it was just painted the night before well then I am forced to use some better materials. That is my point. I don't want anyone here on this forum to be convinced that they will achieve these things with 50 dollar rustoleum paint. That's all!!

 

Another thing to consider. I hear people above say they spent 100-150 hours or whatever amount of time painting their cars. Spending 100 bucks on enamel paint. Where some of the best Polyurethane systems are around 400-600. Now lets say in their minds they want to keep their car for a long long time or any of the above. After all that work 100-150 hours? Do you want to repeat that process after years to come. To keep the paint from fading and crapping out. In theory in 25 years time I think it would be an investment to spend an extra 300-500 bucks the first time.

 

Then have to spend 100 dollars and 100-150 hours of my time every 3-8 years or whatever to keep the finish the same as new when it was frist done. At 6 dollars an hour minimum wage that is like 700-1000 dollars in time every time you paint your car.. Why not work at your job or how ever you make money for a fraction of the cost investing in better products the first time. Not to mention you can never achieve a deep deep sheet of glass show type paint job without out clear coat. Which is not used in one stage 50-100 dollar enamel paint system.

 

I also would like to point out that "PREP work" and "MATERIAL QUALITY" are two completely different things. No matter how well you prep a car for paint. It will not increase the quality in the materials used. I am not talking about the level of preparation. I am solely referring to material quality only in my posts. When you prep a car 100% perfect for paint the over all product will lay out better and you will have far less imperfections or none at all in your finished product. Prep work is everything but again has nothing to do with the quality of the material. Whether you use 10 dollar paint or 100 million dollar paint. Preparation work and material quality have nothing to do with one another. If I prep my car perfect and paint my car with melted crayons. I still have melted crayons for paint!

 

 

Derek

[ihatejoefitz]

This is where the opposition always tries to take these threads (I have seen threads like this on every forum I frequent, even this one.)

 

Now my real point it this. If I have a car which I want a REALLY nice finish! If I am willing to put a lot of my time into painting my car 50-100 hours. If I want my cars paint to look like a sheet of glass! Like it's wet and I can see my reflection 15 feet into the quarter panel. If I plan on keeping my car for a really long time maybe never selling it ever!! If I plan on driving my car every week in the sun!! If I want my paint job after 10-40 years to look like it was just painted the night before well then I am forced to use some better materials. That is my point. I don't want anyone here on this forum to be convinced that they will achieve these things with 50 dollar rustoleum paint. That's all!!

 

The problem with your point is, that it isn't relevant. Nobody even hinted that this was a solution that could compete with a big money paint job, and I don't believe you thought somebody would mistake it as such. So why would you even bring it up other than to knock the idea completely?

 

This system is clearly a viable option that has already proven that it can stand the test of time.

 

I believe this rusto paint job is 5 or 6 years old in this pic.

 

I've seen several $3000 paint jobs come out looking worse than that on day one.

 

-Joe

[Guest Crispy Chicken]

This is where the opposition always tries to take these threads (I have seen threads like this on every forum I frequent, even this one.)

 

 

 

The problem with your point is, that it isn't relevant. Nobody even hinted that this was a solution that could compete with a big money paint job, and I don't believe you thought somebody would mistake it as such. So why would you even bring it up other than to knock the idea completely?

 

This system is clearly a viable option that has already proven that it can stand the test of time.

 

I believe this rusto paint job is 5 or 6 years old in this pic.

 

I've seen several $3000 paint jobs come out looking worse than that on day one.

 

-Joe

 

 

If I charged you 150,000 dollars for a paint job. Does that mean your cars paint job is worth 150,000? I agree with 3,000 dollar paint jobs looking like crap that has nothing to do with the topic people get ripped off all the time!

 

I in no way shape or form have nothing to argue on this thread. I agree with using 50 dallor paint for quick scuff and shoots with cars your going keeping for a few years or whatever your doing. Just trying to point out different perspectives for people to consider. Most of us have agreed that were doing the work ourselves. So where not paying anyone 3,000 or 150,000 for a paint job. So the discrepancy would be a few hundred bucks in your point. 50-100 hours to spend refinished our cars is a lot of time and effort. Any one that has done it should know how what affect it has. Depending on the project you can really take pride and excitement while getting close to an end on something you've worked on for 100 HOURS. If we weren't talking refinishing cars and something else. It would be completely different. Aside from materials it is a lot of work. I think the conflict here is I have worked in a body shops for years. I'm sure 95% of the people reading or posting in this thread don't have 10 minutes in the trade. Maybe thats why you can't understand and make sense of what I said. Completely different perspectives. Again there really isn't anything to argue. There is absolutely NOTHING on this whole thread to argue. Just different things to consider when investing 100 hours of your time in something!! At the same time I for one second can not comprehend someone spending 50-100 preparing a car for paint to use the cheapest materials on the face of the earth. I can see if it was a quick 3-5 hour job. Most of us spend 100 bucks on shoes that fall apart after a few months. Come on..

 

 

Derek

[ihatejoefitz]

That's my point, there is no arguement.

 

The only qualm I have with rustoleum is that in order to repaint with traditional paint I've heard that the car needs to be taken back to bare metal.

 

Derek, can you recommend a good yet affordable ($200-$300 range) single stage paint?

[TravRMK]

PPG Omni MAE, is pretty cheap and made for automobiles. I just bought a gallon, with a quarrt of hardener, and a gallon of reducer, and it was less then $200 at the local auto paint store. I will be using it on an old truck project that I am working on. I will be selling it when I'm done. Then the Z will be getting painted. I just shot the interior, and the door jambs. It looks pretty good for a single stage.

[TravRMK]

The engine bay is coated with a tough bedliner material, and that is why it is all rough. This paint lays down nice, and doesn't need any wet sanding when done. Just paint, let dry, done!

[mikeatrpi]

I'll second Omni... I used the MAE on my Z - acrylic enamel. Then on a couple of other projects I've used the MTK - acrylic urethane. Its soooo much better and the incremental cost increase is negligible.

 

I painted my Z in the backyard a year ago. Omni MP170 epoxy, MP182 high build primer, MAE black single stage. This spring I wet sanded and buffed out. Mind you, I literally painted in the backyard... no makeshift booth or anything... so I had bugs and such to sand out. I'm pleased with the results, especially for my first job.

 

I learned a few things, and I used the AU to paint a couple other projects... my skills are improving. When I eventually do the Z again, I will:

 

1- use the urethane paint. single stage is OK for dark solid colors, else BC/CC.

 

2- use a 2 part spot putty... I used cheap lacquer spot putty and I had shrinkage occur

 

3- build a booth

 

4- guide coat early in the paint job, as well as on the final primer

 

Oh, and I can attest firsthand, nothing can topcoat rustoleum except more rustoleum. Once you paint a car with it, if you plan to switch you have to strip it!

 

PS, trav - that truck is looking goooood! Love the color too!

[ihatejoefitz]

cool, thanks for the info.