Working diligently to bring back to life my white, sporty, awesome to drive salvage-titled Grand Am GT. Bought used in 2010, she runs great and has given me no mechanical trouble at all. However, prior front end damage and a poor paint job has been a problem.
Limited budget has forced me to do all the paint restoration and body work myself. Couldn't be happier about it!
It's frustrating wanting a Ferrari on a Maverick budget, but man, I look forward to days off and payday to work on it!
So, I began this project over the Summer and now it is November 12, 2013, and I'm finally finished...until I decide on what is next. My front end restoration and paint job is finally done! Wow! I am happy with the job, but what a lesson in patience and commitment.
After doing my homework and reading many articles on how to prepare, prep, and paint my GA using "rattle cans," my confidence grew and I felt that I was ready to begin.
I began this project by investing in A LOT of money into sandpaper, stripper, and Rustoleum enamel paint. I sanded, and sanded, and sanded by hand, using the 600, 800, and 1000 grit "3M Wet/Dry Sandpaper Assortment" I purchased at my favorite auto parts store, Autozone.
I followed the advice on the manufacturers directions, and read posts and comments that people wrote sharing their personal experiences on "AutoGeeksOnline.net." I focused my attention predominately on the process instructions given and not where I should have focused it; on the advice and lessons learned they expressed in the articles they penned.
One of the common themes was to not rush the prepping part of the job, which of course I did. Unfortunately, my arrogance about broke my back, as well as my wallet. When I read in one article to take my time and make sure the surfaces were smooth and flawless, I did not pay much attention to this advise.
After sanding, primer painting, and then painting two base coats, I begin thinking to myself, "This dip in the hood won't be noticeable if the paint looks good," or, "Two days is plenty of time for the paint to cure before I spray on clear coat," turned out to be costly, amateur mistakes.
I read more articles and the spray paint can directions several times and found that my fellow car enthusiasts' instructions differed greatly from the manufacturers'. "Rustoleum" says to spray several light coats rather than one heavy one. The folks in the articles say to spray a light coat but to follow up with a heavy "wet" coat. I thought, "Rustoleum made the paint so they must know the correct way to use it..." Unfortunately, I followed the wrong instructions because every light coat produced an uneven, spotty, part glossy, part flat finish I ended up sanding down to start over again and again.
A personal flaw I exhibit in my personality is a stubborn need to prove that the decisions I make are always good ones. I do this by repeating the actions that would prove I am right, over and over until I succeed so I can say, "see, I told you I was right."
So I painted, sanded, and got ticked off again and again, never proving anything except that I could waste money on paint and sandpaper.
However, my stubborness did have one positive effect; every time I sanded down the finish to start over, I spent more time working on the car surface correcting the flaws the failed paint attempts showed.
Finally admitting I was wr... I tried once more to paint the hood and front quarter panels. This time I listened to the really smart people that post and write articles on AutoGeeksOnline.net. My reevaluation of my painting plan was truly a success, because by laying down a light base coat followed by a heavy coat, the result was a flawless, even, and shiny painted surface. After painting it I became a true believer of the outstanding work done by backyard mechanics and garage painters.
So I followed the advise of the "AutoGeeksOnline" professions and did not rush spraying on the clear coat and allowed the paint a week or so to cure before lightly wet sanding the glossy, white finish with 1000, 1500, and finally, 2500 grit "3M Wet/Dry Sandpaper Assortment Pack." Completing my task by wiping the surface down with mineral spirits and mild soap and water, allowing for time to dry before shaking "Rustoleum" "rattle can" clear coat enamel spray paint and applying it to the painted surface. Once again, lightly spraying on one coat and then a heavy one as I did before with excellent results. After allowing time to dry and cure, I began what I believed to be my final step before completion; wet sanding with 2000 grit before applying compound and wax.
The excitement and anticipation was, apparently, too much for me because after sanding, applying "Turtle Wax Finishing Compound," and finally, "Meguiar's Mirror Glaze, High-Tech Yellow Wax 26," I realized I sanded too hard and created somewhat deep swirl marks and scratches on the clear coat surface. I left it as it was for about a week until I had some time off work. Since 2000 grit was too dangerous and damaging for a novice like me to use correctly, I went down to my nearby Autozone store to find something I could use to remove the damage I created a week earlier. I am no expert at cars or car care products, but something drew me to this silver sleeve labeled "3M 3000 grit Trizact Performance Sandpaper." What an excellent choice that day because that spongy 3M paper I wettened worked beautifully and without much effort to remove the scratches, smooth the surface, and provide an excellent finish ready for compound and yellow wax. The pictures show what I started with, after spraying on the first, light coat, and finally the finished hood and fenders. Let me know what you think by sending a message or post a comment on AutoGeekOnline.net to Kevin65.
In my next session I will discuss the challenges and results I achieved spray painting my plastic, damaged front bumper.
Limited budget has forced me to do all the paint restoration and body work myself. Couldn't be happier about it!
It's frustrating wanting a Ferrari on a Maverick budget, but man, I look forward to days off and payday to work on it!
So, I began this project over the Summer and now it is November 12, 2013, and I'm finally finished...until I decide on what is next. My front end restoration and paint job is finally done! Wow! I am happy with the job, but what a lesson in patience and commitment.
After doing my homework and reading many articles on how to prepare, prep, and paint my GA using "rattle cans," my confidence grew and I felt that I was ready to begin.
I began this project by investing in A LOT of money into sandpaper, stripper, and Rustoleum enamel paint. I sanded, and sanded, and sanded by hand, using the 600, 800, and 1000 grit "3M Wet/Dry Sandpaper Assortment" I purchased at my favorite auto parts store, Autozone.
I followed the advice on the manufacturers directions, and read posts and comments that people wrote sharing their personal experiences on "AutoGeeksOnline.net." I focused my attention predominately on the process instructions given and not where I should have focused it; on the advice and lessons learned they expressed in the articles they penned.
One of the common themes was to not rush the prepping part of the job, which of course I did. Unfortunately, my arrogance about broke my back, as well as my wallet. When I read in one article to take my time and make sure the surfaces were smooth and flawless, I did not pay much attention to this advise.
After sanding, primer painting, and then painting two base coats, I begin thinking to myself, "This dip in the hood won't be noticeable if the paint looks good," or, "Two days is plenty of time for the paint to cure before I spray on clear coat," turned out to be costly, amateur mistakes.
I read more articles and the spray paint can directions several times and found that my fellow car enthusiasts' instructions differed greatly from the manufacturers'. "Rustoleum" says to spray several light coats rather than one heavy one. The folks in the articles say to spray a light coat but to follow up with a heavy "wet" coat. I thought, "Rustoleum made the paint so they must know the correct way to use it..." Unfortunately, I followed the wrong instructions because every light coat produced an uneven, spotty, part glossy, part flat finish I ended up sanding down to start over again and again.
A personal flaw I exhibit in my personality is a stubborn need to prove that the decisions I make are always good ones. I do this by repeating the actions that would prove I am right, over and over until I succeed so I can say, "see, I told you I was right."
So I painted, sanded, and got ticked off again and again, never proving anything except that I could waste money on paint and sandpaper.
However, my stubborness did have one positive effect; every time I sanded down the finish to start over, I spent more time working on the car surface correcting the flaws the failed paint attempts showed.
Finally admitting I was wr... I tried once more to paint the hood and front quarter panels. This time I listened to the really smart people that post and write articles on AutoGeeksOnline.net. My reevaluation of my painting plan was truly a success, because by laying down a light base coat followed by a heavy coat, the result was a flawless, even, and shiny painted surface. After painting it I became a true believer of the outstanding work done by backyard mechanics and garage painters.
So I followed the advise of the "AutoGeeksOnline" professions and did not rush spraying on the clear coat and allowed the paint a week or so to cure before lightly wet sanding the glossy, white finish with 1000, 1500, and finally, 2500 grit "3M Wet/Dry Sandpaper Assortment Pack." Completing my task by wiping the surface down with mineral spirits and mild soap and water, allowing for time to dry before shaking "Rustoleum" "rattle can" clear coat enamel spray paint and applying it to the painted surface. Once again, lightly spraying on one coat and then a heavy one as I did before with excellent results. After allowing time to dry and cure, I began what I believed to be my final step before completion; wet sanding with 2000 grit before applying compound and wax.
The excitement and anticipation was, apparently, too much for me because after sanding, applying "Turtle Wax Finishing Compound," and finally, "Meguiar's Mirror Glaze, High-Tech Yellow Wax 26," I realized I sanded too hard and created somewhat deep swirl marks and scratches on the clear coat surface. I left it as it was for about a week until I had some time off work. Since 2000 grit was too dangerous and damaging for a novice like me to use correctly, I went down to my nearby Autozone store to find something I could use to remove the damage I created a week earlier. I am no expert at cars or car care products, but something drew me to this silver sleeve labeled "3M 3000 grit Trizact Performance Sandpaper." What an excellent choice that day because that spongy 3M paper I wettened worked beautifully and without much effort to remove the scratches, smooth the surface, and provide an excellent finish ready for compound and yellow wax. The pictures show what I started with, after spraying on the first, light coat, and finally the finished hood and fenders. Let me know what you think by sending a message or post a comment on AutoGeekOnline.net to Kevin65.
In my next session I will discuss the challenges and results I achieved spray painting my plastic, damaged front bumper.
