Paint My Car?

[davery]

I have never done anything like this, but IF I was going to paint my car myself About how much would it cost for equipment and materials? I do not own a compressor. What would I need equipment wise? What would be the easiest paint to use? How much would it cost? Just trying to weigh all the options. Thanks!

[wikkid]

Start with this thread:
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 30&t=18423

[joelittel]

Im in the process of painting mine with the roll on rustoleum technique. I'm extremely happy with the results so far but it took three months of weekly sanding, painting and re-prepping for paint to get to the half way point (1000 grade wet/dry paper). I don't think I would commit to this technique again, however, ding repair could not be easier. Even seemingly disastrous scratches are easily erased, which has proven to be priceless to me. Once the layers started to build up the finish became very durable. I think my car looks great, and has real potential to shine once completely finished.

Price so far, $200

Time commitment to date, 144 hours. I made a lot of mistakes along the way but have also improved countless imperfections in the process.

[BigMikeMc]

Check out Eastwoods paint and supplies on the good old interweb. They have about anything you need, lots of good info, tech, and customer support. Plus they cater to the hobbist market more than the just professionals in the field.

[Gunsmith]

Some shops may let you rent their booth and gear if they aren't too busy and some tool rental places can have decent equipment as well. All that being said the real money is in the prep work. I would do as much of that as you can and just pay a professional to shoot it when you are done. You will be money ahead and you won't have the visual proof that this was the first car you painted when people look at your Spider.

[mgbgtn]

I have painted the last 4 cars I've owened and just the cost of primer and top coat, depending on colour, red being the most, it costs me on average about $ 600 per car. If tou don't have the equiptment already add on about another $1000. If you only want to paint one car you might be better off duing the prep work yourself and farm out the painting. A lot of the paints out their are canaer causing and require a great deal of care and protective equiptment to use.

[spidernut]

It depends upon what type of finish you want and what State you live in. Some states have more strict EPA requirements regarding the type of paint, solvents, spray gun, filtration system, etc.

There are several big expenses: Air Compressor capable of outputting at least 14CFM to power an HVLP spray gun properly. The least expensive compressor I've found that will do that is over $600. Most are over $1,000. If you live in a state that doesn't require an HVLP gun, you can get away with a relatively inexpensive compressor but will go through more paint.

Spray guns: One size doesn't fit all. Check out Devilbiss' website. A great gun is worth its weight in gold as it makes spraying a smooth finish much easier. You can buy a cheapo gun at Harbor Freight but you'll need something that sufficiently atomizes the paint. You'll need extra paint cups and filters, and it helps to have a viscometer. Since you'd only be painting one car, you could go with a less expensive gun.

Traps: You'll usually need to buy a water trap and grease trap separately. Prices vary significantly

Accessories: hose, quick connects, pressure regulator

Paint suit, face mask and respirator: A must - ensure you have the proper safety equipment. Modern paints can kill you.

Home-made paint booth. You'll need fans, filters and LOTS of plastic sheeting to ensure you don't get dust in the paint (or rent a booth)

Primer, sealer, base coat and clear coat or single stage paint: Prices are all over the board, but $500-$600 should cover it.

I priced everything in the Peoples Republic of California and opted to do all the prep work myself and pay a paint shop to shoot the paint. Though I'd love to have painted the cars myself, the time, cost and environmental hassles made it worth spending the money to have the car painted.