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Paint your car for £30 ? Yes!


jonboylaw

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Thanks.

 

I'm sure the roller technique would work, but on a Seven with the bonnet louvres etc, an aerosol is far easier to apply and finish.

 

The Rustoluem aerosol paint appears to be an enamel based paint. As well as providing very good coverage it is almost self levelling. When applied at the right thickness it gives a great finish, yet fills and hides small imperfections such as scratches and stonechips.

 

It also works really well at low temperatures, meaning you can spray it in a cold unheated garage in winter. (I did use a heater after spraying to help the paint/lacquer dry).

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Skydragon, that looks superb *thumbup*

 

I would be keen to know how you went about doing the screen as I am about the embark on 'black packing' my chrome screen...I have got a can of Hammerite Black satin, but do I need a primer too ? also, did you remove the glass or just mask it off ? How many coats did it take ? Also, did you remove the popper studs or just spray over them ?

 

Regards

 

Richard

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I dismantled the screen and removed the glass and rubber seals. If you were painting yours I'd recommend you to do the same.

 

I used Hammerite satin black in a aerosol. I cleaned the frame thoroughly before spraying and used five coats of paint (don't be tempted to apply too thickly). I masked off the popper studs.

 

However...

 

The Hammerite black paint finish looks great, but I don't think it will be very durable in the long run, as it chips fairly easily.

 

In hindsight I should have adbraded the anodised finish on the frame and stanchions (scouring pad?) and also primed before painting, to ensure the stain black hammerite keys perfectly.

 

I think if you abraded and primed you would get a durable finish.

 

If mine starts to look tatty in due course, that's what I'll do, as it's an easy job to re-do again.

 

 

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Thanks. I was erring towards not removing the glass as I had heard it is a real PITA, and it is easy to crack it putting it back in....As I have a heated screen I do not really want to run this risk...

 

Any tips on getting it in and out safely ?

 

Thanks again for the hints...

 

Richard

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If you were careful with the masking and were prepared to spray the frame in several sessions to enable it to be rotated/painted, you could probbaly get away with leaving the glass and seals in. That would leave you with the frame as one part and the two stanchions as seperate parts to paint.

 

Just remember preperation of the frame and stanchions (cleaning etc) is important.

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Isn't one of the benefits of Hammerite paint that you don't need to prime

 

That's what I thought too... *confused* *smile* (Hammerite do quote that this paint type needs no primer)

 

I think to get a really good key on the anodised Aluminium surface though it needs a really roughed up surface as you suggest.

 

I did clean well and then scuff up the surface a bit, but not enough I guess, as the Hammerite paint scratches off more easily than I would expect. If you are going to do this, I'd suggest biting the bullet and really scouring/abrading the surface (which will ruin the frame's anodised finish for good, but hey ho)

 

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I used 2 x 400ml spray cans of CombiPrimer - Adhesion Primer , (I think) 5 x 500ml cans of Rustoleum Hard Hat RAL2000 orange paint and (I think) 2 x 500ml cans of Rustoleum Hard Hat clear gloss lacquer (or was it 3 cans...?). That makes nine cans at a cost of around £72 plus P&P (plus cost for wet and dry, T-Cut, masking tape, etc).

 

All available to buy online at Combination paints

 

You could posibly get away without the lacquer, but it adds UV protection to the colour and also gives a better shine.

 

Can I bring my car up for a respray?

I could become a 'rolf harris' of the Caterham world eh, 😬 I can image it now...' can you tell what colour it is yet?' 😬 😬 *rolleyes*

 

Thanks, but sfter doing this one, I've had enough of spray paint for a while. *smile*

 

1.6 K Series EU3, 2003, ex-SuperGrad car. now Orange/Black. Picture here

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I blacked the screen frame on our SV. I masked the glass, and the studs I think I removed, if they screw on, otherwise if they rivet on I must have left them.....this was a few years ago.

 

I certainly roughed the surface up with wet'n'dry.

 

I am pretty certain I used an acid etch undercoat, which should always be used on aluminium/alloy.

 

I sprayed using a rattlecan satin black.

 

Here's the result, but it does chip off, and I really doubt there is any paint substitute for powder coating, or possibly better still, black anodising the frame.

 

The problem being that there is very hard wear on this part.

 

The frame was detached from the side mount uprights

 

Looks ok so far.....

 

Car needs a respray now.....

 

but it looked great 2 years ago....

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
How much spraying experience did you have before this Skydragon?

A little bit, via radio controlled model building, but Ive never done any spraying of a large surface area before.

 

Also, how many hours did it take you to mask?!

A full day. I didn't disassemble anything on the car apart from taking the windscreen, front and rear wings and wheels off. This meant I had a lot of masking to do, especially around the front suspension.

 

 

1.6 K Series EU3, 2003, ex-SuperGrad car. now Orange/Black. My website here

 

Edited by - skydragon on 4 Feb 2009 16:51:03

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  • 3 months later...
  • 7 months later...

Qyuck update nearly a year later...

 

The Rustoleum paint has stood up to usage pretty well and I'm still very pleased with the end result Vs time/cost.

 

There are some stonechips and the odd mark ( I'm sure some of them would have been incurred even using 2-pack paint) but absolutely no bubbling or paint lifting anywhere.

 

*thumbup* *thumbup*

 

1.6 K Series EU3, 2003, ex-SuperGrad car.Now Fundraising for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance - can you make a donation?- See my website here

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I am currently using CombiColour (UK Rustoleum) on my VW - not got to the outside yet, just underside and interior, but its is perfect for my use - don't haveto fanny around with primer etc, and goes on nice and thick, nice and tough. I'm just painting on at the moment, have not got to the aesthetic bit yet.

 

Found a brilliant place near Heathrow - they'll mix any colour (RAL) you like, while you wait, and 2.5 litres is only about £35

 

Angus's Adventures in Sevenland

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