Paint Question?

[Mr. Belvedere]

Have any of you tried to paint a car using spray cans? I saw a place in a restorers magazine that will custom match paint for you and put it in a can. They use good quality automotive paint PPG enamel I think. Anyway it sounds doable if you do maybe paint one section at a time i.e. fender, door and so on. The same mag also shows how to build a spray booth out of pvc pipe and plastic sheeting, complete with a box fan ventilation system. Seams like you could get pretty decent results without having to invest in an hvlp gun and filters and all the other equipment. Seems like it would be less messy too. I dont care about a flawless show stopping paint job. Just something that presents well that would last fairly well. I wonder how many cans it would take to do a whole car?

[Young Ed]

I suspect way tooooo many cans. Been learning to paint some and have had good luck with a 49.99 HVLP gun from harbor freight.

[david lazarus]

I had my car professionally painted, and also got 4 cans mixed to the same paint code. These are really good for trim items that you want to paint the same colour (engine bay shrouds etc).

However...I found the cans very hard to use as at first they power out the paint, but after the can is half empty your coverage goes to hell. Dropping them into a bucket of hot water helps to bring them back to life but at best I would imagine a very patchy appearance if painting panels.

[bigred48]

I used spray cans on my trunk. they worked well but gave a grainy texture that I'm not really sure how to get rid of. I got mine at Auto Value and they color matched to my car using a special digital camera that they could take the paint codes from. Good luck with your paint my car will need to be painted soon too, but that is one of the last steps after everything else is fixed.

[Mr. Belvedere]

I know that this idea screams hoakie but, I don't have the room to paint a car the conventional way on my property. I could do the body work and then take it some place and let them paint it with no guarentees, but even that gets expensive. This idea only appeals to me because you don't need a lot of room and not alot of set-up and cleaning up afterwards, very little mess. Plus, you can do it a little at a time. Start and stop when you need too. Maybe I'll try it on an old fender and see how it turns out. The car would be staying original color so bleed thru wouldn't really be an issue here.

[Young Ed]

That grainy texture is probably whats known as orange peel. Only way to get rid of it now is to wet sand with fine sand paper. 1000grit or finer. I wouldn't think your car needs paint though-it looks good to me! I still gotta check on that gauge for you. Did you get a packet from us? I asked last weekend and they said it was sent.

[bigred48]

I haven't gotten the package yet, but that is because I haven't been home for awhile so it could be there.The previous owner must have sprayed over surface rust because the paint on the trunk fell off.

here is a picture of before and after I painted. The previous owner actually painted the whole car with krylon spray paint about five years ago.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

I just painted my car. I used PPG acrylic lacquer. I did it in my garage with no ventilation system, no plastic sheets or PVC pipe, and my compressor and gun cost less than spray cans would have. And, I have them for the future. The results? Not far off a pro job, if I do say so myself. Lacquer dries so quick you dont have to worry about dust and bugs.

[Mr. Belvedere]

According to what I have read you can't spray lacquer over enamel, they are in compatable I am pretty sure that its enamel on there now though I have not checked. One time I spray painted an old 73' honda cb125 gas tank I just gave a light sanding to the original finish (enamel), then proceeded to spray gloss black lacquer on it. It looked beautiful for about half an hour, then it just started to wrinkle and check big time I was so depressed! They say lacquer is best for beginners to use, but I do not want to strip the whole car first to be sure the paint coats don't have a reaction between them.

[oldmopar]

I painted the front clip on a 79 GMC truck it came off another truck and was a different color. I used rattle cans and one of the spray can holders with a trigger set up (plastic cost about $3.00) looks ok to me but this is only going to be a work truck if I ever get it finished!

[Norm's Coupe]

Have any of you tried to paint a car using spray cans? I saw a place in a restorers magazine that will custom match paint for you and put it in a can. They use good quality automotive paint PPG enamel I think. Anyway it sounds doable if you do maybe paint one section at a time i.e. fender, door and so on. The same mag also shows how to build a spray booth out of pvc pipe and plastic sheeting, complete with a box fan ventilation system. Seams like you could get pretty decent results without having to invest in an hvlp gun and filters and all the other equipment. Seems like it would be less messy too. I dont care about a flawless show stopping paint job. Just something that presents well that would last fairly well. I wonder how many cans it would take to do a whole car?

If you do a good prep job there isn't anything wrong with using the aerosol cans to paint the car. It will cost a lot more than buying it and spraying with a compressor and paint gun though.

About 2 years ago I repainted my right rear fender using the special blended paint to match the original color. However, my original paint is faded so it's not a perfect match with the rest of the car. Other than that, it looks good. I used a whole can of paint on that one fender though. At about $15 per can, that will add up fast doing the whole car. So......I'm only using it to repaint areas I do work on. When I finish that, the car is off to Maaco for the full paint job. They will repaint the whole car for you for about $300 to $700 and up, and it will probably be a better job than you can do at home. Plus you have a warranty with the paint job.

I painted a 70 Impala in my garage using the compressor and gun back in the early 90's. Even with making a paint booth, I still had paint overspray dust all over the place to clean up. Plus, if you are just painting one car it doesn't pay to buy all the equipment and paint when compared to the price of a Maaco job. Then there is the problem of disposing of the hazardous waste of the thinner and paint, plus cleaning the equipment when you're done. To me it's just not worth the cost or trouble when compared with the Maaco price.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Many years ago when the moon was just being considered as a orbiting object...we (dad and I) spray painted my first set of wheels with bug bomb cans..here is the biggest key to the success I think, dad bought Appliance expoxy paint...that stuff is extremely easey to use, best spraying paint you can ever find....it lays flat fast and dries to a hard shine...

[JerseyHarold]

Check your local newspapers for the Maaco winter special.....they offer one of their jobs at half-price. Quite a deal if your bodywork is all done.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

Mr Belvedere.... you can spray lacquer over enamel, but the enamel has to be not new. You use primer/filler to fill any imperfections, sand that smooth with 400 dry, then use primer/sealer. Sand that smooth with 400 dry and you're good to go. Works for me.

The trouble with rattle cans is the quantity you need to get a nice even finish. The paint in a can is thinner than you can use in a gun, a can contains mainly propellant.

[Tony Cipponeri]

I agree with Jersey Harold, it will cost you as much or more to buy the spray paint. Tony C

[RobertKB]

Mr. Belvedere, I am just curious. Is it the '54 you plan on painting? If so, I am just wondering why as the paint looks good on the car in your profile. Or is it a twenty footer?