New Paint

[nova1313]

Updated: It's done!

So I finally have pictures from my rollered paint job. I got most way done with the rustoleum job and didn't like the color all that much. I switched to brightside boat paint. It rolls on and self levels. Gives you an excellent mirror finish. My total cost for painting the car is still under 100 dollars.


Old Rusto Color:
http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0232.jpg.html

The new color:
http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0412.jpg.html

Both had great finishes.

General Gallery: http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar2/paint/

Whole car: http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0418.jpg.html - After first wet sand
Completed: http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0431.jpg.html - Finished.

Total cost so far: $82 Dollars
Paint tray - 2 dollars
Sand paper 400, 600, 1000 grit - 20 bucks
2 Cans of brightside paint - 50 bucks
Roller pack - 8 dollars
Roller - 2 dollars

Total cost because of screw ups and color change: 45 dollars.
2 Cans of rusto - 20 dollars
Primer to fix huge scratches - 20 dollars
Sand paper - 5 dollars

I could have avoided the last costs had my friend not grabbed the wrong paper and I had actually liked the color. I would have been around ~80 bucks for the cost total if I liked the rusto color.

Time wise it took:
6 hours to strip the car of lights and mirrors, side skirts random items.
10 hours of body work (scratches, dents, rust)
30 hours not including time waiting between coats for the rusto paint job that I didn't like.
10 hours for the brightside (it's easier to apply, less hassle, less sanding, less coats needed, self levels).

Moral of the story: If you plan to roller your car it's cheap and cost effective. it's going to take some time. The best results I saw were from interlux brightside top (above water) paint. They have a nice array of colors available at any marine store. You need a pack of rollers, and some sand paper. You roll a small section in one direction then wipe across it with a foam brush in the other direction to get it to self level. Do this for 3 coats with wet sanding in between up to a really high grit. No need to thin and the paint doesn't run.

It's not a show quality job, but it's much better then the paint that was on there. I'm happy with how it turned out. My friends can't tell I rollered it. If I get upclose I suppose because I painted it I can see where my body work was poor underneath. Other then body work problems you can't tell the car got rollered.

If I could have figured out how to get the front bumper off it would have looked better. But I did okay regardless of that.

I know the question has been asked before but I couldn't find the thread. The GST spoiler is a bit off the lip of the trunk. Does anyone have a measurement as to how far in off the back edge it sits? I have mine positioned about an inch in and I want to make sure thats right before I drill the holes.

[l_eclipse_l]

I would have waited for a good pic of the whole car before posting this, so I will hold comments until I see that.

The turbo spoiler dosn't hang off much...maybe 1/2 inch at most. It almost looks flush with the back of the hatch on mine.

[nova1313]

I was going to, but I kept getting emails and pm's from people that were interested to see my progress and the color. Aparently we have a bunch of lurkers that don't post.

But as soon as I have one I'll put it up. In the same thread as to not fill the forums up of course.

[AbsoluteGTR]

Originally Posted by l_eclipse_l

I would have waited for a good pic of the whole car before posting this, so I will hold comments until I see that.

The turbo spoiler dosn't hang off much...maybe 1/2 inch at most. It almost looks flush with the back of the hatch on mine.

Actually it doesnt hang off at all.

Before I put the turbo spoiler on my previous DSM,I looked at a ton of pics, seeing where the turbo spoiler is in its factory location. And it is actually about 1/4" to 1/2" into the hatch. At the most it might lined up with the hatchback lip.

[vwracer14]

yea i want to see it finished.right now it looks like a baby blue primer.update the pics when you get a chance and give us some pics with the top down.

[vanilla gorilla]

The car looks pretty good. I'm sure when you wash it off and polish it, it will look great. I'm not too sure about the color but the job looks pretty good. BTW the front bumper is aggravating to get off, I spent like 2 hours getting mine off. But I only put it back on with like half the bolts, lol, to make it easier to take off next time, or to service the intercooler/piping.

[nova1313]

Sorry I meant how far was the spoiler in from the back. Thats about where I was planning on putting it. So then I'm in line with whats thought.

Yeah with it sanded it does look powder blue. I'll get some when it's bright and shiny. It's kinda windows XP blue normally. Very very bright. I was debating going with sapphire because it would have been darker but I wasn't sure how dark it would really be. It's hard because I only have small swatches to choose a color from. This one is growing on me.

Pictures with the top down once i'm done all the sanding. Until then I'm not opening up the interior, for the life of me too much dust. I have the jams on the door done before I rolled the exterior. I have to vacuum and scrub the top when I'm done to get the sanding dirt off it.

My first picture with the top down will have the speed cover on + spoiler mounted I still have to manufacture some tie downs for the speed cover. I want to make them so I can remove them quickly and still use the back seat. It will be an interesting feat.

Btw I have an old low rise spoiler for sale now if anyone is interested. It's the stock red color still...

[gthompson97]

I agree with |_eclipse_|, the pictures aren't that great, and as much as you were talking up this roll on paint, I'm actually kind of dissappointed thus far. Maybe the end result will turn out better, but right now it looks like gelcoat or primer. I just seems bland and doesn't have any shine to it what-so-ever. Either way I'm still interested in figuring out what the finished product looks like.

[nova1313]

Okay So I finished it tonight. I had to redo a mirror because I missed part of it. So they are not on the car yet. I also have to drill the holes for the hoop spoiler tomorrow. I think I would have liked a bit darker of a blue. But it's growing on me.

You can see the pictures below:
Whole car: http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0431.jpg.html
Back end: http://www.novaslp.net/pics/v/newcar..._0434.jpg.html

Note the back end picture is crappy but it was the only one I have with natural light as the backing. It really shows the color well constrasted with the lights.

I need to get new badging from the dealer though.

! trouble spot on the door. I guess I missed sanding and so I have a bit more orange peel there then everywhere else. I plan to sand that down and reroll a coat then. Otherwise the car has a finish I'd say is comparible to any car off a lot.

I havn't cleared it. I was debating it. Right now this is super easy to fix if I get a rock chip or anything. With clear on it not so much...

[LouieAWDTSi]

Looks good man.

[Thor06]

That does look good, holy shit. Maybe I will have to try that shit.

[nova1313]

For the cost you can't beat it. My goal was to have the car pass the 5 foot rule initially. that it looks good from 5 feet away. It passes that. Since I hand painted it and did all the body work there are some spots that bug me. I just have to go back over them and it would be good. No roller marks at all. Very minimal orange peel. No more then any new car has on it.

It definately doesn't have a clear coat look but it's got a mirror shine. IT still looks sick.

If I had the money I'd have had it done professionally. But I'm a broke college student. This was much cheaper.

If you plan to try it get a test piece of metal or a spoiler or something and try it on it first. Then you can work out any worries you have before touching the car. I did it on my spoiler. Then once I was sure of it and how hard to wipe across I went and did the whole car.

With going from a paint job that was okay (minus rust and a shitload of dents), I still had a bunch of "oh $hit what am I doing" type moments. You get over them by the time you see the first coat dry though

[AbsoluteGTR]

For less than $100 thats is amazing. I dont understand how the roller will not leave marks and refresh my memory on orange peel?

Anyways, I would have gone for the color white, I absolutely love any car that is a pearl white. If you have a link or a write-up on what you did I would love to try this on my car.

[nova1313]

thanks. I think the roller marks really went away because it was put on thin and then after you wipe across the direction with a foam brush and that knocked them down. The brightside paint self levels too. I just put it on as per the instructions on the can.

Orange peel is little bubbles in the paint (it looks like outside of an orange.) Most cars have it. Go look at a car on a lot and look closely. You will see it. It doesn't show in metalics as much but it's there. You can't feel it really. It just looks like it. I have a little bit in places I didn't sand as well or missed. But it's nothing major.

Like I said it looks on par with a factory paint job. I warn you though. If you go start looking at factory jobs and see orange peel you will see it on yours. Once you do you can't stop. It's annoying. So now I'm pretty odd about picking it out.

[l_eclipse_l]

For the cost, I give it a on the finished product.