DIY painting a Chim
Discussion
I have been spraying cars for 9 years, I'm still s
t.
If its a racing car of mine and always going to be 15ft away and moving quickly, then I will spray it.
But I had a friend thats been a sprayer for 30 years for BMW Rolls-Royce and Bentley do my Chim.
t. If its a racing car of mine and always going to be 15ft away and moving quickly, then I will spray it.
But I had a friend thats been a sprayer for 30 years for BMW Rolls-Royce and Bentley do my Chim.
Edited by Major Fallout on Wednesday 26th September 16:59
Extract from
"How to Restore Paintwork", both by Miles Wilkins
and published in the Osprey Restoration Guide series. Both of these books can be obtained direct
from Miles at £7.95 each including postage and packing and his address is Fibreglass Services,
Charlton Saw Mills, Charlton, Singleton, near Chichester, West Sussex.
Price is no doubt subject to change as not a new article.
The paint systems
It is worth mentioning the advantages and disadvantages of various paint schemes.
1. Cellulose — These have improved considerably over the past 15 years or so. Don’t be
bamboozled by the fast-talking sales rep about synthetic whizzos etc. They do NOT always
understand about GRP but only about high volume spray shops dealing with Minis, Escorts etc.
where turnround is all important. Cellulose was used (and still is of course) on all GRP cars up to
the early ‘70s (Lotus changed to a polyurethane paint in ‘71 on their Elans etc.). So, first for
originality on your classic, use it. Secondly it is easier to apply and can be blown-in locally if a
mistake is made. Thirdly, a superb flat mirror finish can be achieved by hand-flatting and
polishing. If looked after, cellulose will last for ten years plus. Metallics are also done in
cellulose or by using the system known as base coat and clear. Here a base coat colour is sprayed
on, followed by the clear lacquer which is then flatted and polished. This system is awful to
match on part repairs since the final colour is not known until the lacquer has been painted on.
2. Two-pack acrylic-isocyanates. Quite simply do NOT spray these yourself as external
breathing apparatus is required. The fumes given off are lethal. Either use new isocyanate-free
paint (only available in a few colours as yet) or get a professional firm to spray it for you. The
advantages of this system are that it minimises sinkage (no thinner content) and it is more
durable in service. Its disadvantages include the fact that it cannot be part blown in on a repair so
the whole panel has to be done. It is very difficult to lose an edge and, unless flatted and polished
within 24 hours, an orange peel finish will remain.
3. Synthetics. Nobody in their right mind uses these air- or chemical-drying plastic paints on a
classic car. They provide a very cheap way of obtaining a shine and may be ideal for kit cars etc.
but are virtually impossible to repair over and, as with acrylics, the edge cannot be lost. The
whole panel has to be painted.
Do not bake
It is time that everyone, professionals included, realised that YOU CANNOT LOW BAKE ANY
GRP CAR. Numerous bodies have been lost in this way and people still do it. A true low bake is
130C. At that temperature, even for half an hour, the body will flow and become useless. The
maximum temperature for any scheme is a FORCE DRY 85- 110F which is 30-40C. I have had
to arbitrate on several occasions on behalf of owners whose cars have suffered GRP flow after
being painted by professionals.
What it costs
I repeat, GRP painting is very different from painting metal and it costs two or three times as
much. There is no such thing as a ‘cheap £400 front end blowover’. The true cost among my professional
‘friends’, including ourselves, starts around £1500 to £2500 for a strip and repaint on, say, a
Europa. Realistically the finished cost is over £3000 which includes new rubbers, re-hanging
doors etc. IT IS NOT CHEAP TO DO IT PROPERLY and to do it properly is the only way.
Preparing/removing the old paint
Now for the awful bit! Having decided the course of action for the repaint you have a choice of
methods of preparation depending on circumstances:
1. The lazy one first — on self-coloured gel coat cars, namely kit cars or bolt-on GRP
wings/panels etc., if any repairs have to be done, do as outlined last month. Then flat off the
whole car/panel with 360 wet and dry (wet with a little washing up liquid in it) to provide the
key. Dry thoroughly and then it is ready for the painting process.
2. If the original paint is sound or you elect not to strip it all off, repair the
cracks/damage/marks etc. first, then REMOVE EVERYTHING from the car that can be
removed ie. door frames, glass, lights, the lot, and flat off the entire car with 360, paying
particular attention to the repair/paint boundaries. These areas must be absolutely perfect. Use
lots of water and change the paper regularly. If the carpets/seats are still left in, cover them up
well because wet coloured stains are quite difficult to remove when the crud has dried! Finally,
when all has been flatted, wash with clean warm water and dry thoroughly.
3. Stripping a whole car will take a very, very long time whichever method you choose.
People just do not realise the hundreds of hours it takes. Unlike metal where you can apply paint
stripper everywhere and high pressure hose it off, paint stripper attacks GRP so extra care has to
be taken. If using the paint stripper method buy the water soluble stripper only. Do NOT buy the
special GRP ones that are intended for marine purposes only. They do not remove
cellulose/acrylics. If you are stripping an original finish take it off BY HAND. DO NOT use
paint stripper because, if you do, one pass of the scraper and you’ll be through. Start with 80
grade wet and dry finishing with 220 and 360.
Before starting with paint stripper first de-wax the car with petrol or solvent but be sure to
eliminate all risk of fire. Wipe clean and then key the surface with 80 grade paper to provide a
grip for the stripper otherwise the first applications will remove only the remaining wax polish!
Work on a small area at a time and scrape the paint down to the original primer coat only.
Always leave doors, boot lid etc. attached to the car because it is easier to work on these when
they are anchored in position.
When you have finished with the stripper, take off the door handles, frames, glass, lights etc. and
finish around these points by hand with wet and dry paper. Taking everything off first may seem
logical but you do not want stripper all inside the car eating into vinyl seats etc. and the build-up
of unremoved stripper in and around door handle holes etc. will give horrible paint problems
later on. After each patch has been done thoroughly, wash off with water to neutralise ‘the
stripper. Go over the whole car, leaving any old repairs — do not paint strip them out. When the
car is, hopefully, in its original primer, flat off by hand with wet 220 wet and dry. Next wash the
entire car and then TACKLE THE REPAIRS both old and new (gel cracks show up as dark
yellow lines). Finally flat off again totally with wet 360 grade wet and dry and the car should be
ready for painting.
Chipping off the paint using chisels is an alternative to paint stripper. This can sometimes prove
"How to Restore Paintwork", both by Miles Wilkins
and published in the Osprey Restoration Guide series. Both of these books can be obtained direct
from Miles at £7.95 each including postage and packing and his address is Fibreglass Services,
Charlton Saw Mills, Charlton, Singleton, near Chichester, West Sussex.
Price is no doubt subject to change as not a new article.
The paint systems
It is worth mentioning the advantages and disadvantages of various paint schemes.
1. Cellulose — These have improved considerably over the past 15 years or so. Don’t be
bamboozled by the fast-talking sales rep about synthetic whizzos etc. They do NOT always
understand about GRP but only about high volume spray shops dealing with Minis, Escorts etc.
where turnround is all important. Cellulose was used (and still is of course) on all GRP cars up to
the early ‘70s (Lotus changed to a polyurethane paint in ‘71 on their Elans etc.). So, first for
originality on your classic, use it. Secondly it is easier to apply and can be blown-in locally if a
mistake is made. Thirdly, a superb flat mirror finish can be achieved by hand-flatting and
polishing. If looked after, cellulose will last for ten years plus. Metallics are also done in
cellulose or by using the system known as base coat and clear. Here a base coat colour is sprayed
on, followed by the clear lacquer which is then flatted and polished. This system is awful to
match on part repairs since the final colour is not known until the lacquer has been painted on.
2. Two-pack acrylic-isocyanates. Quite simply do NOT spray these yourself as external
breathing apparatus is required. The fumes given off are lethal. Either use new isocyanate-free
paint (only available in a few colours as yet) or get a professional firm to spray it for you. The
advantages of this system are that it minimises sinkage (no thinner content) and it is more
durable in service. Its disadvantages include the fact that it cannot be part blown in on a repair so
the whole panel has to be done. It is very difficult to lose an edge and, unless flatted and polished
within 24 hours, an orange peel finish will remain.
3. Synthetics. Nobody in their right mind uses these air- or chemical-drying plastic paints on a
classic car. They provide a very cheap way of obtaining a shine and may be ideal for kit cars etc.
but are virtually impossible to repair over and, as with acrylics, the edge cannot be lost. The
whole panel has to be painted.
Do not bake
It is time that everyone, professionals included, realised that YOU CANNOT LOW BAKE ANY
GRP CAR. Numerous bodies have been lost in this way and people still do it. A true low bake is
130C. At that temperature, even for half an hour, the body will flow and become useless. The
maximum temperature for any scheme is a FORCE DRY 85- 110F which is 30-40C. I have had
to arbitrate on several occasions on behalf of owners whose cars have suffered GRP flow after
being painted by professionals.
What it costs
I repeat, GRP painting is very different from painting metal and it costs two or three times as
much. There is no such thing as a ‘cheap £400 front end blowover’. The true cost among my professional
‘friends’, including ourselves, starts around £1500 to £2500 for a strip and repaint on, say, a
Europa. Realistically the finished cost is over £3000 which includes new rubbers, re-hanging
doors etc. IT IS NOT CHEAP TO DO IT PROPERLY and to do it properly is the only way.
Preparing/removing the old paint
Now for the awful bit! Having decided the course of action for the repaint you have a choice of
methods of preparation depending on circumstances:
1. The lazy one first — on self-coloured gel coat cars, namely kit cars or bolt-on GRP
wings/panels etc., if any repairs have to be done, do as outlined last month. Then flat off the
whole car/panel with 360 wet and dry (wet with a little washing up liquid in it) to provide the
key. Dry thoroughly and then it is ready for the painting process.
2. If the original paint is sound or you elect not to strip it all off, repair the
cracks/damage/marks etc. first, then REMOVE EVERYTHING from the car that can be
removed ie. door frames, glass, lights, the lot, and flat off the entire car with 360, paying
particular attention to the repair/paint boundaries. These areas must be absolutely perfect. Use
lots of water and change the paper regularly. If the carpets/seats are still left in, cover them up
well because wet coloured stains are quite difficult to remove when the crud has dried! Finally,
when all has been flatted, wash with clean warm water and dry thoroughly.
3. Stripping a whole car will take a very, very long time whichever method you choose.
People just do not realise the hundreds of hours it takes. Unlike metal where you can apply paint
stripper everywhere and high pressure hose it off, paint stripper attacks GRP so extra care has to
be taken. If using the paint stripper method buy the water soluble stripper only. Do NOT buy the
special GRP ones that are intended for marine purposes only. They do not remove
cellulose/acrylics. If you are stripping an original finish take it off BY HAND. DO NOT use
paint stripper because, if you do, one pass of the scraper and you’ll be through. Start with 80
grade wet and dry finishing with 220 and 360.
Before starting with paint stripper first de-wax the car with petrol or solvent but be sure to
eliminate all risk of fire. Wipe clean and then key the surface with 80 grade paper to provide a
grip for the stripper otherwise the first applications will remove only the remaining wax polish!
Work on a small area at a time and scrape the paint down to the original primer coat only.
Always leave doors, boot lid etc. attached to the car because it is easier to work on these when
they are anchored in position.
When you have finished with the stripper, take off the door handles, frames, glass, lights etc. and
finish around these points by hand with wet and dry paper. Taking everything off first may seem
logical but you do not want stripper all inside the car eating into vinyl seats etc. and the build-up
of unremoved stripper in and around door handle holes etc. will give horrible paint problems
later on. After each patch has been done thoroughly, wash off with water to neutralise ‘the
stripper. Go over the whole car, leaving any old repairs — do not paint strip them out. When the
car is, hopefully, in its original primer, flat off by hand with wet 220 wet and dry. Next wash the
entire car and then TACKLE THE REPAIRS both old and new (gel cracks show up as dark
yellow lines). Finally flat off again totally with wet 360 grade wet and dry and the car should be
ready for painting.
Chipping off the paint using chisels is an alternative to paint stripper. This can sometimes prove
debaron said:
Alexdaredevilz said:
We paint TVR's at my work, and most of the time there painted last thing and left till the morning
What do they charge for a respray at yours Alex? PM if it's against the rules to promote trade on here. Where you based also? 
SILICONEKID340HP said:
let you go first on that one Daz lolGassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff