paint

[allensteiner]

i wanna paint my max black. i don't know if i should try it myslef though or pay out the *** at a shop? anybody painted a car themselves? i painted a body kit for my 98 corolla with a black enamel paint from a can and it came out pretty nice but a whole car is something diferent.

one thing is i'm just gonna do the outside - it's not a show car so not worried about engine compartment.

will apreciate any advice.

[maxhopper]

Black is probably the worst color to take a chance with. It shows every imperfection in the body.

Unless you intend on spending an ***-load of time in prep and finishing work...I would leave it to the professionals.

[allensteiner]

i would...but i don't have over $5k to invest and i think it's ridiculous how much body shops charge. as for the prep it's not too bad - sand off the clear coat, degrease the surface and spray...all after fixing all the dings.

just wanna know if someone did it and maybe has pics of the outcome?

[MinisterofDOOM]

You might search other forums around NICO, especially the 240sx forums. Paint's the same no matter which car it's going on (for the most part), so what applies elsewhere will apply here, too.

Remember that paint longevity is another thing to consider when pricing paint jobs. Cheap paint jobs will look good at first but age very quickly. If you want the car to look good for more than just a few years, it might be worth taking a hit and going for a pricier option. Of course, we do what we can with what we can, so I realize that's not always feasible.

Certainly if you do end up painting the car yourself, documentation with pics would be very much appreciated.

[allensteiner]

if i get crazy enough i'll do it this summer and i'll have pics.

[Glove124]

I would shop around and/or find some one that does work on the side and it won't be so expensive. If you like the car don't attempt to do it yourself, you won't be happy.

[D_roc]

don't let a professional take care of it coz if you do it your self you will definitely f it up

[Beancooker]

Some people thought I was crazy for wetsanding my G35. I had never wetsanded a whole car, but the little bit of experience I had, made it worthwhile. I didn't mess it up, and I removed the key marks and a lot of other little scratches.

Painting isn't easy, but it's not the world's most difficult task either.

[allensteiner]

thanks all for chipping in.

about the paint - i bought the car with a hole in the right pass door, has a bunch of dings and a few dents (needs a new left fender if painting) and the original paint looks crappy after years of neglect from previous owners.

painting myself would be to try and improve my boy's looks. i don't need it to look flawless and know that it won't...but maybe i won't do so bad?

now...i was walking through walmart today to see if they have the gutter guard but instead i found an electric paint gun for about $70 - i think i might attempt the paint job myslef with that because a spray can was a little bit of a scary thought.

worst thing is gonna be the bumpers but i thought maybe i'll just get new ones. they're not that spendy and come in black already - just spray with clear and good to go.

i thought about getting a body kit (gelled black) and dropping my max bout 4" but i wouldn't be able to drive it in the winter and my wife won't give up the car i bought for her - so dropping that idea.

anyways...when i paint it i'm thinking about mixing in some silver flakes with the paint - should look nice in the sun

anybody know where i should go for paint though? auto parts store, sherwin-williams

[MinisterofDOOM]

Painting isn't easy, but it's not the world's most difficult task either.

Absolutely. But it's not the difficulty that makes the difference between pros and amateurs--it's the equipment.