Today's project: Paint GTspec FSTB brackets

[audtatious]

So, I wanted to do something to the coupe this morning and I was bored. There is one thing I've always disliked in my engine compartment and it's the blue brackets of the GTspec front strut tower brace. So, thought I'd fix that today. From another project I had a Duplicolor Mirage kit which requires three coats with different paint to get a color changing effect. Why not?

Here's the ugly blue brackets that I started with:



So, I removed them and cleaned them up with Dawn dish washing detergent to get all grease off. While cleaning them off I noticed they actually had a color changing effect under the lights from the blue to a blue-green. Kinda neat, still ugly. Here's the brackets ready for paint (you can see the greenish hue reflecting with the flash as well):



You start off with the base cote which was pretty much a black. Then you move to the second coat which contains the color changing flake or pearl (depending on the kit). Finally you have a clear coat. The paint is a quick-dry style in that it's dry to the touch in 30 minutes and can be handled in an hour. So, it wasn't too difficult getting the three coats on at all. Here's the brackets after all three coats:



Here's the brackets reinstalled:



So, to me it looks nice and clean without the blue.....but wait, isn't this supposed to be some form of color changing paint? Sunlight shows it's like a multicolored metal flake finish. It's not overdone and actually looks much better than the picture below represents.



Done deal. Getting the brackets on and off was the hardest part of the job. Otherwise it was cake

[SVTCOBRA]

Much better!!

[RED_DET]

Rice Rice Baby......


:0

[audtatious]

[kmckis1029]

for me the blue brackets match my blue grounding wires and i dont use the engine cover, but i like the paint job nerver the less

[audtatious]

Thanks...I wanted something to do to the car this weekend and that seemed the easiest that didn't include crawling under it.

[370Z/28]

Nice Aud!

Now do something about those orange stickers on the fan shroud.

Looks easier than the crackle finish paint job I did on my back door this weekend. Sheesh! I'll post a pic of that if it quits raining.

[audtatious]

Orange stickers are JDM

Weather was perfect this weekend for painting stuff so everything worked out great.

[370Z/28]

Ok, you got me. What is JDM?

It was fine here this weekend till I put that last coat on and it hasn't stopped raining since. I'm afraid that paint isn't ever going to dry all the way. It is very thick.


I feel sorry for the next person that tries to sand and paint that door.

[audtatious]

Japanese Domestic Market....Technically since the stickers are in English I guess they are not really JDM other than the car is a Skyline in the homeland.

Yeah, that would stink. It was dry here until this afternoon. My mom went with my sister on vacation and dropped off her truck for me to fix. Has a 3"x12" section where paint has peeled. I need to water sand and then primer/paint and buff it when done. Hard to do when It's raining the one day this week I'm going to be home.....or I could do like you and give her back a crinkle finish

[370Z/28]

Teeheehee....she might not like that. This is what it ends up looking like. Now the door on my 5 year old house looks like it is about a hundred years old.



Dang Aud, I didn't know you painted. I sure wish I could get this Honda to you. I will be so glad to get this thing out of my driveway and out of my pocketbook. Arrrrrrrrrg. Don't ever buy a child a car.

[audtatious]

Some people pay lots of money for a crackled door like that.

I don't paint. I have a rattle can of matching paint so I'll sand the edges smooth, primer it, smooth it again, paint it with multiple coats, wet sand again and buff. It's >10 years old and my mom just wants that section covered up. It should turn out pretty good but I doubt will be perfect. The truck is just transportation to her. In 10 years it's only been washed twice and it's when I borrowed it and cleaned it up.

[370Z/28]

Does she want to buy a Honda.

[audtatious]

She like her truck. She does not want to "buy" anything nor spend money unless it's on Bingo or playing slots at a casino.