Well I finally finished color sanding and buffing. Turned out better than I expected. The paint that I put on the car went on with a little "orange peel" look...the gun wasn't set quite perfect and being that it was painted in a 2 car garage with no fresh air and not much of a "booth" set up, it had some dust nibs, bugs, lint, etc in the paint. I got 99% of it sanded out. There are still a couple places I need to work on, but it's about 100 deg. outside, and I'm TIRED. I've sanded and buffed out runs and nibs for about 80 hours now. It takes a while.... Painting isn't hard to do, but the prep before and after can be a bear if you don't know what you're doing. I sanded the yellow paint (which was not the original color, but it was in "decent" shape) with 600 grit until the primer underneath was showing through. Then I sprayed 2 good coats of 2K Urethane primer, then blocked...then sprayed another coat, blocked again, and a final coat. The final coat was blocked with 240, then using a DA I sanded it finally with 400. Color was sprayed on in my garage with a couple fans running, some good breathing apparatus, and lots of painter's plastic dangling from some slipped together PVC pipe "booth". It worked..but it's nowhere near perfect. The color has been curing for about 3 months. Last race day I noticed that in the sun, I was no longer smelling the chemicals in the paint and I also noticed that it was extremely hard to "chip" (tried chipping a run in the paint) so I knew that it was pretty much cured. I bought it home 3 weeks ago and got to work. I first started off by CLEANING the entire car extremely well. You won't want ANY dirt on it. Then I wet sanded the big runs and sags with 800, then 1000...there was some pretty severe orange peel, and on those panels I sanded the entire panel with 1000, then finish sanded it with 1500. I could have gotten some 2000 and really smoothed it out, but I have a pretty good buffer so I didn't need to. After the 1500 wet, I got out the buffer with a coarse wool wheel I picked up at O'Reillys, along with some 3M medium cut rubbing compound. A couple passes with compound and there was some shine coming though. Then I went to a fine wool pad with the same compound, then to the same pad (actually a different pad, but same kind) with some 3M swirl remover...then to a foam pad with 3M micro polishing glaze. The shine really came when I switched to the finishing pad and the 3M Perfect-it 3000. Finally a good wipe down with the same 3M compound, a good washing of the whole car, and a GOOD coat of wax to help protect it. There are spots I should really work on but that's a project for the winter time when weather isn't so hot. I will say, however, I have a new found respect for any of you who do body & paint work. LOTS of work...HARD work and you guys must have a million times more patience than I do! Some pics are included...INCLUDING the "tucked" front bumper. I think I probably tucked it too far, but it's done..for now..until I can find a front AND rear 'glass bumper. My front one has seen better days.
I see no need for mirrors or handles either ...It looks awsome!! I am hoping to try what you have done when ever I get to that stage, only a little deeper with the blue...I would be extreemly happy if my paint looked as good as yours
Been there, done that with all the buffing. Most people don't have a clue as to what all is involved. Looks Great!!!
That is a nice looking finish! It looks like glass just like it should and I know you put some time in it but it was worth it by looking at your results.
