Just wondering if anyone out there has done their own prep and paint work on a 944 and if so, what is involved and how much cost savings is there? This has come up once or twice before but there weren't any good solid conclusions reached about how feasible (or not) this is. Has anyone out there just pulled pieces off and done them one at a time?

 

Having just gone through this process, I suggest finding some one that can do it for you (preferably someone you know) and pay them to prep and paint. I don't have the right tools, paint booth or experience having never done this but I know someone who does. Heck, the only repaint I've ever done was about 10 cans of grey primer on my VW kafer Baja rig way back in 1978! I had the total design vision on how I wanted my Porsche repaint, but I'll stay away from painting thank you. Here's my thread on the repainting of my early 944.

https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-944-951-968-forum/169054-uber-mahogani-braun-or-gt-gruppe-color.html

Last night I went to help put my 944 back together and spent 4.5 hrs just putting all the side lights, fog lights, rear 951 valance on, the door handles, the license plates and the front side lights. I took my time, made sure I didn't scratch the new paint and cleaned up items as I went along, ya kinda slow. There is so much to do just putting it back together. It's already been three weeks just to get it almost finished. Hope this helps.

 

i do all my own paintwork, so paying $5000 for paint would give me a stroke. If you have the tools- compressor, gun, sanding stuff, somewhere to paint, it wouldnt take much to do it yourself except patience.

i did my 944 in pieces, a fender/door at a time, the quarters in one shot, the roof/sunroof one day, etc.... Now if your going red/white/black, this is no problem, but if your doing a metallic color, you may want to spray as much together as possible to get the paint to match.

 

I painted my 914. I don't know if I would recommend it or not. I plan on painting more cars, so the learning process was worhtwhile for me. Actually its one of my most gratifying projects I've done. You spend alot of time doing alot of crappy work. Then at the end when you shoot the paint its pretty exciting. There is a significant investment in tools and time. Unless, you have a good compressor and associated tools already.

 

I have heard of people stripping the car themselves, lights, bumpers... and then taking it into Maaco and having them lay the paint. From what I hear and what the PO did to my car, is that Maaco is HORRIBLE at prepping, but just about anyone with a gun can lay paint. Its the prep that makes the paint job for the most part. Atleast that way you dont have to mock up your own paint booth.

 

Jeff, I'm gonna bring you a book that I got for christmas. it's called "How to paint your car"

it's pretty much an instructional book on how you paint a car... tells you the do's, dont's, and if ya feel so inclined's of paint and body work. I'm gonna use this as a guide as I'm gonna try to paint mine this summer.

By the way, there are places to rent downdraft paint booths. bring your car, spray it, and head out. It makes it so ya won't overspray on your garage floor, or get your wife high on the chemicals....

 

I have a nice write up that i copied from one of the posts a long time ago. It's not mine so don't ask any questions. I think that it has a lot of good information.

 

Mine's gonna get a respray, so she's the same red throughout... I'm gonna do about 4 top coats in red, and maybe 3 in clear. She's gonna be the shiniest 924S in town....and I'm gonna put a clear bra on her, and a new windshield, (can you beleive I still have the original windshield? !)

 

I'm glad someone got to save and read that! I need to get it on my site with the pictures from the process.

 

Thanks guys, I'm mostly trying to get information right now on options. This is for the Callaway car that has so-so paint. In areas it's quite nice, in other areas it's either burned through right down to the metal (sun damage on the roof) or flaked off so that you have areas of shiny paint and areas of "matte" paint. The original color is slate grey metallic and I actually quite like it. I've seen other 944s with that color in good condition and it blew me away! Since the car is intended to ultimately be something to show off or take to the track a couple of times a year (not concours, maybe just local shows & get togethers) I'm mulling doing the original color versus a bright red or a jet black. Black is GORGEOUS on 944s when done right, but horrible to keep clean. I'd never do it on a daily driver, for example. Inside the engine bay there is adhesive crap all over the firewall (the early cars came with a rubber "mat" of sorts that was glued to it; it has since disintegrated leaving hard yellowy-brown crap everywhere). I'm considering hard-lining the entire engine bay with a rhino lining or similar product. It's chemical resistant, hard, and looks pretty good when done. It'd cover all the adhesive junk and probably make the engine bay look better. I'll probably get flamed for even suggesting it, but since it's going to be a highly modified car anyway I figure why not?

 

I did my car in single stage urethane, no clear coat.

Finishwise it's better to wetsand the basecoat before clearing.. but this is very dependant on the materials. Some clears require the base to flash a short time and the clear applied while everything is still wet. Others can adhere to a hardened surface just fine.

Really depends on your materials..

 

Here is a link to McKenna's Garage where he documented the entire process while rebuilding his Jaguar...Great job IMO!

http://www.mckennasgarage.com/xke/index.htm

 

I was able to paint my car myself however I was lucky because my Grandfather owns a bodyshop. Since it was my first car he gave me the paint and clear so that was a big freebie. Their is a lot of work involved I worked on it during my summer off of school and then on the weekends when school started it took a little less than a year. I did do more than paint the car thoug but that is a different story. Here are some pics:

Car washed/wetsanded ready for paint:


New paint on car:


Next day buffed out side:


Eon S.

 

I was thinking about doing some painting this summer, but I don't really plan on doing the whole car, "a great job" because i am going to college.... I do however want to repaint a few areas...
There are alot of people on here that know what they are doing and would be glad to help you with advice. I don't see ti being too hard.

 

This is how perfectly good cars are ruined. Also, if you wetsand base coat before you clear, the clear will not stick. Base coat is not meant to be sanded.