rgs944

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTO-PAINT-A...d19751&vxp=mtr

I need to do something with my mirrors and front bumper. Also maybe rub strips. Can rub strips be succesefully taken off and reinstalled without damaging factory paint? I am planning on painting the mirrors while on the car and removing the front bumper for painting. This looks like a good single stage kit if the color matches up. I do have the 027 code. I would never claim to be a body man and would never attempt to paint the car myself but I do have some experience with painting equipment. So if the paint would be up to the right standard I think with some trial and error I could get it installed and polished out for a nice improvement over my faded and chipped bumper. Does anyone have any expereince with this paint or company or what are your thoughts of using it to redo my troble spots?

Mrmerlin

I think you might be better off going to your local paint and body supply store and buying a name brand paint along with all of the other things you will need,
the less expensive paints seem to fade rather quickly and red fades the fastest.

BUT you get what you pay for and if you want the paint to last get good paint
take the gas tank door to get it matched

Ad0911

The rub-strips are glued. If you take them off, some paint will come off the car, leaving primer pots. Ask me how I know...

rgs944

Good idea on the gas cap door, thank you. Also thanks for the advice on the rub strips. I will leave them on the car. I wonder if anyone has ever taped them off successfully and repainted?

rgs944

I guess one thing I liked about this kit is that it is a single stage. Would I be able to get single stage from a local paint house. I believe I was told everything was 2 stage now. If I spray it myself I want to be able to rub it out to make up for errors.

Bertrand Daoust

+ 1 on name brand paint.
Also 1 gallon is WAY to mutch.
I would definetaly remove both mirrors and bumper covers to paint them.
For rub strips, removing them would be best but if there's a chance that some paint will come off...
You still can paint them on the car.

backnblack

unless you really don't care what your car looks like and if you haven't done body work take it to a shop.
it will not match, you may open a can of worms that makes you car look worse. Just a though.

Cheers

docmirror

It will last a few months and then go dull. Once the VOCs outgas and the pigments start to fade, it's not much value anymore.

rgs944

After speaking with a few people today at the local paint supplier that is what I am leaning towards again. I did repaint the lower valance on a 944 and it turned out descent but I would need to step up my game a little bit for a front bumper.

thezonster

mirrors are easy to pull.
Do it the right way.

rgs944

Do you need to pull the door cards?

Mrmerlin

you will need a pin removal tool to pop out the pins in the connector to remove the mirrors,
the door cards can stay in place.
Mark the pins so they go back in the same holes,
one bolt holds the mirrors on the doors,
buy new gaskets if the ones you have are worn.
Same for the bumper cover beading new can be installed prior to installing the cover.
Get the cover walnut blasted to remove the old paint and start from a fresh surface.
You would be better off painting the strips off the car but they are tricky to remove and even trickier to install so maybe painting them in position is a better choice.

Kiln_Red

Hmm.. I may be mistaken, but I was thinking the door panels did need to be removed to unplug the mirrors. Maybe it is different for early cars. Anyway, as Stan said, you get what you pay for.

I would recommend pulling the mirrors, bumpers, and the rub strips. Pulling the front bumper can be a pain. The fender liners and headlights must be removed. Then there are many 8mm nuts to remove before the bumper will be free. They are usually badly corroded. Shoot some penetrating oil on them. Otherwise you'll have a bunch of damaged studs. Once removed, be very careful while pulling the washer nozzles. They break easy. The beadings are stapled in place. I think you can get replacements, maybe from Roger, that tape down.

I use a *good* puddy knife that works with my air hammer for a lot of difficult to remove side moldings or rub strips. At a very low air pressure, it makes child's play out of moldings. While the air hammer isn't a must, a good puddy knife is. With patience, you can remove the strips without doing further damage. Don't shoot yourself in both feet by painting them on the car. Should anyone paint either side of the car later, they will surely not appreciate it.

Best wishes. I admire guys like you who have a no fear attitude toward doing body & paint work to their own car. What I do for a living isn't easy, but I am one of those few that happens to think anyone can do it. It's good, old fashioned, hard work.

F18Rep

Yea, I think you will like the single stage paint. This pic is from a car I painted a few years back using PPG's single stage urethane. Its got a few really good points for the amateur in that is is workable with a buffer if you need to blend, but note, I had a non-metalic color. I sold that car but the paint still looked great after 2 years parked outdoors. On the mirrors, I just cut the wires and re-splice them, 10 minutes (they are color coded on a 928, so you don't even have to mark them).

I just did a small job a couple of weeks ago using PPGs 2 stage (base+clear). It happens to be a metallic color and came out good too but its definitely more work and trickier to correct mistakes. Plus for the clear, I had to get a pro-quality gun. For a DIYer like me single stage is better.
On the paint availability, there's all kinds of places to buy paint but if you can manage to get with a volume dealer who actually knows whats what and is chatty, he can save you all kinds of head-aches; like, "Oh, you know what, that hardener has been discontinued - we're just selling off the last of our stock." and "Yea, the label says you need to use it up in 14 days but some swear its good way beyond that."
Bruce
PS... change out those respirator filters, urethane vapors are nasty.