Getting a panel dead flat

[shamus11]

Hi, I'll be painting in 2-pac for the first time on my 240. I've painted a couple of cars in the past but am by no means an expert. Using acrylic I liked to use lots of coats of primer/filler and lots of heavy rubbing between coats to get that nice smooth flat finnish, often rubbing right thru the coat I'd just applied to eventually fill any slight lows in the panel.

I've been told the 2-pac will be much dearer but is this the primer or is it mainly the color that is dear?

I don't want to skimp on the amount of coats I do but I tend to use so much paint when I'm using acrylic. What are the techniques you guys use to go from body filler to color? How many coats, what products?

[LanceM]

Same way. Use a high build polyester primer, spray and sand, spray and sand (Don't use laquer primer). Use a guide coat to show you when you have the panel flat and then go to your basecoat.

[BD240Z]

I've done lots of bodywork on my cars and have gotten excellent results but I don't consider myself an expert.

You'll want to get the panels flat BEFORE you apply the sealer/primer and definately before painting.

This involves getting the metal as close as possible, then you'll apply your body filler. Block sand that filler and when you think you have a flat panel, apply a skim coat over the whole panel. Block sand the panel and use a guide-coat to find any high/low spots, repeat the process as many times as it takes to get it right. I've use Evercoat Rage & Extreme for my body filler, they're easy to work with and don't clog the sandpaper up.

Once you're satisfied the panels are flat, then apply your sealer/primer. Block sand again. I use a high-build primer as my last defense against anything I might have missed, it also fills in any pinholes.

Spray paint the car, block sand again. You can also use a guide coat on the paint, some consider this overkill but others consider it a necessity.

If you want extremely flat panels, there is a cost in elbow grease. It all depends on what your goal is for the finished product. The more time you put in the better it will look. The color of paint you're using matters as well, white hides imperfections and black magnifies them. Prep before painting is 95% of the effort!

My project cars are just that, projects. I do this for a hobby and take my time. If it were my daily driver, I'd probably settle for what I could get done in a weekend.

I've seen a number of freshly painted older cars that have very shiny paint but the panels are wavy as hell and it looks terrible.

Google search for how to do bodywork, you'll get enough information to get you going. Good luck with your effort.

[shamus11]

If you want extremely flat panels, there is a cost in elbow grease. QUOTE]

That's OK I have a big tin of elbow grease in the shed! I'm doing this also as a hobby and don't mind how long it takes. I've rushed cars onto the road and have always looked back and wished I'd had the time to do a propper job.

It's good to hear that they do make a hi-fill polyester paint, someone told me they didn't. It's amazing the amount of "bum-steers" you can get when asking different people for advice. I learn't a long time ago that if you don't know something, don't just ask one person, get as many opinions as you can!

[Mr Camouflage]

Why skim coat the whole panel after you think you have got it flat. Isn't that just making pointless work. You'd have to sand again, after getting it flat the first time. (bondo never goes on evenly).

Fill the dents, dont skim the whole panel. Then use high build primer (spray putty it used to be called), sanding and re applying untill you have worked out all the minor ripples. Its alot easier to sand the spray putty than a bondo skim coat.