e-tek, you are recommending 3 coats of primer twice. So if I am reading this correctly I will need about 1.5 gallons of primer. How long should I wait between coats?

Just curious how many coats of paint are normally needed? How long between coats and about how much paint should I need?

Thanks for the great post.

Looking to buy all my supplies for paint job early next week. I really have struggled with color; however. I believe I have decided to go with the #110 Red.

I think I will use PPG to get most or all of my supplies (Paint, Sealer, Primer, Filler).

A couple questions; any input on single vs 2 stage painting. Remember this is my first attempt to paint a car so I should probably go with the one that has the most forgiveness if that is even a factor.

Secondly, what is the best way to buy the stuff. Local Auto Paint Store? PPG directly - not even sure if this is possible.

Thanks.

e-tek, you are recommending 3 coats of primer twice. So if I am reading this correctly I will need about 1.5 gallons of primer. How long should I wait between coats?

On this small of a car, you may get away with a gallon total. At any rate, buy a gallon to start and spray 3 good coats to start, then block it out. How many times you have to "break through" (sand to metal or fiiler) and how many low spots are left, will determine how much you need to spray on the second go-round. You will wait about 10-15 minutes between coats, but read the instructions on the can - and talk to the paint supply guys, the guys who know their stuff are a great resource.

Just curious how many coats of paint are normally needed? How long between coats and about how much paint should I need?

Normally 3 of each component - whether it's base-clear or single-stage Acrylic Enamel. The new water based paints may need 4 coats of base as it's very thin.

Thanks for the great post.

No problem.

Looking to buy all my supplies for paint job early next week. I really have struggled with color; however. I believe I have decided to go with the #110 Red.

I think I will use PPG to get most or all of my supplies (Paint, Sealer, Primer, Filler).

Good plan.

A couple questions; any input on single vs 2 stage painting. Remember this is my first attempt to paint a car so I should probably go with the one that has the most forgiveness if that is even a factor.

If you are painting it yourself - and Red - IMHO, I would use a single stage acrylic enamel. Any runs, dry spots or heavy orange peel can be sanded and buffed. Clear can be sanded and buffed too, but with base-clear there's more things that can go wrong.

Secondly, what is the best way to buy the stuff. Local Auto Paint Store? PPG directly - not even sure if this is possible.

Every large city has many Auto Body Suppliers who sell to the public and (usually) give great advice on the product, how to use it as well as tip sizes, drying times, mixing ratios, etc.

Thanks.

As an aside - Dupli-Color sells a Single Stage lacquer type paint that is REALLY easy to use - no mixing, no thinning and no hardener!! Lacquer was outlawed years ago, but somehow they got around it. I have it in Silver for my car, which I'll paint this summer.

Good luck!

E-tek has given you some great advice on painting your Z. I did mine last year with single stage urethane and got lots of orange peel which required lots and lots of sanding and re-coating. I believe the big issue with my paint job was poorly performing compressors I had 2 2.5hp 21 gal. compressors hooked in tandem doing about 9.1 cfm at 90 psi. Using a good HVLP gun I ran out of air pretty fast, my gun was rated at 4CFM at 40 psi so it should have worked but obviously didn't, I now have a much much better compressor does 17-18 CFM at 90 psi. So the point of all this is to make sure you have the right amount of air for the gun you are using and to use the correct tip size for your paint and primer. Have fun, its a learning experience.

Send you a PM Bhermes.

I am sure that this is somewhere documented already but bare with me. I will be sanding and priming hopefully this weekend and then painting soon after.

One question in regards to prepping and painting the fiberglass body kit. What is the recommended procedure.

Thanks.

What I have read says to just sand with 180 and prime and paint. The kit is in good shape but has been painted already and possibly installed but little to no damage.

Comments?

Did you prime yet? Where are you at with your paint? Pictures?

C

I know that this is a somewhat old post so I have reposted. After starting to sand and prime I began to realize that it might be a little better option to have someone else paint my car. I will try and learn this time and maybe give it a go on the next car.

See new post.

I know this is a bit of an old reply - but be REALLY careful with those media-stripper discs and angle grinders. They have a tendency to "catch" on any exposed edge, and will rip the angle grinder right out of your hands. Flying running angle grinder with shattering media disc on it is a great way to get a no-expense-paid trip to the emergency room.

I learned my lesson with angle grinder last year. I was using a 4" grinder with a thin metal cutting blade. At the time I was nursing some blue finger nails and the grinder slipped. When I went to catch it, I triggered it by accident. The spinning blade bumped my leg ( I was squatting down) and layed my quad right open. Went to the urgent care waited 2 hours holding my leg closed, got fed up went to CVS, then home and did the medical work myself. Painful but effective. I guess its fortunate my tetnus vaccine stays current. I now have a nice permanent black scare on my leg where the blade tattooed me. Happened amazingly fast. I hope you are ok...

Charles