advice - go for it!

it takes time depending on the condition of car to start with and how you want the finish

but it's not particularly a skilled job, especially if you have been rattle canning bits and pieces, you get a fair idea of what techniques work and how to avoid runs etc

i wouldnt go anywhere near it with 120 or 240 though - you will spend the rest of the time trying to remove the deep scratches that will put in!

air tools work fairly well for sanding, one of the rotating foam backed ones with a large pad area (something like 6-8 inches) on flatter areas to get the bulk of the work done, i would use like a 400-600 or something on one of them then finish by hand with 800 (1200 if your fussy)

best way to save time is to buy heaps and heaps and heaps of sand paper (wet and dry using warm soapy water) and constantly change to a new pad or piece of paper. The paper blocks up fast and you just put in a lot of effort and get no where once it loses its roughness

most time will be spent where you have done rust or dint repairs to get the shape right

use a good prep-sol before paint

avoid windy day if outside at all. get rid of all dust around the car before you spray as the paint spray gun will stir up the dust
make sure you have good ventilation for your own health


i would sand very little after prime and only after colour if you have issues with dust or orange peel
clear coat is good for a shine
the paint is super fragile for weeks after painting, avoid assembly as long as you can hold out, but months later it will be super durable

i put a pearl over one of my cars, work very easy and you need very little of the pearl paint so its actually very cheap. I didnt do it for the colour changey effect so much as how it changes the base colour appearance, it gives a totally different look to what can be a very flat base colour looking acrylic. I have a couple of photos of cars painted with the same base but with clear and pearl also

one big tip for actually putting paint on - do all the hard/fiddly parts first, like edges/lips/sills/wheel arch/window frames etc. then fill all the gaps between on the flat panel - its the bet way to keep things even and avoid runs when you are trying to spray weird angles or trying to blast paint into a small crevice

Hey all im back again. So soon ill be doing body work and spraying the 1000 coupe. Paintings been my nemesis but i have done good small jobs

Im looking to do acrylic as it will be done at home and its easier to work with. What stages and grits do people recommend? What grit should i use to rub down the original paint ready for primer. Also what grit should i rub before painting (so on the primer)

Ive been told to use a 120 straight up then go down to a 240 then primer 2 coats, rub to 400 and primer again. Rub down to 800 and lay top coat on