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I recently purchased some body parts that I need to be painted to match my car. Would anyone know a tried-and-true way of painting body parts to match the car? For example, how many coats, what paints should I use, do I need primer, etc. I know squat on painting so if anyone knows anything about body kit painting, please let me know asap. Thanks again.

 
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Wrong Forum...moving to tech

 
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Im not a painter, so dont quote me. When you open your driver door, there is a sticker that gives you the paint code for the exterior of your car. For painting, if you want to do it your self, you need to prep the kit. Go to a body shop and ask questions. Im not too fimilar with painting a car. Or go to a body shop and get them to do the kit. It might be more, but they should know what they are doing. They have all of the nessary tools to paint and prep the kit. Is the kit FG or urethane? You need to ask the shop if they can paint on that surface. Or someone else may find this thread and give you some better information than I can. Good luck with what ever you do.

 
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the only tried and true way to do it is let an expert do it.

 
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Exactly. My family has owned/opperated a body shop for 19 years (WOW, its been that long) and I can say that Automotive painting is an art.

If you really want to do it your self, I can give you a few pointers.

1. Prep. Depending on the part (Metal or plastic) you need to do different prep work on it.
If its plastic (urethane or fiberglass) you need to clean the releace angent off of the part. this could take several hours to several days. youll need to get some Plastic prep cleaner and some soap/water. Basically leave the part out in the sun to heat it up then wash it with teh soap and water, keep doing this untill its very clean (5-10 times) then go over it with the plastic prep cleaner. Metal is much easier, just wash, dry and then clean with either Paint thinner or an other paint prep cleaner.

2. Primeing. first off, go over the part with some scotch-brite and scuff up the part. then clean it again. then apply a light etching primer to the part and let it dry.
then scuff it up again. clean it. and then apply your primer. onec thats dry, go over it with some sand paper, 800 wet should do it. and sand the part smooth (you use wet sand paper with water, its cleaner and smoother).

3. Painting, Mix the paint! you need the paint, some Reducer, Hardener and some thinner. Mix those as per your needs (It vairies form paint to paint and temp to temp). spray the part till its evenly covered with the paint. let it set for a little bit, Mix your Clear coat. Once again with reducer and hardener. then spray the clear coat while the primary coat is still a little tacky. Poof, let it dry and theres your painted part.

4. once the part is painted and dry, take it to a body shop and let them Re-paint the part so that it actually looks right.

Have fun.

 
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Haha I like that last part.. but what you said sounds right.. I took auto body repair in highschool for 2 years.. I can't believe I actually learnerd so much.. to bad I don't have the facilities to do everything myself.. Although our paint booth at school wasnt too great.. it worked but they never changed the filters!

 
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you could just krylon the bitch

 
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No prep or primer it would look great

 
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might as well do the whole car so it matches.... ;D ROFL

or you could take it to maaco, wait... the krylon would look waaaay better.

 
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mt friends friend painted his own kit and it looks like total ***

 
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yeah a guy in my town painted his own... it makes he kit look like its made of play-do