Painting GN

[V6POWER]

I am considering having my car painted and I did a search on the topic. My car has 40,400 miles and has original lacquer paint that is getting thin. The car is always garaged and I drive it about 2,800 miles per year. The search came up with the following paint recommendations:

-Dupont chromabase 99K
-Dupont poly Mercedes black
-Dupont Super Jet Black basecoat G9900S
-acrylic enamel with urethane clear coat
-PPG DBU 900 basecoat
-urethane single stage

The guy doing the job recommended urethane single stage or base coat/clear coat. He will take the hood, trunk, and roof to bare metal and just clean/sand/prep the sides. Trim, locks, handles, bumpers, etc. will be removed.

Any suggestions (based on actual experience) as to what paint to use? Also, how difficult is it to remove the side opera windows/trim? Will new paint stick to the prepped original lacquer?

Thanks.

 

[V6POWER]

I know many have had their cars painted. Please share your experience. Thanks.

 

[zam70]

The hands down absolutely BEST brand of paint to use is:

The one your painter is familiar with.

Most of todays paints will all give similar results if the painter knows how to use them right (different paints require different things and they do spray different). The LAST thing you want to do is have a painter shoot a type of paint they are not familiar with. disaster will be eminant. SO, let your painter use what they are familiar with.

As far as color, I'd do a base clear and shoot it straight black. Black is black...if it looks like something other than black, it isn't black..it's another color (blue, green etc...) When we panel paint a black car guess what? We use the same black regardless of type of car and it always matches. Don't knock yourself out choosing a "black" Shoot it straight black and be done with it.

I'd definetly pull all trim and the 1/4 windows. Mask as little as possible. The less masking, the better.

 

[V6POWER]

zam70--Thanks for the sound advice about painting what you're familiar with. How hard is it to pull the quarter windows?

 

[zam70]

You have to take out the interior side panels...each window has 5 (I think...might be 6) nuts holding it in (10 or 11 mm). Take the nuts off and then lay down and put your foot in the middle of the window. Now push out (don't kick...you want steady strong pressure pushing out) on the window with your foot. (I'm not kidding. They use butyl tape and that stuff is STICKY and strong) Have a friend stand out side and play "catch" if they need to. Usually the window will just ease out, not pop out.

When you put the window back in, use a butle window kit (5/16s) make sure to put a little extra around the mounting studs and press the window in. push FIRM as to seat the window. DONOT use the nuts to pull the window in, this will ruin the window frame...just keep pressing until the window sits where it is supposed to. Put the nuts back on but BARELY tight (like 1/4 turn snug)...the butyl holds the window in (and seals it) the nuts are more of a secondary safety measure.

Good luck

 

[V6POWER]

zam70--Thanks a lot!! That is very detailed info on taking out/putting back the window. Two more questions though:

-any problems I need to be aware of in taking out the interior panels?

-what do you mean when you say "use a butle window kit (5/16s)"?

Thanks again. I really appreciate your time.

 

[zam70]

A butyl window kit is basically a roll of 5/16s butyl tape. You can get it at any autobody supply place. under 10 bucks.

side panels are easy. all you need is a phillips screw driver
pull the back seat
take off any panels connected to the side panels (rear window trim, rocker panel plate...maybe the seat belts (at least the top anchor spot) and out they come.

 

[V6POWER]

Thanks AGAIN. I guess I just need to start taking pieces off and see what kind of trouble I get into.

 

[turbo6x2]

We have done this twice now and it's just like he explained for the side window. I used chroma Clear 99k dupont black and then Montana sky clear this worked excellent. But Black is Black