** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 May 2007
- Posts
- 4,977
- Location
- Glasgow, Scotland
Didn't somebody on here do that and it looked like ass?
I believe @Malt_Vinegar did it to his?
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 7,607
Ironically a brand new McLaren won't need a paintjob. If Acme wants to change the colour of his car that he's restoring, he needs to do it properly, not half-baked.
If he only gets it blown over in its existing colour to freshen it up then fair enough, just do the visible (from the outside) surfaces.
Don
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 17,070
- Location
- In a house
Yup, worked well.
Learned a few things I would do it better when I do it again.
Prep is key, and funnily enough getting a good key is also key!
I painted with a small 2 inch brush, working to keep brush strokes in one direction, working with the panels and making them join up in a pleasing way.
Never tried a roller. As I was trying to keep wastage to a minimum. 2 small 500ml tins would have done 4-5 coats on my old a4 estate.
Many light coats worked well. Thicker coats did not adhere as well, and we're prone to flaking off where the prep was not as good. So I had to take it back to primer again.
2 coats is minimum. 3 good.
I tended to work two panels at a time, unless it was the bonnet or roof (due to size), as it meant that the first panel coat were generally good for a recoat after painting the second. It seemed to dry in 10-15 minutes on a warm day.
A lightly breezy day with sun worked well, if painting outdoors. Not strong enough to kick up dirt and dust, but kept the tiny flies away.
It's easy and fun. Looks perfectly passable ad a paintjob (dare i say good!) even when pretty close. The textured look when you got really close was quite cool too
Well what is it, something to be down with the scene or a genuine restoration?
If it's the latter then why not remove the engine? It's not that difficult.
If it's the former, why bother with a paint job? Shouldn't he be rusting the bonnet and adding roof racks and Gerry cans...
Nothing to do with scene or full blown restoration it's simply a different approach to do the outside first and then when the engine comes out in the future to do the bay. It's not that difficult to understand why, money/cost for one is completely different. Stripping a car out will cost 2-3k even with a family friend doing it. The more you strip out the more rott you'll uncover and then you'll end up turning that 1k paint job that freshens up an old car into a full strip down restoration
Nothing to do with scene or full blown restoration it's simply a different approach to do the outside first and then when the engine comes out in the future to do the bay. It's not that difficult to understand why, money/cost for one is completely different. Stripping a car out will cost 2-3k even with a family friend doing it. The more you strip out the more rott you'll uncover and then you'll end up turning that 1k paint job that freshens up an old car into a full strip down restoration
You've summed up exactly why a restoration is a thing of passion. I don't see the point in doing half a job. I'd also feel like a bit of a plank showing it off at clubs/meets, but then that's just me. I just don't see the point in doing half a job, if the car is a long term thing then do it properly, if its not a long term thing then it's money down the drain surely as the rust isn't going to stop magically.
Soldato
- Joined
- 2 Mar 2004
- Posts
- 11,919
- Location
- SE England
You really need to sort the rust before getting carried away with cosmetics – or deal with them then. Be prepared, though, for that will not be cheap and the cost of doing it even vaguely properly will outstrip that of the car.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 7,607
This completely. Some of the rot looked fairly serious, once the hole prodding has started it maybe even prove not worth repairing. Brilliantrot sounded like a good description of the undercarriage
Its getting repaired one way or another. I plan on doing all of the "easy" bits myself with the helf of a friend. Which only leaves the rear arch to be done by a pro.
Until I uncover more of course!
But seriously though, I don't mind throwing money at it, but I can't afford to throw a tonne at it at once. Hence the idea with getting just the main bit of the paint done first.
The rot will be sorted before the paint of course. And compared to some I've seen, the rot really isn't that bad. Its an E30. You measure the rigidity by counting the number of holes you can fit your hand through. I only have one of those.
Until I uncover more of course!
But seriously though, I don't mind throwing money at it, but I can't afford to throw a tonne at it at once. Hence the idea with getting just the main bit of the paint done first.
The rot will be sorted before the paint of course. And compared to some I've seen, the rot really isn't that bad. Its an E30. You measure the rigidity by counting the number of holes you can fit your hand through. I only have one of those.
Fixed the mirrors and drivers window and other electrical niggles... The door loom looked like this... 
Chopped out the knackered wire, new wire soldered in place and heat shrunk etc, and put the loom back in. All fixed.
Gave it a clean for Deutchfest tomorrow at Brands.
Chopped out the knackered wire, new wire soldered in place and heat shrunk etc, and put the loom back in. All fixed.
Gave it a clean for Deutchfest tomorrow at Brands.