Any tips on prepping a body panel for paint?

[sornywrx]

I sold my Mustang after we had the baby so that we could afford to let me wife keep her newer car (Chevy Equinox) but I still needed a cheap car to drive to work. Just so happens my grandpa was selilng his 96 Mercury Mystique which I bought for a measly $750. It's really not a bad car and gets 30mpg so I'm happy. The car actually looks pretty decent too except for the trunk lid... he backed into something and it busted it up pretty bad. I picked up a replacement trunk at the junkyard last week for only $25 -- in perfect condition except it's plum purple and my car is a champagne color.

I was going to have it professionally painted but everyone wants $400+ to do it. Considering this is a $750 beater I thought about just painting it myself... with color matched spray paint. Basically the touch up paint but in a 12oz aerosol spray can. I want to keep this project as cheap as possible so no buying a spray gun, air compressor, etc... I know it's not going to be perfect and I've painted rims and sportbike body panels before with quality spray paint and they've came out decent if you're standing 5ft away. I'm just not sure how to prep the trunk lid.

I was thinking something like 100 grit sandpaper to knock the plum paint off then spray a few coats of primer and then maybe 400-600 grit to smooth that down. Then multiple light coats of the color. Is that correct? If so do I need to go on with an really fine sandpaper over the color like 1200 grit? Thought about spraying on a couple of coats of clear coat but not sure if that will look better or worse. Spray paint clear coat usually looks yellow when I've tried it before unless I was just going to do 2-3 very light coats to protect it some.

 

[jlee]

Maaco should do it for a lot less than $400.

 

[sornywrx]

Maaco should do it for a lot less than $400.

I live an hour and a half from a Maaco or any other chain type place. Got 2 body shops in town and they're both rip offs because they are where everyone goes from around here with insurance claims.

 

[manimal]

400 grit it down and primer yourself if you want to be cheap. For just a spray you should be able to get someone to do it for 200.

 

[sornywrx]

400 grit it down and primer yourself if you want to be cheap. For just a spray you should be able to get someone to do it for 200.

Only cheap place I can find (without driving an hour and a half) is a redneck that does paint in his old barn. And honestly, I've seen his work and think I could do better with a spray can and taking my time. He said he'd do it for $100+materials.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

calling on Black2NA

 

[Black2na]

Me to the rescue! Lol if its a painted trunk lid all you need to do is wet sand it with 600 and you don't even need to primer it. Tip with spray paints after the initial dust coat you wanna keep it as wet as possible this.will keep the metallic even and not stripy. Then invest in a good clear in a can most paint supply stores will have something. then do 4-5 coats spray can clear is thin hence the need for so many coats. Now its worth using the old trunk lid and a can or 2 to practice spraying so you don't get runs and to figure out how to keep it even. Also you better take pictures of your project we need more its like crack. And any questions please ask!

 

[sornywrx]

Me to the rescue! Lol if its a painted trunk lid all you need to do is wet sand it with 600 and you don't even need to primer it. Tip with spray paints after the initial dust coat you wanna keep it as wet as possible this.will keep the metallic even and not stripy. Then invest in a good clear in a can most paint supply stores will have something. then do 4-5 coats spray can clear is thin hence the need for so many coats. Now its worth using the old trunk lid and a can or 2 to practice spraying so you don't get runs and to figure out how to keep it even. Also you better take pictures of your project we need more its like crack. And any questions please ask!

Awesome thanks for the tips. I wasn't sure about needing to use primer or not. And good idea on using my old lid for practice, I never even thought of that! I'll definitely snap some pics as I go and post back here with results. Now I gotta figure out if I'm just gonna try to match up some paint at Autozone or order a fancy $25 can online. Do you think a single 12oz spray can would cover a small trunk? The rear part of the trunk is mostly a long reflector that goes all the way across so it's just the top part of the lid.

 

[Black2na]

Gonna be way better off going to a local paint supplier and getting it from them cheaper then online and match better then autozone. Sanels auto parts .federated auto.parts. bond all have paint supply departments. That bodywork .shops use. Find one of those it will be a one stop shop might have $50-60 in materials said and done.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Black2na = Here I come to Save the Daaay!

 

[bruceb]

Try your local high school or trade school. A lot of them have auto shop and a simple body panel repaint would be good for the students to learn on and easy to do. Nothing really to mess up if the panel is dent free. Just prep and paint and buff. You may need to pay for the paint, but you would probably get the labor for free.