First Time Using Auto Paint

[Mitch1]

I finished up the short block on my 3.0 and delivered to Ed Mullenix of Mullenix Motorsport to let him complete the build. While I had the engine out I decided to try and paint the engine bay and wheel well areas. This was my first time to work with 2 pack paint. I don't have any experience with auto paint at all and not a lot of experience with spray guns. Got a new compressor. Couldn't afford to get what I wanted right now. Got a 33 gallon Craftsman compressor and a LVLP gun. I really enjoyed it.
Learned pretty quickly there is a big difference in setting up gun for large panels and setting it up for hard to get at areas. Some befores:

[Mitch1]

some of these pictures look much more red than the actual color. Have a new respect for painters who have to try and match faded original paint. Go easy as this is my first attempt. Need to do some touch-up here and there. It's only base coat as I think that's how it was. There wasn't much paint left in the right wheel well after cleaning. The engine bay paint was also pretty faded and after keying with scotchbrite pad not a lot there either.




I think this is pretty representative of actual color.






Here this image shows the paint as very red and in the next it's very orange.

[Brian 162]

Nice job. I did the same thing 6 years ago with an aerosol can matched to the car colour.
Did you have problems around the oil filter/tank area from oil seeping up after painting.
I cleaned that area 3 times and oil kept seeping through the paint.

[Mitch1]

Thanks Brian. Haven't seen anything yet. I degreased...forever. Then I steam cleaned. Scotchbrited and used Isopropyl alcohol. Tac clothed it. Hopefully got it clean enough. Noticed a spot above oil tank filler I missed though. Not sure it's worth spending another 45 min in gun cleaning.

[Brian 162]

On my car it showed right away. I did everything you did but the steam cleaning.

[Mitch1]

Had a question concerning the paint. Should I use a clear coat? It looks like all the original stuff is just a base coat color.

If I decide to clear it now can I just scuff the base coat with a scotch Brite and paint another coat of base and then clear?

[Mitch1]

From looking at it again last night I think it's too glossy. Maybe I put too much paint down on last pass. Going to key surface with scotch Brite and respray. Maybe check and make sure my reducer ratio is correct and air pressure is ok. Any other suggestions?

[Brian 162]

When I painted mine it was a regular spray can matched to colour. It has a slight shine. I found a new supplier that made up spray cans as base coat with seperate spray cans of clear. This new set up the results were better.

[962porsche]

they (Porsche) does not pay any attention to there under hood panels .
when you get is a very light coating of really nothing more then over spray .
they do not clear the areas as you see on the outter panels . so all it is is nothing more then a light coating of clear that's why things like brake cleaner will remove the finish right down to the primers (undercoats ) .

if your looking to reproduce what Porsche did you do not clear the underhood areas .

[Mitch1]

Thanks 962. It's not going to be a show car. Just trying to make the cleanest driver I can build. Still debating whether or not to shoot the clear. On the one hand it adds protection. On the other, it adds too much gloss for me and I'm concerned about applying it incorrectly and causing it to peel or yellow later.

[962porsche]

what we do if we are not using a waterborne paint line like glasurit 90 line but there 55 line solvent base colors we will add what is called base coat activator to the base color it's self .
this will not let solvents eat away at it and makes it hold up .
the down side is if you sprayed the color coat with out the activator it will do nothing to help at this point . you would have to remove the non activated base color and redo the job . you could go with a mat or low gloss clear over what you have sprayed . but it will have the look of being cleared .