Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

[Boomyal]

Thought you might be interested in the extent of the structural damage to the little Sunbird. Once I peeled off all of the damaged outerwear the red arrows show the minor bending on the terminating frame/bumper bar brackets. A three and a four pound sledge hammer straightened everything back up. The car got off lucky as the point of impact went in just over the top of the bumper and stopped short of the inner radiator panel.<br /><br />Now I hope to be able to find cheap replacement parts. The only part, aside from the fender, that can't be straightened and reused is the energy absorbing stacks on the inner bumper bar. It appears that they are permanently attached to the bar and not available seperately. If they were, the stacks would probably cost more from the dealer than a whole new bumper assy with nose cover from a wrecking yard.<br /><br />

<br />

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Thats about what I expected to see, actually maybe a little less than expected. You got a great deal, parts should be a song for that car.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Hope so LD. Got to look after my kids bank account. I told him today, that even though this might not be the car of his dreams, if he stays the course and sticks with me on the repair and repaint he will end up with some knowldedge, some mechanical skills and a whole passel of bucks left over that he could apply all to obtaining and fixing a dream car in the future.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Wow, sure can tell that car didn't come from upstate NY. WHERES THE RUST?

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Ok, here is the way it normally runs anymore with the american family. You bought the car with your money, and fixed it yourself with your time and money, you gave it to him free, and because its not the car of his dreams he intentionaly takes it out and wrecks it on purpose because he is ashamed to drive it, hoping to get another car, and darn if he dont. Go figure!!

 

[11 footer]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Wow, you guys didn't wast any time.<br /><br />Are you going to repaint it yourself or have someone do it for you?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Originally posted by LubeDude:<br /> Ok, here is the way it normally runs anymore with the american family. You bought the car with your money, and fixed it yourself with your time and money, you gave it to him free, and because its not the car of his dreams he intentionaly takes it out and wrecks it on purpose because he is ashamed to drive it, hoping to get another car, and darn if he dont. Go figure!!

Not in this family, LubeDude. It was bought with his money and now of course he has LOTS left over. He is obligated to be over my shoulder, learning and helping, all the time I am working on it. And it's already been made clear that if he gets in wreck, that is his fault, or runs it out of oil, he'll be walking. If it needs brakes, the only way it will get done is if he does it, etc etc.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Originally posted by Ryan T.:<br /> Wow, you guys didn't wast any time.<br /><br />Are you going to repaint it yourself or have someone do it for you?

Originally Ryan, I was hoping to get parts that were the same color. Subsequently, as usually happens with my projects, I realized that I wasn't going to spend all this time and effort then end up with a car with horrible paint on all of the horizontal surfaces.<br /><br />Soooo, I'm going to include prep and painting in the learning project for young son. I've painted a car in pieces before but never prepped, masked and sprayed in place. I've got a Binks knockoff spray gun and compressor. Now I have to decide whether to go with solid color or to try metallic with a clearcoat.<br /><br />Have you learned anything about low pressure spraying versus traditional high pressure? My daughter's boyfriend just volunteered a low pressure spray gun but I don't know anything about them except they might be the better way.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

I don't know about low pressure spray guys yet, sorry.<br /><br />Ludedude might know.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

I've got a gravity feed HVLP el-cheap-o gun... It's ok, (keep in mind, I'm a lousey painter) but I get better results with high pressure guns, especially with thicker paints... I dunno.. Usually end up wet sanding to get rid of the orange peel either way... Noodle arms... <br /><br />Did notice quite a bit less overspray with the HVLP....

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Originally posted by snapperbait:<br /> but I get better results with high pressure guns, especially with thicker paints...

Ya mean like two part auto enamels?

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

I got out of the business before all the HVLP stuff, and still use regular type guns. You probably would do ok with a base clear paint, its actually easier than just a straight metalic single stage as far as ease of aplication. The base goes on about like a laguer, and the clear dries pretty fast. If you put on at least three coats of clear, you can wet sand and buff and it will look great.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

Ya mean like two part auto enamels?<br />

Shot some one part emamels, and some two part urethane...

 

[one more cast]

Re: Hey! SprayPaintDude. aka LubeDude

I would go with a solid color for a first paint job. If you get any sags or orange peel you can just wet sand them out and buff. base coat/clear coat is easier to apply though. Make sure you use the proper resperators. Those dust masks do NOT filter out the chemicals.