hi there everyone merry xmas to you all just had my local chips away guy come round and he says he will re spray my front and rear bumpers and touch up the wing mirrors etc for a wopping 345!!!! i no a bodyshop will be cheaper but that does not even include refurbing the alloy wheels lol so i am thinking about doing it myself and need some advise on what i will need to make a pretty good job so

what stuff should i get to sand down the alloys i.e what grade? will i need special primer and jsut get some alloy look or silver paint??? will i have to sand done the whole surface of the alloy and how many coats should i apply?

the bodywork - what do i use to get down to the primer i.e remove all crap and also what is a good colour match for the red sporting colour is just a red colour going to gut it as i used my old skoda fabia corrida red on it to touch up the other day and it matches really well? i am only wanting to go cheap but try my best to get a good ish finish so any tips to achieve this will be appreciated

ALSO my bloody fuel cap keeps sticking with the key will just wd free this up?

many thanks in advance for everyones help

r x

In this link there should be all the info you require for wheels
anything you're unsure of, just ask and I will be glad to help.

https://www.fiatforum.com/bodyshop/141693-painting-alloys.html

As regards to respraying bodywork,
if the surface you are spraying has not been painted before then it will need priming,
if the surface is plastic and is not pre painted then it will need a special (plastic primer).

if the surface to be painted has any defect where the primer has been rubbed through and metal or plastic can be seen or if you have used filler, then these patches will need priming. often on a small area it is better to prime the whole area rather than just having it patchy



You can paint over existing paint without the need for Primer if the surface is sound (not peeling away) etc.

what you need to do is use wet n dry paper. You are rubbing away the top layer of paint and leaving microscopic scratches in it so the new paint can grip to it. imagine finished paint as glass. Putting new paint on will not stick and after a while will peel. Hence you scuff it up

try WD40 first

hi there thank you so much for that fantastic response i really am going to have a go myself i cant afford paying nearly 200 for a refurb of these wheels with the current credit crisis he he the laquer has come of the bumper so the paintwork itself has not flaked off so can i paint directly on? what is the best technique to use and how do you apply the paint and laquer so that it does not run as i will probably have to do it on the car etc cheers again many thanks...also sorry what grade wet and dry sand paper etc should i get i.e 400 800 1200 etc etc cheers

btt

As with any job preparation is the key.If you rush it the end result may not be what you expect.
Regards the wet n dry I would start with 600 then use 1000 and finish with 1500.You can use grades in between but if you are trying to keep costs down then these should suffice.

Before you start rubbing down remove all loose paint/lacquer and give the area a wash down with soapy water and rinse well with clean water.

When you do start rubbing down the damaged area remember you will need to rub down a much larger surrounding area to help blend the damage in ie.so there are no steps or lips in the surface.

Regards primers if your spraying onto bare metal then ideally you want a Etch primer this can be bought in Aerosol form from most good paint factors and Halfrauds for about £10,as stated previously you will need a plastic primer for the bumpers if there is no existing paint to paint onto.

I would find the actual paint code for your car and get paint made up to that,although the Skoda red colour may be OK for small stone chips,scratches etc it may be noticeably different when sprayed on a large area such as a bumper,really its not worth taking the chance.

When spraying if you are using Aerosols put them in a bowl of hot water before and whilst in use as it helps to keep the paint free running and make sure you give them a good shake.

Several thin coats are always better than 1 thick coat,the paint will dry quicker and reduce the chances of getting runs.

Once the paint has dried if there are any runs or slightly rough spots these can be flatted out using the wet n dry and polished up with cutting compound (such as Farecla) and T-cut.

If possible unless you have a heated garage to do the work in then I would try to remove the part to be repainted and bring it indoors.Painting outside especially in cold weather can cause allsorts of problems such as contaminants getting into the paint like dust and moisture also the paint can "Bloom" which is like a cloudyness in it due to being applied in too cold a enviroment.

Hope this helps and good luck.

hi, for wheels use 500,clean degrease and 2 light coats of celly primer out a1/halfords,let dry with heat then light scuff with 1200 dry[blow off,clean],

paint 3 light coats of silver/black/whatever[5mins between each coat] as above leave to dry with heat say 30 mins,

lacquer is lighter coats of 3 [5 mins between] and leave on heat for 1 hr then turn heat of, leave wheels till tomorrow before fitting.

ALWAYS HAVE YOUR CAN OVER 6 INCHES AWAY,AS YOU WILL GET RUNS?AND ALWAYS HAVE HEAT OF SOME SORT[A SMALL HEATER IN SHED/HOT AIR GUN/HAIR DRYER],

Bumpers need to see,but if just lacquer use 1500 wet ,dry of degrease,and spray 3 light coats of single pack lacquer[5 mins between,and dont lacquer full bumper just about 6 inches each way].ps mind mask above bumpers ect.

a thanks goes a big way in this forum,,,,,,,,cheers.

Sorry for the late response..
luckily herusix posted a great with some really good tips.

This bit,
(When you do start rubbing down the damaged area remember you will need to rub down a much larger surrounding area to help blend the damage in ie.so there are no steps or lips in the surface.)

This is particularly true when it comes to the bumpers. Where the lacquer has come off it will have left a noticable indent you are going to have to try and rub down the surrounding lacquer so that no difference in height can be felt between the two layers. Often once lacquer peels it will keep peeling back. It goes white where air gets underneath it and then it flakes away. If the lacquer goes like this then it will need to be removed until you have something sound to spray over.
When you get to doing the bumper feathering the paint in is the best method, can post this when you require it though..

Totally agree that you need to find your paint code and order the specific paint, forgot to put that .


i suggest you start with the wheels and see how you get on before tackling the bodywork

Remember as posted by both herusix and also miff121, heat is very important. If its warm and dry then the paint will spray beautifully. If damp then you will get runs, blooming and a whole host of drying problems etc..