HOW MUCH TO TAKE APART
When deciding to paint your vehicle, how much will you take the vehicle apart? Are you going to remove the hood, trunk, doors, glass, etc., or are you going to tape it up and paint while it’s together? Taking everything off allows you to make sure there’s no hidden damage, and it allows you to get paint into nooks and crannies. However, you’ll have to deal with gapping the panels, reinstalling glass, replacing seals, etc.

If you decide to paint the vehicle while it’s still together, remove as many of the small parts as you can: antennae, door handles, lights, locks, wipers, etc. If you’re leaving parts on the car that are not going to be painted, be sure to use high-quality automotive masking tape and masking paper…newspaper doesn’t cut it.

Tip: to get paint under installed seals, take some nylon clothesline or coated wire and put it under the seal, and then mask off the seal. This will lift the seal enough to allow paint to spray between the seal and the body of the vehicle.

HOW DEEP TO STRIP
Do you plan on stripping the vehicle to bare metal, or painting over the existing finish? Stripping the vehicle to bare metal allows you to see what is hiding under the paint: rust, body filler, shoddy repairs, and other damage. Bare metal also allows you to know exactly what products are being used. If you paint over an existing finish (perfectly acceptable for some applications), you never really know what’s hiding under the surface. Also, if this old finish was not properly prepped, your new coating may flake off due to the existing finish flaking off. If you don’t know the history of the finish on the vehicle, it’s generally a better idea to strip it to bare metal and start fresh.

When painting over an existing finish, the finish must be in good shape. Faded finishes are okay, but should not be peeling, cracked, or otherwise damaged. If the vehicle has been repainted, we recommend you strip the vehicle down and start from bare metal. If you do decide to paint over the existing finish, wash the vehicle and then use a high-quality wax and grease remover like PRE Painting Prep on the surface. This will remove any wax that could cause adhesion problems.

A large part of a successful paint job is directly related to proper preparation. Painting a vehicle is a time consuming process that involves a lot of prep. If you do not properly prepare the vehicle for paint, you’ll see defects in the finish, and there may also be adhesion issues. In terms of preparation, we’re referring to rust repair, damage repair, bodywork, block sanding, using the correct products, keeping the surface clean, proper sanding, etc. If you’re willing to put in the time and work, the end results can make it worth all your effort.

THE RIGHT PAINT
Depending on the purpose of your project, you might select different types of paint. With restoration projects, many hobbyists opt for acrylic lacquer or acrylic enamel to replicate the original factory finish. If you’re looking for durability, urethanes, base coat/clear coat finishes and water-based finishes are great choices.

Before you start to spray, be sure to read the paint-mixing instructions and paint gun instructions. Be sure your paint gun is set-up to spray the type of finish you are using. If you’ve never painted before (or even if you have), you may want to look into our Paintucation videos, or even the many videos on the Eastwood YouTube page. These videos show you how to avoid common mistakes, and present a wealth of information.

THE RIGHT BRAND
Generally, it’s recommended that you stick with one brand’s paint system throughout the entire painting process. However, there have been many successful paint jobs that have mixed products. If you decide to mix primers and topcoats from different manufacturers, we recommend you test for compatibility before you start spraying on your project.

Tip: Eastwood’s line of primers, paints and clearcoats are high-quality products that work well with most paint systems. For repairing wavy panels, Contour Polyester Primer Surfacer is also a versatile, high-build, sprayable, polyester primer that can be used with most types of topcoats. It can be applied over bare metal or prepped painted surfaces.

Be realistic with your expectations of your first paint job. It probably won’t be perfect. There might be dry spots, runs, dirt, and/or bugs. Take your time and remember that many of these problems can be corrected with color sanding and buffing. Use each paint job as a learning experience. With practice, the right equipment, the right products, and Eastwood’s expert advice, you’ll be able to produce a paint job to be proud of.