Wing pressed, door damaged: used or new, these body parts are quite easy. But not necessarily in the right color. Here are the steps to follow to paint a body in the right color.
1. Get the body item to change
Depending on your budget, you can replace the damaged body element with one:
- new but not painted (only rust protection has been affixed to the sheet);
- used, but which may be of a different color. To find the used item, look for a car model identical to yours. Remember to check the number of doors on the donor vehicle by using the best car polishers. For example, the fender can be longer on a 3-door car than on a 5-door. And choose something that has as little impact as possible.
2. Repair small impacts of the body element
Even for a new body item, small impacts from transport may appear on a fender or door. Cover them with finishing putty :
- Start by sanding around the damaged area so that the putty sticks.
- Dust well with a cloth and apply a degreaser.
- Apply the body sealant with a knife, in several thin coats.
- Let dry according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Resume sanding with an orbital sander and finer and finer grains (150, then 220 then 320). Check by hand that there is no roughness.
3. Find the exact color of the car
On each vehicle, the reference of the original color is written on a metal plate, a label, or directly painted on the sheet. But depending on the car, the information can be in the door, under the hood, in the trunk, or even under the spare wheel or the loudest exhaust tip. If you cannot find it, have it checked by a body painter who will give you the information. ‘Information.
The color code is different depending on the make of your car. Thus, when you have the right reference, you can order spray paint of the exact color of your body.
4. Sand the item to be repainted
- To allow the paint to hang, the item to be repainted must be sanded. It is a long and meticulous job, but it is essential:
- If it is a new door or fender, simply scrape the corrosion protection (without removing it) with a gray scouring brush-type pad.
- If you are repainting a used body item, sand the entire item to medium grit (240 or 320) with an orbital sander. In the same way, as for a new element, you must not expose the sheet metal, otherwise, the rust protection will be removed. If sanding by hand, use a finer grit (400).
5. Apply a coat of primer
After having dusted and degreased the parts to be painted, start by passing a coat of primer. This undercoat, which can be gray, white, or tinted, will allow the finished paint to hang well. Apply it on the best muffler in the same way as paint, in a thin layer, and apply the number of coats recommended by the manufacturer.
6. Sand the body element again
After drying the primer:
- Sand your bodywork element again to be repainted with a fine grain (400 grit dry or 600 grit wet).
- Dust off with a clean cloth or a blower.
- Finally, wipe a clean cloth soaked in degreaser over the entire area to be painted. This very volatile product dries upon application and avoids disappointments because the paint does not stick to the oily parts.
7. Apply paint to the body
- Hold the bomb perpendicular to the body to be painted, about twenty centimeters away.
- Always make thin layers to avoid sagging.
- Apply the number of coats recommended by the manufacturer.
- Let dry well between each coat.
- If your car’s paint is a direct shine, you’re done. For vehicles with bilayer paint, you will still need to apply varnish in two coats, using the same method.
Whether it is renovating it or decorating it, you may be won over by the idea of painting the exhaust of your car or motorcycle. But this element, which is subjected to the high temperature of the exhaust gases, requires very special attention when it comes to choosing durable paint. With us, discover all the secrets of exhaust paint, and give a second life to this essential mechanical element.
Exhaust paint: the different types of paint
The exhaust gases exiting through the muffler are extremely hot, which is why the first quality of an exhaust paint is to resist high temperatures. It is, therefore, necessary to opt for a “thermal paint”, which alone can withstand this temperature. There are two kinds of paints that are suitable for this operation:
Classic thermal painting
Acrylic product, based on pigmented ethyl cellulose resin, it is developed to resist heat and bad weather.
- It is found in black or gray, and it is sold most of the time in the form of an aerosol can, a single can containing the quantity sufficient to repaint a pot;
- It has a strong covering power;
- Its appearance is matt;
- Its application is done in several thin coats, and the last coat must dry 24 hours through before gradual heating;
- We find it sold for painting exhaust pipes in quality resistant to 650 °, but experience shows that it is better to opt for a product resistant to at least 800 °.
Ceramic thermal painting
It is a product resulting from the hybrid organic/inorganic polymer technique, which protects the exhaust at temperatures between 980 ° C and 1100 ° C.
It can be used for exhaust pipes, but also for crankcases, brake calipers, and turbos; this coating acts as a thermal barrier.
In exhaust pipes, it is desirable to reduce the temperature inside the exhaust but also to reduce the temperature at its outlet, in order to facilitate the flow of hot air and thus increase performance. Ceramic thermal paint achieves a temperature drop of 38%.
It is resistant to shocks, corrosion and is applied in a single layer, and exists in many colors, allowing the pot to match the body if you practice car tuning. The appearance is satin, the layer is thin and limits the risk of flaking.
