Just as an update guys, (sorry no pictures): The painting has begun.
Rubbing down and prepping took ALOT longer than I expected and planned, I expected it to take around three days, in reality I've spent probably a good six or seven now rubbing down and prepping. However, the paint came yesterday - Rustoleum Combicolor, BMC tartan red. With the exitement of it all, I worked until 1 oclock last night applying the first coat to the roof, and to the back of the car.
I'll be going back up the garage today, and giving the car the final sanding it needs, then first coat on the two sides and front end, and second coat on the top and back. It say's on the tin: 2 hrs for touch dry, 8 hrs for dry, and 16 hrs between coats. If I can get the first coat on the front and sides by 4 oclock tonight, I'll be happy, and the second coat on the roof and back by then I'll be more or less within the timing on the tins.
Then tommorow, I'll be up nice and early, to go give the car its 2nd and 3rd coats (respectively). I'll give the back and roof a rub down at this stage as it'll have had two coats.
I'm really missing driving my mini, so I am toying with the idea of putting all the trim, lighting etc. back on the car, and then, when giving it's 4th and 5th coats, leaving it only for a few hours, and then driving it. I'm still not entirely sure how I'd do this: I just know I really want to get back driving the car I've slaved so long over.
Anyway, now for my concerns, and they are pretty big concerns:
1. Consitency of paint
2. Fluff in paint
1. The paint was mixed to very roughly 5 parts paint, to 1 part thinners, but seemed very thin, even after 5 minutes mixing. (I read somewhere that mixing properly can take up to an hour, however I was a bit cautious with this bit as almost immediately, air bubble formed).
Also, as soon as I rolled on the paint in would cause tiny air bubbles. I've heard somebody say they used a pin to pop any air bubbles, but that's insane. This was like millions and millions of really tiny bubbles. I'm not worrying too much, as I'm assuming alot of them will pop over the drying process, and those that don't will get flattened by super fine grit wet n dry during the rubbing down between coats.
2. After leaving the paint for an hour or so, I could see that there was hundreds and hundreds of tiny dust or lint particles in the paint. It must be said at this point, that I was painting in a garage which to be fair, is about as dusty as they come, (though I had no option as it was so late, and so dark), and also that the lighting in the garage was a striplight above the mini, and a stupidly powerful spotlight (the kind of one you get at roadworks), and this may have made it look different than in natural daylight.
Nevertheless, I mentioned this to my Dad, and he reckoned it will be removed by sanding between coats. (I used panel wipe, and a tack cloth before painting).
I've still got those spot welds on that bonnet to do aswel, which is becoming a bit of a pain. I've tried to chisel it off, and get a hacksaw black in the gap I've prized with the chisel, to cut through the welds but none of it is working. Today I'm going to try the angle grinder. The rust is also relatively bad on the front edge aswel, and I'm not sure wether I should clean it off, and make the shape of the bonnet proper with filler. OR wether to just clean it up, and cover it with a length of the rubber strip from the sill lip.
The products I'm using are as follows:
P38
Halfords knifing putty
360 grit sandpaper, 1500 wet n dry, some rough sandpaper for the filler
Grey Primer
Filler primer
Rustoleum combicolor
Rustoleum thinners
Degreasing wipes from halfords (they come in a big tub, like babywipes but "for industrial use only"... ooooh!
Tack cloth
4" foam rollers from B&Q
Short arm, and Long arm 4" roller
Non malting paintbrush from B&Q (Say's something to do with window painting???)
I have been wondering, when I sand between coats, should I wet sand? or should I use wet n dry but dry? Seems stupid, but really aren't sure.
Anyways, I'm happy with it (or was when I left very very tired at 1am today), not sure if I will be when I see all the runs and orange peel in the daylight!!! Oh christ!!
For the money I've spend about 100 quid on paint and matials I expect, plus a couple of hundred on some new bits for the mini, I'm going to have a totally transfered car. And honestly, who spents £2500 on a car worth half a grand??!!!
Have a good day!
I'll keep you updated and stick some pictures on later.
