11 replies to this topic

[frenchie851]

Im going to be rubbing down the part of my mini that is directly underneath the bumpers (sorry I dont know the correct term) this metal body work is the same colour of the rest of the car.

So my question is when using hammerite should I thin down? and should I wet and dry between coats and how often?

[mk3cortina]

hammerite is to be used straight form the tin, but its not something id use on external bodywork, and no you dont need to sand between coats.

[frenchie851]

sorry, Im not sure how to describe the area in question, its not a glossy body panel obviously I wouldn't be painting these with hammerite.

Its the metal work directly behing the number plate, any ideas how to treat this for rust the paint for protection?

[mk3cortina]

yeah i know the part you mean, its the front valance, and it should be glossy bodywork, although i suppose with a numberplate on and a bumper it kind of looks seperated from the front panel. anyway, still i wouldnt use hammerite, because its just rubbish nowdays. if your set on brush painting it with something thick to keep the rust attack at bay, try Dacrylate paints, they only have like 6 stores nationwide but they are huge in the industrial vehicle paint business, they will mix up any colour you need and a 500ml tin (which is more than enough for what you need) is about £5. so you can have the paint colour still match the rest of the car.
Dacrylate paints are good quality and robust as they are suitable for painting JCB's etc with.

[mike.]

I use hammerite on all sorts of bits for my car. Its great stuff I think and the smooth stuff settles quite well and gives a good finish.

[mk3cortina]

actually, i think i know what you mean now, is it the two square brackets that the numberplate bolts onto? and not the whole lower front of the car.

[leaky]

You mean the front valance I'm guessing. When some minis came out the factory that part was painting in stone chip. I know mine was. I had a new front put on mine and then painted that bit them same colour as the car. I think it looks alot better that way. If you do want to do it though the stuff you need to get its stonechip paint.

You can see in this pics under the bumper is painted black.


Then if you look in my sig you can just about see that its painted the same colour as the car.

Edited by Mini-jon, 29 July 2010 - 10:49 AM.

[sazal]

You want to be careful as well using hammerite as it reacts with other paint, so if you decide to repaint it with normal paint you have the chore of getting all the hammerite off. Ive made this mistake!

Could always try spraying it with stone guard and then rattle can it the same colour?

[frenchie851]

Cheers guys, its the front valance I am talking about. I really am learning since I joined this forum a couple of weeks ago from a bases a no knowledge what so ever so sorry for being so vague.

So if I go with the Dacrylate paints approach not the stone ship 'as I would like it to be similar colour would that and then a good coat of waxoyl be the best way to keep the rust away?

[mk3cortina]

your not going to need or want to waxoyl it after you have painted it, dacrylate paint is acrylic based so it shouldnt react if you spray over it.

[frenchie851]

and when using dacrylate paint, this is when to thin down and wet dry in between coats?

[mk3cortina]

i dont think you will need to thin it down, or sand between coats because really, your only going to need to put one coat on. i painted my cortinas engine bay in black dacrylate and it didnt need thinning down, or another coat, however im going to be spraying it on next time as i was just seeing what it was like and in a large area the brush marks are visible everywhere.