[geoff5093]

I was looking at getting a completly new paintjob, but the price and prep-work would be too much. I found a gallon of clear coat and activator on eBay for around $50, and I can get an auto sprayer for around $30, and then buy an air compressor.

Now my question is, can you simply apply another coat of clearcoat ontop of an existing one? Or can you only do it after painting it or something?

 

[Rdizzle]

first off i wouldn't get anything off ebay. Just go to your local autopaint place. Spend the money and get some good stuff. You can spray pretty much over any paint you want, unless its more then 6 mils thick. Otherwise give it a real good scuffing everywhere and mask and spray.

 

[CJ Otey]

you can save money on a paintjob if you get single stage paint which doesn't require clear my firend brought a gallon of single stage paint for 60 dollars
and to answer your question you can clear over any paint if you just scotbrite the car first or you could wetsand it first

 

[Rdizzle]

yeah but why go single when you already have clear. Thats a step back in my opinion.

 

[davemac2]

You will take your chances with Ebay stuff since you don't know how old it is and whether the activator is still good.

As well, to spray clear well, you need a good spray gun, not a cheapo Sears $50 job. Compressor must be powerful enough so that you can paint the whole car in one shot. Otherwise you need to mask off panels and do them in groups or individually.

And lastly, unless you have protective gear and a fresh air breathing system, I would not spray a two part poly-urethane clear with Isocyanates unless you don't care much about your health.

You would be better off prepping it by scuffing it with a 3M grey synthetic pad as already mentioned, mask as much off as possible yourself, and take it to a paint shop and try to get a deal. You might get them to do the whole car for $300-400 this way if the masking and prep is minimized for them. You will get a much better result this way since these guys can lay down a clear like glass. If you try to do it yourself with little experience, you will likely get a lot of orange peel and runs which will result in a LOT of wet sanding and polishing later. Better to try it on a buddy's car first.

dave mc

 

[geoff5093]

Thanks for your input, I was looking at Maaco but for a few hundred bucks it looks like all you get is a basic paint job which doesnt include any type of clear coat.

So if I sanded down and primed the car first, you think that would allow me to get a better at a place like Maaco?

I can't paint at my house, unless we want the garage to become lots of pretty colors

 

[abew330]

just wet sand the whole thing and buff out the whole thing..

is your paint job that bad that you wanna re paint it??

if it isnt that bad just wetsand and buff.. it will come out almost as good and with less $$$ spend..

you just got to be carefull when buffing not to burn the paint

 

[geoff5093]

just wet sand the whole thing and buff out the whole thing..

is your paint job that bad that you wanna re paint it??

if it isnt that bad just wetsand and buff.. it will come out almost as good and with less $$$ spend..

you just got to be carefull when buffing not to burn the paint

The paint is in pretty good condition, but it has alot of scratch and dings on the sides and front, as well as a pretty big dent/scratch from the small accident.

If I wetsanded and buffed it, would I apply a clearcoat afterwards or no?

 

[Rdizzle]

only if an area is missing clear coat.

 

[abew330]

if you wetsand it maybe you can add a clear but just dont.. get touch up paint feel in any deep marks wet sand 1500, 2000, 2500 then buff the whole thing..
it should remove all scratches and produce a mirror finish

the only thing you have to worry about is trying not to sand throught the clear and dont buff is one small spot for to long ( burn the paint) takes a little skill to work

 

[ghettosled]

edges and corners are a little tricky and easy to burn through... my car is a good example of that :disappoin

 

[marc780]

If you try to do it yourself with little experience, you will likely get a lot of orange peel and runs which will result in a LOT of wet sanding and polishing later. Better to try it on a buddy's car first.

This exact thing happened to me on the first car i ever painted (25 years ago). I prepared the surface, used good paint, set the compressor but it STILL orange peeled!
Only years later did i find out the reason - the air pressure at the compressor must be higher in order to get the right pressure at the gun. If you just set the air pressure at thecompressor thinking it matches what the gun has, it will probably cause orange peel. The reason is there is a pressure drop caused by the hose, the longer hose the more pressure drop! So if you do paint yourself, look up the charts, they will tell you for the pressure to be, say 40 psi at the gun your compressor pressure should be reading 75 psi or something like that.