Let's talk budget paint options

So, the MR2 has a had clearcoat peeling issue on the roof and in a few small spots elsewhere. Research tells me that crimson red was single stage from te factory, so I am assuming it received at least a partial respray. So, do I do a partial respray again? Opt for a full same color respray? Or are there better options. He'll, I even considered sanding down the roof and having maaco respray that one panel as the rest that alone would make the car look way more presentable until I can get a full respray done properly. Any ideas of suggestions for places in the Baltimore/D.C. Area that don't respray s2000s poorly?

Edited to add the full post

$50 Rustoleum to the rescue. Lots of info available on the web and here. More time consuming, less mess, but cheap and works better than peeling factory paint.

Some have bought the cheap HF HVLP paint gun and sprayed the Rustoleum to good effect, but then you're back to the mess of overspray to clean up.

Vinyl wrap is another option that while not as cheap as the Rustoleum solution, it should be cheaper than regular automotive paint and it also could be done DIY.

I all in on plasti-dip now. Just black the roof out and drive until you want to to a full respray.

I sprayed this caddy with rustoleum and it looked pretty good for about 2 years and then went chalky. waxing it would bring it back briefly but it would go chalky and look like crap within a month.

I was unsatisfied, but for the $30 outlay it was about what I expected. I wound up getting frustrated and rattle canned it nato green.

The Fiat was painted with Van Sickle tractor paint from a farm supply store. I forgot to add the hardener when I did the whole car. It looked nice for a few months and then faded rapidly and went chalky. It looks like DP90 primer now. When I would do bodywork and touch it up I remembered to add the hardener and it had a much better shine to it and lasted much better.

When painted.

This pic is about a year after the touchup and you can see how it still looks very different. There was no colorsanding, waxing or anything but infrequent washings. It still looks just like that several years later. Nice gloss (given minimal prep and shoddy application) and I can't chip the paint with a fingernail like I can in the uncatalyzed areas.

The catalyst is critical. The tractor paint used the super nasty, bad for you isocyanate hardener so be careful and use the proper respirator. For a beater and the $75 I had in materials I am pleased enough.

Next beater will probably be with the duplicolor paint shop single stage stuff.

Paint as I got it, very faded and VERY chalky and rubbed off with lacquer thinner:

And after three coats of Tremclad (Canadian Rustoleum equivalent) and a roller (no catalyst, no colour sanding):

It has enough orange peel to cause cancer sores. I don't really care. It's a truck.

It sits outside in the sun, and hasn't started going chalky yet, but it likely will.

When it all goes nasty, that would be good father-and-son time. Or I'll just leave it and let it look like an old truck. Which it is.

Would a clear coat possibly fix all this chalking issues?

You could sand down the roof with 320 grit, bring it over to my house in Pikesville and we'll do the roof for the cost of materials and beer. ;) Of course, we'd want to get the materials first (a pint of the color and reducer) to minimize time in the garage.

Chris,

I might have to take you up on that I the near future. I'll even throw in some pizza!

I'd be up for a Baltimore painting gathering as I'm prepping one project for paint (don't worry I won't bring it)

Well, it will be a little while before I get everything together as well. Pesky wedding planning seems to be getting in the way. What project are you prepping I'm always up to lend a hand when I have the time.

Appleseed wrote: Would a clear coat possibly fix all this chalking issues?

I have never seen quarts or gallons of an oil based rustoleum clear. If it does exist I doubt a non catalyzed clear would do much more than increase materials costs. I have found their "painters touch" line of clear but it isn't compatible with the color coats.

Rustoleum does offer a 2 part automotive clear coat but it costs as much, if not more than the duplicolor single stage stuff.

At this point in my life I am sick and tired of having E36 M3ty looking cars and am going to invest in a real paint job for the Triumph. I will pay through the nose for it either in labor or cash but it will happen.

I have a BG chassis mazda 323 that I've stripped down to bare metal in most places due to flaking white paint (and using a stripper that the factory self etching primer didn't like. I'm going to be doing the whole chassis in rust bullet before paint

I imagine you could solve the chalking issue the same way they were solved back when cars came painted from the factory painted with single stage paints, lay it on thick and buff off the chalky layer when it appears.

Anybody try any of the ebay automotive paints? I've seen a one gallon "kit" for about $90 + shipping. Wondering of these are any better than Rustoluem.

I painted a challenge car with a gallon of Kirker single stage polyurethane and had good luck with it. One of the cheaper places to find their stuff is here:

http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/index.html