Progress pics and the cheapest paint job ever...!
Turbo Mini Forums

Well the mini has sat in parents garage for about five years, mainly waiting for paint, unfortunately I've not been in a position to spend bucks on a respray. Anyway I'd just had a conversation with my dad about possibly getting rid of it when I chanced across this and thought what the hell. So I've been messing around with it for a couple of weeks. Typically forgot to take pics of the early stages these are from the last week or so.

First off had to make myself a little den.







The roller leaves serious orange peel this was before I got the knack of minimizing it.






The last two were today. Started wet flatting and its coming up pretty well. Doubt I'll be winning any show and shines but for my purposes, cheap paintjob to get it on the road, I think it'll do. Just crossing my fingers it doesn't all fall off!

Edited by andygardner on 4th Oct, 2007.

I've never come across that method before but it don't look half bad.

Like your style mate!
I have an industrial buffer if you want to borrow it, That and some faracle(sp).
should put a shine on it once you have flatted it. Should save you some time over the one on the rear shelf.
Let me know.
Regards
Dave

How long did it take to apply? How many coats?

Back once again like a renegade master

Just as an aside, While you are wet flatting always use a block and always rub in straight lines front to back. (of the car)
Regards
Dave

Cheers I may just take you up on that dan, that thing I've got is crap better results by hand! Yea for wet flatting I'm using a foam block seems a little bit more forgiving found I was burning though with a solid one.

Hard to say strictly how long its taken. I covered the whole car in about 4 layers then flatted it all but nowhere near the thickness of paint required. Last week or so I've laying the paint down in earnest doing two coats a day, so maybe twelve-ish coats in total. I'd say if the car was fully prepped you could paint it in a week.

love it

AlexF

That link is great. I need to buy a cheap car to try it out

I saw that paint stuff on a link on the ppcmag website, looks good.

Let us know how you get on buddy.

Team Racing

Lol I'll try to refrain from posting a pic of every panel I do... but getting the knack of wet sanding now and the left wings come up blinding!

Looks bloomin good!

In the 13's at last!.. Just

marvalous!

Thats awesome mate, good job.

what type of paint are you using?

Top marks for effort and perseverance!

Cheers for the kind words guys. Been a lot of work but finally starting to pay off. So close I can almost taste it, looms done just waiting to go in then I can bolt everything down and fire her up...

@webbba: regular old Hammerite :cool:

how much did you need and what thinners did you use? come on, full info please

Another random pic!



Gone through almost three litres but then its had a fair few coats. Apparently you can use generic mineral thinners but I didn't want to risk reaction or affect the chemistry of the paint so used hammerite thinners. Mixed it about 250ml a time, as required, roughly 70/30 but it was more a trial and error thing. Again don't think you want to thin it too much or may affect adhesion/longevity etc. but generally the thinner the consistency the less orange peal you get.
I started off with high density foam rollers but was having problems with it removing the tacky paint when I went back over to flat it and remove bubbles (you get a lot of bubbles!). Personally I found the 'hairy' rollers worked best ended up using the mini 4"(?) type. The method I used was to roll it on working across one panel, say the area of a door, then without putting any more paint on the roller go back and roll it again to remove bubbles. Keep doing this, the paint is self leveling but will dry with a texture so you want to keep rolling it till its just noticeable, then onto next panel etc. once you get started though its fairly self-intuitive. Had a thermometer in the garage and its stayed at at least 15°C, obviously the warmer it is the shorter wait period between coats. I left it eight hours to be on the safe side though.

To be honest its a lot of work, although the painting isn't too bad you can go round the whole car in about an hour. Then it's literally watching paint dry for eight hours lol. Have to see how it fares long term and once it get on the road. Considering the automotive environment can be pretty harsh it could all end in tears yet!

Good job, really surprised at how good this looks!

edit: double postage.

Edited by andygardner on 5th Oct, 2007.

theres loads on this type of painting on the v dub sites, n minifinity! I tried and was crap but so is the paintin i did in my room!

good work, looks quality!

Love your style, looks like the finish is gonna be good.

10/10 for effort, I bet your arms are aching...lol

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1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Haha cheers, yea shattered mate!