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Sun Mar 02, 2003 3:29 pm

I am preparing to paint my bug and i want the final finish to be flat. How risky could it be to have maaco spray a car in black DP? Does anyone know anything about colored primers? I have seen alot of early panels in dove blue primer i think, or is that just flat paint? How difficult would it be to spray a bug in rattle can flat paint or primer? I really want a cheap, low maintnance paint job. What would be best?

Mon Mar 03, 2003 9:43 am

heres my .02...go down to the "rent it center", rent a compressor and paint gun, go to the auto paint shop, get tinted primer. tape up your vw, do a quick sanding, wipe it down with acetone, spray away. i wouldn't pay maaco a dime bro. Of course if you are going to do it right...don't do the above. If you just want to prime it and make it all one color, thats the easiest I have found.

Mon Mar 03, 2003 11:06 am

What you want is "Blitz Black." Go to your local farm supply shop, or john Deere dealer, and ask the parts guy for the paint. comes in pints, quarts, gallons, and spray cans. You don't want to use primer as a topcoat as most primers absorb water, so you would have to spray a sealant. Blitz black is designed for quick and dirty farm implement applications, so it is very user friendly, and is a one step application, and usually a lot cheaper than "automotive" paints. Like 66 said, if you have the space and the time, do it yourself... it is not that hard to get acceptable results with a flat finish, providing you do a good prep job to start with. If you want to have a stellar job, invest most of your money in sand paper... sand, sand, sand some more, and when you think you have got it perfect, sand everything again. It is monotonous, time consuming, dirty, and a PITA, but it sure beats redoing the job again after you have topcoated, and notice EVERY imperfection. When prepping the car (sanding, filling, etc.) let your hands be your eyes. you will feel imperfections that you can't see.... until you topcoat. then you see it all.

Mon Mar 03, 2003 9:07 pm

It's all in how much you care. If you dont really care about the results, scotch brite it and paint the window rubber. But, in hopes you're not THAT GUY, I'd suggest removing anything you dont want painted, and spending a couple weeks of quality sanding time with your dub, and then spraying on a fresh coat of primer and then paint, regardless of what finish you choose. If you're not interested in that, or cant squeeze it in (like me) you can strip it and take it to the pros (like me) I spent about $1,500 and got the car sanded down to bare metal inside and out and primed and painted. it's the only way to go, especially if the new paint is not the original color. the cheaper you are, the shorter it lasts. spend as much as you can possibly afford.

Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:59 am

and if you want a straight body, use your hands but also go outside in the dark and at a very close angle to the body, shine a flashlight down it, you will be surprised at what you see. Better yet, set a light at one end of the car, the go to the other and look down the body lines. ding ding ding

Sun Mar 09, 2003 10:34 pm

If a job is worth doing it's worth doing right. You owe it to future owners to do the best job possible even if you are on a budjet. Jer.

Sun Mar 09, 2003 10:35 pm

I meant budget! Sorry typing fast! Jer.