Painting the hood myself!

[SLPR94]

So i really want to paint my hood in the middle like everyone does with their stock hood. I am on a tight budget and don't have money to get the paint shop to do it. so what sand paper, paint should i use?

 

[ttocs]

how much exp do you have painting? You can get ok-good results from a rattle can but you have to be prepaired to sand a little longer.

 

[OnyxCobra]

why not try plasti dipping it, that way you don't have to ruin the current paint and you can remove it if it comes out crappy.

 

[SLPR94]

I was thinking getting some paint removing sandpaper, mask it, then primer , some adhesive i've heard of, and then just put 2 layers of paint and clear it. is this right? or am i totally wrong?

 

[ttocs]

pretty sure you can just scuff the clear with some 1000 grit enough to get some tooth on the paint, then paint right on top of it.

 

[g36 monkey]

paint needs between 4 and 600 grit to really bite. Any higher than that is for finishing the clear coat. Primer will help fill in the scratches you put in, then you can paint or use an adhesion promoter if you really think you need to.

I would also mask it before sanding, then retape it if you need to. I used to be cheap with tape, don't. Your tape job can make or break your paint job ;p

Also, as far as how many layers of paint depends on what you are using, some stuff goes on thick, some doesn't. Just make sure it all looks even. You don't want to have to go back and re do it.

 

[SLPR94]

^ thats the thing i was talking about a adhesive promoter, does it work? and the hood actually doesnt have any clear, thats the reason im painting it. the previous owner repainted the front of the car after putting a cobra bumper.

 

[g36 monkey]

Adhesion promoter in my experience didn't help much. I used to swear by it, I painted various interior pieces, some with and some without. Honestly, everything is holding on just the same.

 

[ttocs]

if there is a question, just spend the money on it and get it. If there is no clear then there is no reason to strip it. 400 sounds a little low to me and would def require primer to fill in its marks.

 

[g36 monkey]

Most cans say to shoot even lower than that. I decide based on surface condition. Or I start with 4, then do 6 and then shoot.

 

[SLPR94]

so then going with a 600 to primer, and then 400 to shoot or it backwards? and is there a type of clear i should get?

 

[g36 monkey]

600 , prime, if you need to smooth out the primer to it with 600. If you spray good enough you shouldn't need to. Since there is no clear I imagine anything you do willl look better than what's going on now haha

 

[SLPR94]

Yeah, i know the hood will look way better than now lol. Should i use high temp paint?

 

[g36 monkey]

I would just use exterior body paint. Engine enamel isn't going to do much, it's just able to withstand 500*. If your hood gets that hot, I think paint flaking is the least of your worries haha

 

[ttocs]

you always want to increase the grit you are sanding with, not decrease. Go to 600, after 400 to get rid of the marks the 400 leaves.

 

[SLPR94]

ok thanks for all your guys help , ill post pics after im done.