fbekholden.com

I have been trying to work out the best process for painting my wagon, and although I have read many comments and saw the photos. I still haven't read/worked out the correct process for what I was planning. Maybe I am over thinking the whole thing.

The goal is to paint the car and all parts, with metallic acrylic paint.
Car is stripped down with doors, guards, bonnet, etc, all removed.
I believe that metallic needs to have clear coat put over the top of the metallic, before it sits too long.

So painting the body is easy, spray the metallic, spray the clear, done. Or should the clear wait until after everything else is done.
First question, how long after spraying the metallic should the clear be sprayed?
If there is no maximum time period then the rest probably isn't a major issue.

Painting doors and other panels. Paint insides and ends.
Do the areas painted need to have clear over the top? (some may not be easy to access once installed back on the car.
My thought was to then put the doors, and other parts on the car and do the metallic spraying of the external facing sides.
Is that the best way?

I'm unsure about the process, just take the doors as the example.
Once the inside and edges are painted with metallic, should clear be put on then?

When doors are bolted back on, the bolts won't be painted.
Should the bolts, washers, etc, be painted separately before installation, or after bolted up. Metallic only or clear over the top?
(The front doors are going to have to come back off again to install rubbers anyhow)

If it was just straight acrylic then I wouldn't have any questions, the issue seems to be all about the timing and process for the metallic and clears.
I know a few forum members have done it before, just wonder what worked best?

And a last question.
When painting the roof on wagons, what is the best spray pattern to cover the large area, before it dries.
I went all the way from front to back, but found it dried out before I got back to the start.(started at one side moving towards the middle and swapped sides and continued from middle to the edge again)

Metallics is real something you shouldnt try as your first paint job.
If you are determined to go down that route you need to edge up the car and paint inside the doors.
You clear straight over the paint.
Bolt all the panels on and get the car in colour.
The last couple of coats i normally thin the paint right down and apply several cross hatched coats so i get an even laying down of the metallic particles.
If you just spray it straight you might get mottling in the paint.
You put the clear over this straight away. Usually i put about 5 to seven coats of clear.
When ive finished clearing the car i open all the doors and flow coat thinned clear inside the openings.
I always used high flow thinners so it flows and its easier to slice and buff.
I never paint a metallic car in pieces. Ive done it and ive ended up with a patchy looking car.
Good luck with it.

Thanks for the feedback.

It's not my first paint job. I've done two cars before and several "jobs", but I'm far from a professional.
I already have the paint. Maybe the metallic isn't worth the extra effort/issues.
Think I'll do some testing first to check my earlier questions, then decide.

Try and hold your spay gun straight too finny this will let the metalic flake sit up and not over wich gives you the motley look
and do some dusting coats before the clear goes on
you can do some extra wet coats on the A and B pillars so you wont need to rubb and buff them just nice and shiney of the gun watch the runs though
and also all of what bootlegger and Tim said
ive painted 2 ek fb in metalic and although there not show $20k paint jobs they still look real nice

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Did a test today and painted my fathers trailer.
Didn't have any issues with the metallic.
Just found the coverage wasn't that great, and needed a few coats.

Hadn't used clear before and it's hard to tell how much your putting on but I assume its just being consistent.
Looks like I'll be sticking with the metallic (i think its actually a pearl). Unless the trailer looks pretty bad in the morning light.