70 Challenger Western Sport Special

raven68 · Post by **raven68** » Mon Apr 14, 14 9:52 pm

Steve wrote:

I love doing all the filling and sanding etc....very satisfying,

I have only recently started painting and used some rattlecans of matched basecoat and some good quality clearcoat on my Fury. Goes on flat, laquer looks satin but when the wet sanding starts and buffing, wow!!! cant wait to see your new paint when its all done....great colour!!!

Worth putting the paint code on here for the benefit of future restos??

I'm with you on the filling & sanding ! I do find it quite therapeutic and the more time you spend on it the better the result.

Yes, doing the basecoat was really easy to get a nice even matt finish. The lacquer went on like the worst orange peel finish ever but it flowed out really smooth by the time it dried so that worked out OK.

Only problem with the lacquer is you have to spray a whole panel as its almost impossible to feather or polish out the edge so I am told? Certainly we need to re-lacquer the offside rear quarter panel again...

Paint code is the standard Sublime FJ5 - it just looks greener in the sunlight angle above.

Here's a little tip as well - DO NOT use newspaper to mask a car when you use lacquer! It soaks through the paper such that when it dries the newspaper is stuck to the car

and its then a right ****** to get it off and then find the newsprint ink has transferred on to the car.... Much swearing and lots more 1500 grit wet sanding then follows....

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Mon Apr 14, 14 10:10 pm

Some good tips there... .. cheers!. Ive not had any probs blending the laquer to be honest....though probably wouldnt stand professional scrutiny.

I start using 1200 grit on the new paint with tons of water till it stops digging in, then 2000 grit overlapping just onto the old paint, then 2500 grit on the whole panel. Then I machine buff with Meguiars 105 and 205....comes up really nice if you take your time and very satisfying, especially if you have put time into making panels etc. I lose days blocksanding etc and just love it!

raven68 · Post by **raven68** » Mon Apr 14, 14 10:25 pm

Steve wrote:Some good tips there... .. cheers!. Ive not had any probs blending the laquer to be honest....though probably wouldnt stand professional scrutiny.

I start using 1200 grit on the new paint with tons of water till it stops digging in, then 2000 grit overlapping just onto the old paint, then 2500 grit on the whole panel. Then I machine buff with Meguiars 105 and 205....comes up really nice if you take your time and very satisfying, especially if you have put time into making panels etc. I lose days blocksanding etc and just love it!

Thanks for that advice Steve - good stuff. That's the next step for us. We'll wait for the lacquer to harden off for a couple of weeks and then we'll try your process...

My paint wouldn't stand professional scrutiny but it looks OK from 3ft if you ask me.... and the paint only cost £150 so I'm happy with it for now !

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Mon Apr 14, 14 10:42 pm

Im lucky on my Fury as any new paint looks better than the old stuff

Big thing I worked out and stick to religeously is to not go anywhere near any sanding (other than wet sanding paint) without a block of wood. I have various lengths and widths of wooden blocks to wrap paper round...keeps everything nice and even. I also guide coat each panel to death...3 or 4 times until the last coat can be sanded off almost straight away with 800 grit on a block..you know its nice and flat then and ready for paint

wish I could paint inside...I spend more time warming panels before, during and after paint than actually painting. My daughter gave me her old hairdryer to use. And I always put my cans in warm water for 10mins or so before I use them:thumbright: