# Ok, Z3 fender help, Painting tech help!



## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

Hey,

I got my Z3 fendars now, and i just am waiting for them to be delivered, they came gel coated, so they should be easy to paint, i am just worried... 

i am getting Could White car exterior spray paint, and clear coat spray after that, should my car be good to go?, like if i spray a light light light light coat, just barely anything, and let it dry, then spray another, and dry, then another, for about 8 times, then use 4 light coats LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT coats of clear coat. I want it to feel like the bumpers, and all smooth and stuff, ill do all this before i put them on the car though.

HELP!!! if you know anything about this.. help!


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## omega (Jun 27, 2002)

i'd be really interested to know myself actually i have to buy a new driver side fender and paint it red as well as paint a new mirror i have yet to put on


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Your stratagy sounds good about the painting procedure, but one part. I think you maybe want to install them first, then paint them. Unless you feel comforitable installing them, and knowing that you will not chip or ding a corner when trying to install. That would really suck, having them all painted up and whoops a big ass chip cause you hand slipped and you hit the door. Now like i said before if you feel comforitable with it them go for it. Remember to keep the coats light. Dont try to completlly cover the whole fender with the 1st coat. If there are lil spots showing, thats ok you can get it on the next coat. Try to get a good hard clear coat. Useually the more expinsive the clear is the better qualitty and hardness it has. And most inportant, be patient, and very good luck to bud. Hope everything works out perfectlly.


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## omega (Jun 27, 2002)

i've got a question, my OEM mirror I ordered seems to be a ABS type plastic, would I need some sortof bonding agent and if so what? i'm assuming it's a standard sand, prime, and paint but I don't really know


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Yes i would recomend a bonding agent. One preferablly for plastics. Try going to shirwin williams or some ther paint store, and see what they recommend. 
This is what you do.

>Get some masking tape, completlly tape the mirror (the actual mirror) so you dont scratch, or get paint on it. Its a bitch to get paint off the mirror with out scratching it.

>Using 600 wet/dry sandpaper, wet sand the mirror. Make sure that you completlly sand every part of the mirror. Espescially the inside of the mirror(well as far as you can get the paper in) You know the rim inside where the mirror is. If you dont it always peels there, and goes from there. Not good. 

>Now completlly dry. Any water, will cause you a nightmare. 

> <Quick tip> Get a cardboard box. Take the mirror as you were mounting the mirror on the box. Poke the 3 holes in the box and mount the mirror to the cardboard box with the nuts. This make it easier to paint, and hold. With out getting paint all over you and worring about smudging the paint.

> Take you bonding agent, and spray a light coat on the entire surface of the mirror. Try not to miss any spots. Let that dry. Usually you know its dry by looking at it, it almost dissapears.

> Now primer the mirror. Take you time. cover the mirror complettly. Let dry for about 10-15 minutes depending on how fats the primer dies, and how hot it is out side.

> Once dry, take some 600 wet/dry sand paper and lightlly sand the primer. Then spray one more light coat. Now wet sand that last coat with the 600 (not many people do this, but trust me it give and awesome finish) Then let dry again.

> Now for the paint. Go slow cover lightlly. Take you time. Put as many coats as you feel desired. Let dry.

Now for the clear. Do the same as above. Be carefull if you spray too much it will drip and ruin the whole thing. Its better to spray not enough then too much. Once the mirror has a nice glassy finish you are done. Congragulations you just did a professional paitn job....lol


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Damn that sound long dont it. But dont worry it goes by pretty fast, and you'll love the finished result.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

thanks for the help, how does the clear look? like.. is it a spray, a thick liquid? what is it?

thanks syndicate bro, also, could you ever find it in your heart to get rid of your skyline style custom tails? my project failed.. failed miserably.. .... or even help me make a set


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## omega (Jun 27, 2002)

Now where to find Aztec Red?


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

The clear is just like a spray. Not a think liquid. Its kinda wierd stuff, after you spray a couple of coats it just comes together and forms a shinney flawless surface. You'll know if you need to add more by looking into the fenders. If it you cant see a good reflection add a lil more.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

ok customchromedome, I now am in a delema... its Yellow gel coated.. do i have to sand this gel coat down, or leave it, and paint over it.. what do i do? its fiberglass underneath.. i know you are a fiberglass junkie, your computer is probably a fiberglass case!. lol.. what should i do.. sand it down, or should i leave it?


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Yes you should sand down the gelcoat. But, do not go deeper into the gelcoat than necessary. If you happen to go deeper into the matted fiberglass, you will have to re gelcoat the area. So just sand it lightlly, making sure to get every inch or the fender before appling the primer.
Oh and btw, im not synidacte. If thats who you were thinking I was.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

lol, i woulda sworn u changed ur name again. if you were synd. but i should sand, then primer? whats primer...? i take it its like a pre-coat of paint? then from there, paint the white, then clear coat?


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## nitestridar (Jun 29, 2002)

yeah custom cranium or whatever his name is has not been around in a bit.........
I wonder what happend to him i hope he is ok


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## nitestridar (Jun 29, 2002)

btw niss200sxgtr... let me know if these fenders ok.. i think another member had to do slight mods to his to get them to fit right...
please let me know!


thanks,
Rob


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

lol.. i think his name is scorch200 now i think
Yea you sand the gelcoat
Then do a few primer coats. Buy a white primer, so it wont take up do much of the paint to cover up the yellow gelcoat.
sand the primer to a nice smooth finish
then wet sand with a 600 grit wet/dry paper
then paint
then clear-coat
almost the same steps as the mirror painting, forgoing steps one, four, and five.

oh yea, i saw some bonding agent in pep boys today while i was there getting some stuff for my custom Cai i am building at the moment.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

i see, sounds like more work than i expected, but.. before any install or painting goes on, im going to throw them on the car first, and make sure they fit, if not, then ill have to like.. make them fit! lol.. but, it would be easier to work with them, if i had them off the car... so ill primer sand paint clear off the car, then pop em right on..


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Have you check out any body shops to actually see how much they would charge you for paint them for you? Im just curious.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

hmmm.. probably more than it would cost me to do...


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Very likelly yes, but they gaurentee the work. Also if you are using a spray-can clear coat, its more likelly to fade from oxidation. Unless you have a spray gun and a compressor. I would just look into, for the long. You know just in case.


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## nitestridar (Jun 29, 2002)

well the body shop over here wanted $250 just for one door..

so 2 fenders might be like $400 or more


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

yea, ill call Macco, they have an entire CAR painted for like 250

but its probably shitty quality.. .. ill call around, and see..
hehe

i wouldnt mind gettin an SI blue paintjob


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Other than what other people say, macco does a good job. But be sure you just dont pay for the cheapest deal out there. You pretty much get what you pay for in the paint business. But macco does have some good deals for what they do and how fast they turn them out.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

yea, Im thinking of just poppin my fenders on the car, and leave it yellow coated, taking it to maaco, and gettin an SI blue .. i love that color.


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

That is a sweet color....


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

maybe ill get fangs on my car too.. like our icons . lol! hope u dont mine me jackin ur ideahahahahha


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Lmfao.........Thats Kool with me. We need more honduh eaters.


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