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Topic: Took the plunge today... (Read 1719 times) previous topic - next topic

Took the plunge today...

I bought the paint for the T-Bird. I bought Oxford white, the orihinal colour. Looks like I've got something to do this weekend - it will be the first car I've ever painted. I've got the non-TC hood to practice on first though :hick:
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Took the plunge today...

Reply #1
Good luck.Take your time and try to keep your painting enviroment sterile.You'll do fine.I'm not keeping the original color (Sandalwood).I'm going with Estate Green.It's a Ford color that I've only seen on their SUV's.I'm having mine done for me this November or December.Again,good luck.Painting is easy.It's the body work that kills you.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Took the plunge today...

Reply #2
I'm thinking I'll have to paint it in two stages. Even though I'm going with the original colour, I've still got to do the door jambs, inside surfaces of the doors, and the underside of the hood (the TC hood was silver) because I had sandblasted some surface rust out of those areas (especially the door bottoms). My plan is to paint all of those areas first, then let that paint harden so I can actually close the doors/hood/trunklid, and then give the whole car a sanding/cleaning to remove any overspray that may have resulted from the first spraying. Then I will do the whole car. Because of this plan I'm thinking it'll be a "whole weekend" thing. Thankfully it's supposed to be fairly mild (mid 60's) - I was apprehensive about having a fire in the woodstove with all of those fumes (apprehensive to the point that I simply would not have done it) but with 60's temps it'll be a non-issue anyway.

It's also supposed to rain all weekend, so that'll keep the airborne dust/pollen/insects down. Ideally I'd have a real paint booth, but then again ideally I wouldn't be doing this foolishness to begin with :hick: All I know is it'll be good to get the glass back in and the interior back together...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Took the plunge today...

Reply #3
Good luck, and have fun!

Took the plunge today...

Reply #4
What kind of paint? Single stage or Base clear? Take you time and prep, prep ,prep, and clean, clean, clean. Oh and don't forget Sand,sand,sand. then sand sand sand some more. Then she'll be nice and purdy!
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

Took the plunge today...

Reply #5
Yep. its all in the prep work.  Just make sure if you are inside a garage or something, you use a respirator.  I dont mean just a fiber mask, i'm talking a real respirator.  Its dangerous in the extreem otherwise. and try to spray in as dust-free an environment as possible to avoid fish-eyes and suck.












we expect pics and all, just so you remember. :)
88 TC, Lots of Mods.


Took the plunge today...

Reply #6
Good luck with the project.

After doing your jams and such, you can get an adhesive-backed foam that you can use to fill the seams of the doors/trunk/etc to avoid over-spray when you do the outside of the car.  The guy who did my car used that and it kept the jams, etc clear of over-spray.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Took the plunge today...

Reply #7
I would do as all above have suggested. Also Hopefully the moisture in the ambient air from the rain doesn't affect your paint job at all. Good luck and we  want pics of the finished job :D :D


86' T/C 4.6L DOHC
16' Chebby Cruze 1.4L Turbo
17’ Peterbilt 389 600hp 1850ftlb Trq 18spd

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

“Heavy Metal Mistress”
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Took the plunge today...

Reply #8
The paint job has been delayed. I had too much to do (putting things away for winter), and I decided the air was too wet to paint. I'm further from being ready to paint than I thought anyway - I've still got a LOT of prep work to do, including jacking it up and taking the wheels off, taping up and masking off the windshield and backlight, masking off the side glass holes, finishing up sanding the front bumper... hell, the more I type the more I think of that needs doing. Now I'm depressed...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Took the plunge today...

Reply #9
Isn't it too cold to paint in canadia?
One 88

Took the plunge today...

Reply #10
Yep that prep work is a killer. The more you look the more you find. I can't say much I took the bird off the road 2mos. ago and still haven't started on the body work. I did start on the wheels and interior.
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

Took the plunge today...

Reply #11
dont do the taping off til you are about to spray it.  The tape will dry out and be a bitch to remove.  I painted my bird outside and it turned out amazing, especially since it was my first paint job too.  I also did inside the jams and under the doors and trunk lid.