MOBY introduces an article written by a writer who actually enjoys staying in the car and camping car from the web magazine DRIMO, which distributes information on camping, staying in the car, van life, outdoor & car trips, including camping car information. To do. *The contents of the following article are quotes and references from DRIMO
Over the past two times, we have delivered the DIY repair of the “1978 Wagen Bus”, but this time we will try painting!
I will introduce how to do it and what it looks like.
If you are thinking of painting your own car, please refer to this article.
State of the past DIY repair
Before introducing the DIY painting, I would like to briefly look back on the original condition of the Volkswagen Bus, including the repairs we have done so far.
This is the “Volkswagen Type 2”, commonly known as “Wagen Bus”, which was DIY repaired this time.
It is a car made in 1978, and the interior is built for camper specifications by Westfalia.
From this retro and fashionable atmosphere, I looked away from the charm of the raggedness, but when I took a closer look, I found that 42 years of rust had deteriorated and the entire body was badly damaged.
First of all, the bumper, which was repaired first, has rust overflowing from under the paint and is bent in places.
Even the bolts themselves rusted and adhered, and the polishing and rust removal process took an amazing four days. The rust that appeared infinitely even after polishing was really tough.
Also, the rust on the rear part is particularly bad, and the body is crumbling.
When I peeled off the aluminum tape that the previous owner put on for repairs, the part that I thought was the body completely collapsed, and there was a big hole…
It is barely connected under the tail lamp, but it is in a state where it can fall off at any time.
As you can see, all parts of the body were deteriorating and starting to crumble, but by scraping off the rust and repairing FRP, we managed to finish the repairs.
Things to prepare when painting a car
For DIY painting, I prepared brush (15-50mm), thinner (1L or more), newspaper, masking tape, masker, gloves, blue sheet, sandpaper (120, 240), waste cloth, 4 inches. Rollers, roller buckets, plastic cups for toning.
Introducing the car painting process
Car painting can be roughly divided into the following eight processes. (This is the method I used this time.)
①Body sanding
②Masking
③ Degrease with thinner
④ Make a base with a surfacer
⑤Body sanding
⑥ Decide on the color and perform toning
⑦ Painting the body
⑧Finish
body sanding (footing)
The first thing I did was “body sanding”.
This process removes dirt from the body surface and at the same timeMake a small scratch to create a base for the paint to adhere easilydo it for
As a method, use an electric random sander to evenly polish the body surface with a 120-grit file.
It is OK if the surface has a smooth luster, feels rough to the touch, and is cloudy all over.
Fine scratches increase the surface area that the paint comes into contact with, making it more difficult for the paint to peel off.
If you do not do this step properly, it may cause the paint to peel off, so let’s do it properly.
masking
Before applying the paint base, use newspaper or tape to “mask” the paint so that the paint does not adhere to the unnecessary parts.
Mainly masking windows, mirrors, lights, tires, etc.
Also, remove as much of the parts that interfere with the painting as possible to make the later work easier.
To mask the window, attach masking tape to the window frame (rubber part) to protect it, and then cover the entire window with newspaper.
If you want to mask a wide area, use a masker (a combination of masking tape and curing sheet) to protect it.
Degrease with thinner
Next, soak a waste cloth in thinner and wipe the entire body clean.
By removing the oil, dirt, and dust on the body surface, the finish will be beautiful.
Making a base with a surfacer
Next, make a base with a surfacer.
What is a surfacer“Undercoating” is done to improve the adsorption of the paint and extend the life of the paint film.That’s what I mean.
Although it is not always necessary, we recommend applying a surfacer to those who want to make the finish beautiful and make the paint last longer.
Add a hardener to the surfacer stock solution and spread it using a roller or brush.
Apply a thin coat instead of a thick coat, and when it dries completely, apply a thin coat over the entire surface again. Repeat this process 2-3 times.
body sanding
After the surfacer is done, the body is sanded in the same way as the beginning.
The roughness of the file is 240, and it is recommended to use a finer one than when attaching the feet.
While being careful not to peel off the surfacer that you have applied, touch it with your hand and sand the entire surface to the extent that it is not bumpy.
Decide on a color and mix
Before painting, you need to decide on the color, do the toning, and prepare the paint.
This time, I asked an acquaintance of mine to make the paint for me, but if you don’t have such a connection, I recommend Takara Paint.
They sell paint that anyone can easily apply with a brush or roller, and they also seem to do color matching.
When specifying your favorite color, you can also tell the color number or directly give the paint used to paint the plastic model.
I didn’t know the color number, so I chose to pass the paint directly.
paint the body
Once the paint is complete and the base finish is complete, it’s time to start painting.
Before painting, wipe off with a clean towel to remove fine dirt.
To finish the whole vehicle in the same color,Stir paint well before useis the important point.
After you put the paint in the plastic cup, add the specified amount of hardener and mix well.
First, paint small areas that the roller cannot reach with a brush.
If you paint small areas last, you may end up with brush marks.Therefore, we recommend that you apply it first.
After painting the fine parts with a brush, spread it out with a roller.
This time, I intentionally used a rough roller to finish the surface unevenly.
It should be noted here thatDo not apply too much paint at onceabout it.
If you apply a large amount of paint at once, the paint will drip before it dries, resulting in a poor finish.
After it dries, repeat the process of applying a thin coat from the top 2 to 3 times to finish, so don’t be too methodical the first time and spread it thinly.
After making sure the paint is dry, apply the second coat. Paint with the image of gently layering on top of the first coat of paint.
After the entire surface has been painted, let it dry again and check the finish. If there are many areas where the base is still visible, apply a third coat.
In this way, if you paint little by little over and over again, you will get a beautiful finish.
Points to paint beautifully
・Don’t try to finish it all at once, apply it thinly and evenly and repeat it over and over
・If it drips, stretch it with a roller before it dries.
finish
After the painting is finished, peel off the masking tape while it is semi-dry.
If you remove the masking tape after it dries completely, it will be difficult to remove, and the paint will come off.So be careful.
After removing the masking tape, check for any omissions and make minor corrections with a brush.
After the paint is completely dry, attach the removed parts and you’re done.
Appearance after painting
Here is the finished product after painting.
By using a coarse-grained roller, the surface is bumpy, giving it a hand-painted feel.
It was my first DIY painting, but I was personally satisfied with the finish.
The joy and sense of accomplishment of being able to dye your favorite color cannot be experienced unless you actually try it. My love for cars grew even more.
Impressions, merits and demerits of actually painting
As an impression of actually painting,“It’s hard, but even a beginner can paint it.”That means.
It was my first experience painting a car, but I was able to finish it with satisfactory quality if I followed the method.
The advantage of doing your own painting is that you can save money on painting and you can paint as you like.
Until I actually tried it, I thought it would be impossible to paint a car by myself and would cost hundreds of thousands of yen. I understand.
You can also customize the color and surface finish to your liking.
The advantage of DIY painting is that it is inexpensive and has a high degree of freedom.I felt it.
The downside is that it is not possible to achieve a perfectly smooth surface like a professional paint shop.
With a brush or roller, the surface will inevitably have a matte texture and uneven application. We do not recommend painting by hand if you are concerned about fine details.
Also, painting takes more time and effort than you might think.
It depends on the car model and how to paint, but in the case of the authorAbout a week from sanding to completionIt took
It is a job that requires physical strength and perseverance.
Let’s challenge the DIY painting of the car!
This time, I introduced how to DIY paint my car.
It was my first challenge, but I was able to finish it with a very satisfying quality.
Anyone with the stamina and perseverance can take on the challenge, so why not use this article as a reference and give DIY painting a try?
Writer: Yuichiro
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