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Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Touch-up painting escalates to a full paint job!!

A couple years ago I had my MGA Coupe body painted -- silver (awesome). Then after a couple years of fitting doors, bonnett lid, boot lid, glass, etc. I collected a few scratches and dings. To make a long story short, I intend to just repaint the whole thing. But here is the twist... this time I plan to do it myself.

During the course of this body-off restoration I have successfully tackled several tasks I have never encountered: rebuilding the motor and transmission, installing the headliner, fabricating seat covers, bulk carpet install. So, with a little guidance from the MGA board I believe I can get this done.
gerard hutchinson

Go for it Gerard! Just take your time and listen to some good advice from the expertise on here.
Neil McGurk

Same here. I'm looking at Starfire paint (www.paintforcars.com) I want to avoid isocyanates so going to chose acrylic laquer topcoat and DTM epoxy primer. Its body off so the insides will be practice time. They have a nice BRG.
Art Pearse

Here is a great forum for paint questions

http://autobodystore.com/forum/index.php
WMR Bill

Gerard,
I had my A's painted but I decided to paint my own TF. I chose a single stage, as opposed to base coat/clear coat, PPG Concept paint non metallic BRG . It came out very good, I was lucky, no runs, no drips, no errors. When it came to painting my Healey I wanted an origional color and the paint I could find was Glasurit (German paint) base coat/clear coat. The paint was very expensive and a very very light metallic. I found it difficult to not get any blotches in the metallic base coat. Applying a smooth clear coat is, as the pros say, a function of how expensive your spray gun is! I sprayed 3 coats of clear intending to color sand the car as I figured I would have runs/blemishes/junk in the clear coat and I did. Next time if I have to do bc/cc I would apply 4 coats of clear. The TF was dissassembled and I painted it over a two day period. The Healey was also dissassembled but it is a two tone and I painted it over a 5 day period (21 hours of actual painting). Painting is one exercise that takes alot of practice but can be done. Just take your time and follow the manufactuers directions. Have a good day!

John
John Progess

I need some technical guidance on (1) creating a good booth in my sister's garage, (2) # of paint guns ie. one for base coat(s) and one for clear coat(s), (3) # of coats period, (4) air pressure, (5) type of mask to use, etc.

I'm also quite short on technique. Should I start with the side surfaces or the top surfaces? How far should the nozzle be from the painting surface?

I have a vague idea of how the process will go but would love to get some lessons learned insight.

Thanks for all your encouragement!! When I told my mom I was painting the car myself she laughed!!! LOL!
gerard hutchinson

For what its worth - I thought about painting my MGA myself. I enrolled in an adult ed class for auto body work. The class has a paint booth that I could use. In the end I decided to have the instructor paint it for me. You may want to check out classes in your area. Just a thought.

Larry
York, Maine
L. Mazoway

Hi Gerard. I spray painted my MGA 29 years ago, and am prepping it for another paint job now. I see you are planning on using base/clear. It is the most common finish these days. Personally, I dont like base/clear finishes! I find that over time, clear coat tends to yellow, chip, and haze. I have also found it difficult to feather edge when it chips. My preference is 2 part catalysed enamel. It sprays nicely, dries hard, and can be sanded and buffed to a high gloss. Of course, the key to a great paint job lies in the preparation. THe body must be cleaned with prep sol before any body work. Any sheet metal repair should be carried out before sanding the panels. I personally sand panels with 220 grit paper, and then spray on a few coats of epoxy primer. The epoxy primer bonds to the original paint and essentially "seals" the old paint, so hot solvents wont wrinkle the old paint. TO get the panels ready for painting, they must be painstakingly block sanded until flawlessly straight and smooth. The smallest of imperfections will stick out like a sore thumb! Major imperfections can be leaded or filled with a thin layer of bodyfiller. Very small imperfections can be filled with spot putty. Do not use laquer based spot putty! It shrinks and cracks! Instead use 2 part catalysed spot putty. Much better! There are lots of good books and Internet sites that discuss auto body repair and painting. You might want to do some reading! Also, be aware that ALL body work supplies you purchase need to be compatible with each other! Paint manufacturers have paint "systems" that have compatible components. Dont "mix and match" and expect a good result. Hope this helps. Good luck with your paint job! Glenn
Glenn Hedrich

Hi again Garard. As for converting the garage to a spray booth, I would line the walls and ceiling with plastic sheeting. You need lots of lighting, so you can see what you are doing. The MGA should be raised on blocks before you paint. It is difficult reaching the lower extremities otherwise. I would start with the upper surfaces first, and then work around the car, one panel at a time. The first coat should be very light. Dont worry about perfect coverage. You want a "tack coat" which gets sticky, and helps subsequent coats of paint to adhere. Spray gun settings and distace from the surface depend on the type of gun you are spraying with. Standard spray guns are a lot different than HVLP (High Velocity Low Pressure) types. Before you even think about spraying your MGA, you should diligently practice paiting on some scrap junkyard panels first, to master the technique. It is critical that you maintain a constant distance between the spray gun and the panels being painted. This technique needs to be learned through practice. There is no substitute for practice. Spray apinting isnt really difficult, but it does require learning the proper technique. Additionally, you should know about eradicating runs, and other paint malady issues.
You might want to use fisheye eliminator when you start painting. Fisheyes are very unpleasant, and require sanding and refinishing to remedy. Also NEVER paint your car when the sheet metal is very hot! Painting a car that has been baking in the sun for several hours is inviting disaster. Doing so will net you paint that wrinkles big time! Ask me how I know! You also need to use reducer that is matched to ambient air temperature. Reducer is available in fast, medium and slow grades. Ask your paint supplier which type you will need for your current weather conditions.
Before painting a car, I ALWAYS spray bug spray in the spray booth, before I roll the car in. Bug spray will hopefully kill all the nasty insects that will otherwise embed themselves in your new finish. I also put a bit of vaseline around my eyelids, and up my nostrils. It keeps any potential overspray from sticking! If you are using catalysed paint, you need to know it is dangerous stuff! At a bare minimum, you need a very good respirator that is rated for use with isocyanates. Better still is an air fed mask. Catalysed paint can otherwise harden in your lungs with FATAL results! I have painted many cars over the years, and the results from a "homespun" paint job can be every bit as good as a professional job! Hope this helps, Glenn
Glenn Hedrich

Glenn,
What paint guns do you use/recommend for the occasional hobby painter? Not looking for a show car just a nice presentable paint job. Thanks and have a good day!

John
John Progess

Hi John. I use an old Binks (model 26 I think) I bought it at a yardsale for $4.00 canadian, and spent about a week cleaning the dried primer paint out of it. I also use an inexpensive taiwanese touch up gun (devilbiss clone) THe little touch up gun lays on a very nice finish, but would take a long time to paint a car with it. I havent tried the new HVLP equipment that is available, mainly because they need lots of CFM air flow( in other words a big heavy duty compressor. WHatever spray equipment is used, practice is essential before spraying a vehicle. A clean supply of oil and water free air is essential also. An worn, old compressor can pump oil into your spray gun! special filters are available that remove oil and water BEFORE it gets to your spray gun, and onto your MG! Cheers, Glenn
Glenn Hedrich

I was wondering about buying an HVLP gun. I know they use more air, but you don't spray continuously for more than about 1-2 min at a time, so the compressor can catch up. I have a Campbell Hausfeld "4 HP" (so called) which I think is good for 6-8 scfm continuous at the 20 psi needed for HVLP. Instantaneously, it can supply a lot more. If you are earning a living spraying, it is different. As a hobbyist I can be more patient. What does everyone think?
Art Pearse

This thread was discussed between 14/07/2009 and 31/07/2009

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