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MG Midget and Sprite General - Re spray advice

I’ve decided its time to repaint my midget as it is looking tired and has never been done since the previous owner replaced the sills, floor and spring hangers.

From what I have read here and other sites, I take it that cellulose is the easiest paint if I am going to do it myself.

For the inside I intend to rub back the original paint then spray with primer, top and then clear lacquer as most of it will not be seen.

For the outside is it best to take it back to bare metal or will I be able to get a reasonable finish if I rub it back then prime and top coat?

Many Thanks

Tony
Tony Brough

It is best to take it back to bare metal, but it is expensive if you get it done or incredibly tiring and boring if you do it yourself!
If the existing paint is solid with some scratches, etc, you can flat it down with 400 grit wet & dry, then prime with a high build primer, flat it down with 600-800 grit. Spray primer again (24 hours between spray & flatten)and flat it down again.
Ater another 24 hours spray with top coat, spray several coats and allow to dry for 24 hours, flatten with 1000 - 1500 grit using soapy water. If you end up with a nice even but dull paint finish get some cutting compound and cut back the paint surface to a good shine. Be aware that if the top coat layer isn't thick enough then you will go through to the primer!
It isn't terribly difficult but patience and lots of elbow grease are major requirments.
Graham
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

Further to the above, as far as I'm aware, one doesn't normally finish non metallic cellulose with laquer, the shine comes from the compounding and finally wax polishing. Also where I mentioned cutting compound I didn't mean T cut but a cutting paste which is far more agressive.
Get yourself a semi decent spray gun and make sure you clean it very thoroughly between uses. The cheapest place I found for paint and sundry supplies was in Brighton and it advertised through ebay, but I went directly to their site as it was cheaper.
I also bought a new gun through ebay, a Sealey gravity fed unit for £12-99 which is probably better than I am! Gravity fed guns are easier to keep clean than syphon fed, also they are more manouverable as the tank doesn't get in the way.
You will also need cheap and cheerful thinners for the primer and cleaning the gun plus top coat thinners for the finishing coats. Further you should use tak cloths, and may need stopper if you have larger scratches to fill in.
It is actually quite expensive to do well, you will probably need at least 2 Ltrs of both types of paint, 10 ltrs of cheap thinners and 5 litres of anti bloom, top coat thinners plus an anti VOC spray mask (optional but a good idea). Lots of wet and dry, a decent sanding block, masking tape, cutting compound are all extras that if you haven't got them will add to the cost.
Good luck,
Graham.
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

I second all that.
Lawrence Slater

Breathing any kind of paint vapour is not good, I've seen plenty of guys who were already knackered before the advent of 2 pack paint, the damage having been done by filler dust, cellulose and associated primers,so I would ammend "optional" for the mask to "necessary". But they are your lungs, so it's up to you. I'm not preaching, it's just thst I think it's more than a good idea.

Bernie.
b higginson

excellent post Graham, very well written and very easy to understand, I will be keeping a copy for when my midget needs doing (soonish!)
cheers, Dave.
DW Warren

All really good advice. I would just add that you should thoroughly degrease any surface before applying paint.
M Adams

Graham

Many thanks for the advice it has given me a good insight into what I am about to commence....

The paintwork is mainly intact with only a few chips and scratches, so hopefully this method will suffice.

I have a paint supplier (Jawel) a few miles away who also advertise on ebay with excellent feedback and seem to know what they sell, so I plan to get get all the paint and thinners from them and maybe a few of the ancillary items.

I read on another forum, dangerous I know :-), that rather than flattening the top coat you could consider using acrylic lacquer to give a gloss finish. I thought that may be an option for the internal paintwork but I will see how the flattening goes first.

Bernie
A mask was always on the list!

Thanks again
Tony Brough

Tony

if you mean Slade Lane watch carefully the colour you get

I had to take a BRG back to them for a remix due to confusion in interpreting the colour fiches

If you're doing the whole car and you like what is in the tin

forget I mentioned it ;-)
Bill 1

Thanks Bill

Yes that's the place. I'm not precious about using them. Have you used anyone else in the area, as paint in the post doesn't sound a good idea...

Cheers

Tony
Tony Brough

from my experience - do it in July when the weather is bootiful, not in Feb when the weather is COLD and damp. Unless you have a large insidey space :)

For the shine, you just need many many coats of colour for a non-metallic finish. When I did my sisters mini the top 5 coats were almost 85% thinners, got a decent shine out of it without flatting or polishing. She's polished it now and it looks amazing. Can't see why a lacquer top coat wouldn't work, but if it's clear, how do you tell where you've done? Had a bad enough time with the white roof on the mini not being able to see.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34910348@N08/sets/72157627120620812/

Rob Armstrong

Rob, very true regarding the final thinners coats, the only trouble is you need to be pretty good at spraying to get a good finish that way. I've known professionals who sprayed neat thinners for the final coat, but if you made a mistake!!!!!!
I think the difference in the result between a really good gun finish and a fully flattened and polished cellulose finish is marginal with the gun finish probably glossier. However, to my eyes there is definitely a difference in the appearance, the flattened and polished paint seems to have a greater depth and lustre.
It just depends what finish one wants to achieve as to how you go about finishing it!
In my case, the engine bay is staying as a gun finish, whereas the body will be fully compounded, etc.
Graham.
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

Many years ago I used the other paint place in Slade road

but they went bust and vanished :(

I have used Brown Brothers in the past too

(not sure if they will be okkard about selling you celulose though, some people are I understand)

I used the Aldridge depot, now gone away too

On the whole just keep an eye on what Jawel sell you and if it isn't the colour you wanted, send/take it back and wake up the dogs
Bill 1

This thread was discussed between 21/09/2011 and 23/09/2011

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