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MG TD TF 1500 - Paint your own car

How many guys have painted your own car? What kind of paint and equipment? What were the results? I have painted before but not with todays products. What is the best way to go? Thanks, Tom
tom scott

I have painted a TD and a TF, stripped down to the bare frame and all body panels stripped down to bare metal. I used PPG DP epoxy primer, K 36 sand able primer surfacer and sealed with reduced DP epoxy, then top coated with PPG concept urethane paint system. I also painted several other cars too.
-David
D. Sander

as you probably know, but if not..what ever paint "system" you choose..stay with that system's products. regards, tom
tom peterson

I did mine.

Acrylic Enamel with hardner. Easy to work with, not near as toxi, easy to touchup if need be. durable.

Used a Harbor frieght HVLP gun at 35 PSI I think.

Erected a temp paint booth using one of those 12' x 20' porta-garages from Northern Tool I bought for $259. Made a very nice work area for painting.

Even with the building purchase I probably didn't spend more than $600 on everything needed to do the bodywork and paint.
L Rutt

Did mine a year ago. Sikens base/clear system. The only advice I have is DON'T USE CLEAR COAT! Experiment with a single stage system first. If you like the results you are done!
Ed
efh Haskell

Mike and I painted an MGB this summer and several TDs before that. We've done it outside in August (great!) and inside in June (a bit claustrophic) because of the critter and flying seed factors.

PPG's Base and Clear was my selection on the cars, except where we used PPG's Concept (single stage) on areas we didn't want to finish sand/buff (firewall, under wings (TD only), under bonnet and boot lids, etc.)

We used PPG products for Filler Primer, Surfacer, and Sealer. And also the PPG Stratoclear.

We used about $2,000 in today's prices on the B and about $2,200 on a TD because of the greater surface area to finish on the TD.

Follow the manufacturer's directions for mixing and application. We did, except for the temperature range on the clear where we went to a higher temperature reducer to slow down the dry time so we could flow the clear on at a better rate for amateurs.

We then removed any runs with a razor scraping the surface in a perpendicular manner, and sanded down the clear to remove dust, bugs and defects. We built the gloss back up by successive treatments of finer and finer sanding materials, and then rubbing and glaze remover compounds.

The National MGB Register Magazine (MGB Driver) has picked up my articles on the topic, and you can read them there in the next few months. Perhaps in the future I'll post them on my website. But the pictures and some of the information is on my website now, under the "MGB Wire Wheel Conversion that Turned Into a Restoration".

It is possible to do finish sanding and buffing on the MGB in about 16 hours of effort; and a TD in about 24 hours of effort, so you don't necessarily have to shy away from Base Clear.

Use a mentor, like I did with Mike the first time. It's more fun and it will increase the probability of a superior result.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

I have panted with both PPG and DuPont Centari. Found Centari much easier to use than PPG. My only suggestion is not to use a metal fleck paint, very hard to get it right on a flat surface like the bonnet of a TF.
David Werblow

I'm in the final stages of painting my TD - I used the PPG system described by David Sander above, with an HVLP Devilbiss gun. At this point I have less than $1,000 invested and I just need to buy the final single stage color. While there is a learning curve, the value is you can keep correcting the little imperfections as you go. Have fun!!

Don Scott
don scott

Have done both my TD and my B. I also recommend single stage paint. Oh, and a very good respirator
Bruce Cunha

The most important tool to have is a good 3M mask with the full face cover and the great filters. They cost about $130. I did this by just building a paint room on the end of the garage with plastic drop cloth and leaving the garage door half open for ventilation...but in warm temperatures above 65F. I used the PPG DTL 9300 black acrylic lacquer for various reasons, but I have used the PPG urethane system before too. I think it was described previously with the K36, etc...Attached is apicture showing the arrangement. Get a mentor to advise you!
Mike

MW Davis

I have used both BC/CC and single stage....The clear coats are a lot more work, but I think they are more abrasion resistant than the single stage....
My TD was painted (not by me), with single stage, and it chips quite readily...
Big advantage, as mentioned, to SS, is that it's easy to touch up...but you will do it more often.
I like the idea of using the BC/CC on areas that are easy to finish, and the SS, on areas more difficult to get to.
Biggest investment will be equipment...
If you already have a good compressor, than a decent HVLP gun, with a good filter setup, and really flexible hose, are your biggest equipment expense...
I have done cars in in car ports, using plastic sheeting, and a box-fan for exhaust...Have also done them on my 4-post lift, in the garage, with the box-fan under the garage door...and hanging plastic.(that worked best).
A good quality face mask is also a requirement.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Nice write up, Edward!
Dave Braun

And a hi tech paint booth. Note, this is prior to learning about good respirators. This is what we used for the TD.



Bruce Cunha

Lot's of good advice. The color you choose will influence the trade off between one step and clearcoat.
Also the probability of more work in the near future. Spot repair on clear coat is a pain!

cj schmit

This thread was discussed between 07/11/2011 and 10/11/2011

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