How to Paint an Auto Restoration

Restoring an auto can be a rewarding experience. Painting your restoration may take some time, but the effort will be worth it. It is a good idea to paint a restored auto in one of the original colors if you want the car to increase in value. Here is the best way to paint an auto restoration.

Preparing Your Restoration for Painting

1. Wash your car and rinse well.

2. Remove emblems, mirrors, bumpers and anything else that does not get painted. Use painters tape or masking tape and plastic sheeting.

3. Fill in any cracks or scratches.

4. Rid the car of rust by sanding. Repair those areas if the rust damage is bad.

5. The idea of sanding is to take the gloss of the paint so the primer will adhere well. If your car has the original paint you will only need to sand the car lightly with sandpaper with 320-grit sandpaper.

6. For multiple paint layers, you should to sand down to the bare metal.

7. Smooth out the surface using wet, 400-grit sandpaper.

Painting your Restoration

1. Using an electric paint sprayer, prime your car.

2. Sand the primer lightly, using a sanding block. Do not sand down to the metal.

3. Wipe the car of dust.

4. Apply a second coat of primer. Use finer sandpaper, 400-grit, to give it a smooth finish.

5. Wipe the car down once more being sure to remove any particles of dust and debris.

6. Holding the paint gun 10-12 inches from the car, spray your base coat. Use even strokes. Allow to dry completely.

7. Repeat step 8 for the top coat.

8. After your car has dried, you can apply the clear coat. Typically, a car has two to three layers of clear coat applied over the paint. You must wait until each coat dries before applying another coat.

9. Using 3000-grit sand paper; wet sand and buff, to bring out the shine.