Diy Miks R32 Gtst

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Thanks guys.

Just wanted to show people what it takes to get a perfect finish.

Edited March 27, 2014 by D.I.Y. Mik

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Only a guard and door to go.... oh, and plastics.

Good thing about the plastics, they wont have dents, only scratches and chips, which can be filled with skim putty.

Should be able to get it all with skim putty now. So touch ups over the putty and a nice thin prime/seal coat on everything. Hit that with 800 wet and its ready for colour.

And yeah, some details on the rear guard need to be sanded too.

I think ive used about 7 litres of primer so far, thats why its filling all the little imperfections and its coming up so smooth.

There are some interesting things you see when blocksanding, like the slight high spots that show, from where the spot welds are underneath. And the edges of some parts have a slight high lip, from the pressing of the steel when they made the panels.

However... there is a slight low (from factory, its the way the guard was pressed) over the rear wheel arches, extending up past the crease, id like to fill it so the back is totally straight like no other skyline. But its very hard to see and would be very hard to fill perfectly.

Ill have to think about that one.

[Got a Pulsar]

Have you decided on the paints for the final coats yet?

[D.I.Y. Mik]

No.

Better get onto that.

Once i have decided on the green, i have to experiment with the pearl. I will do a test panel (spare guard) to see how much to use.

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Putting some fine putty in the scratches and tiny lows.

Bonnet, door, and that rear guard look bad but actually only need a skim to fill the holes, edges and other small lows.

The shape of the crease on the door is not good, from a profile view. It needs some fixing. Tricky stuff ill have to work out a way. Maybe using tape or something....

And the rear guard........ thats our little secret, dont tell anyone how much bog is there.

Getting there, slowly but surely.

[gtr judd]

Its coming along well mik. Any forward progress is good progress right?

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Havant had much time to do anything lately.

Back into it yesterday, got the sanding of all the little bits and skimming scratches and chips done.

Got a plan for the door (metal strip guides), its going ok by the looks of it.

Bodys all skimmed and sanded, ready for next coat. Except for the 3 major damage areas, which will get several coats of putty and guide before there ready.

Will cheat and just use a whole dropsheet with 3 holes cut out and taped up where im working.

Then i have a decision to make:

- Lots of primer and block sand again with 800, then primer/sealer and rub with 800. This will be a better finish.

- Or primer/sealer and rub with 800 then colour. This will have some defects, but save time. (about 20 hrs)

How many and how bad the defects are is the gamble.

[Got a Pulsar]

If the extra effort will get a better result and less Regrets, go the extra mile.

[gtr judd]

Would it make a difference after the 800 to rub it with 1500 then paint

[D.I.Y. Mik]

No, you mean the shortcut method?

I need an even coloured base for the colour, so no rub throughs to other coats.

That means a coat of primer/sealer (thinned out at least 50/50) with the roughness rubbed off with 800 or finer.

To fill the minor imperfections i need a thick layer of primer/filler (not thinned out much) and sand it flat again.

Heres a list of what i need to do to finish. if i can do one thing a day ill make it to Shannons open day.

Finish skimming and sanding plastics, then tape off the 3 damage areas on the car.

Finish 3 damage areas (skim, sand, prime, sand, skim, sand, prime, sand, etc untill perfect)

Prime plastics, and guide coat

Clean and mask car

Prime car and guide coat

Block everything in 800 ( 12-18 hrs )

Fix any remaining imperfecions

Clean everything, mask car

Spray prime/sealer

Rub with 800-1000

Clean and mask

Spray colour

Rub with 1000

Clean and mask

Spray pearl and clear

Wait a week or more to cure and harden

Rub with 2000 and buff

Detail window trims, wheels etc.

[gtr judd]

Yea I meant short cut but with some finer grit paper for a bit of a better finish?

As you know prep makes the paint job, so if you have time I guess do it properly.

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Hmm...... thinking about how the car is blocked very well. No guide coat or anything.

I really should just prime/seal and then colour.

I have spent a lot of time getting it real nice, im sure its good enough.

I have made a lot of primer into wetsanding sludge on the floor, enough.

New list:

Finish skimming and sanding plastics (done), then tape off the 3 damage areas on the car.

Finish 3 damage areas (skim, sand, prime, sand, skim, sand, prime, sand, etc untill perfect)

Prime plastics, and guide coat

Clean and mask car

Prime car and guide coat

Block everything in 800 ( 12-18 hrs )

Fix any remaining imperfecions

Clean everything, mask car

Spray prime/sealer

Rub with 800-1000

Clean and mask

Spray colour

Rub with 1000

Clean and mask

Spray pearl and clear

Wait a week or more to cure and harden

Rub with 2000 and buff

- Assemble car (forgot about this one!)

Detail window trims, wheels etc.

Ps: The plastics were not straight as i thought they would be. There was some warpage in spots and they arent perfectly flat anyway.

They required some finessing to get them nice.

[Dan_J]

can one use wet sanding on this primer for a smooth result or will it crumble to shit ?

top effort put in, so many man hours

Edited April 15, 2014 by Dan_J

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Yes, wet sanding is good. Dont need a mask, paper doesnt clog up and it leaves a nice finish.

All my sanding finer than 180 is wet. I only dry sand to grind back bog and old paint etc.

Primed and guide coat on the 3 damage areas today.

Ill let it dry and block it back tonight.

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Its time to start the final coats.

Its not perfect, and i hope most people wont see the defects.

Painters and such will notice the flaws, and it would be nice to impress them too, but its my first time and i think its good enough.

So im going incognito until its done and buffed. Then ill take some pics.

This is whats left to do:

Clean everything, mask car

Spray prime/sealer

Rub with 800-1000

Clean

Spray colour

Rub with 1000

Clean and mask

Spray pearl and clear

Wait a week or more to cure and harden

Rub with 2000 and buff

Assemble car

Detail window trims, wheels etc.

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Done........

When its nice and cured ill buff it.

[Got a Pulsar]

Much Excite!

[gtr jet]

Looks like the Hulk!

[D.I.Y. Mik]

Nearly one week curing, i pushed my fingernail into the paint thats under the bodykit.

Its still very soft, i will have to wait at least another three weeks or more for a good cure.

Maybe ill start on some other things, as long as i can do them without touching the paint.

Edited May 22, 2014 by D.I.Y. Mik

[MathewZ]

i wanna see the final product. looks very nice and so much effort put into it. good work mate.