Painting fibreglass Options

[tyrant42]

I recently got some front and rear splitters for my GT4, I managed to source these from an auction website for $140 NZ, so I am very happy with the price

Anyway I want to try spraypainting these myself over Christmas, currently they are painted in a gray gelcoat. This will be my first time painting fibreglass, does anyone have any general tips? for example how many coats should I apply, what grit sandpaper I should use to prep it, and what would be the best paint and clearcoat to use. (My GT4 is white.) Any help would be much appreciated.

[soven]

Not too sure about diy painting. I know it doesn't cost much to get it painted properly at the shops

[vsideboy]

You don't need special paint, just use the same stuff you would use to spray any car panel. They aren't large parts so probably 1 can of colour and 1 can of clear should do.

The gelcoat should be fairly smooth anyway, but make sure it is with some 1200 wet n dry.
Usually 2 or 3 light coats of colour is good enough to cover. (as long as you cannot see the colour of the gelcoat through it. If you can then give it another coat.) You might need a primer to cover the grey first, 1 or 2 coats will do.

Usually you want to be allowing about 10 minutes between coats of colour/colour or clear/clear and about an hour between the colour and the first clear.

Just wet n dry it before any painting, you shouldn't need to sand the paint at all. Maybe give it a light wet n dry with 2000 a week after painting. Then polish it back up with some polishing compound after sanding.

Theres a few painting technique guides on here, so have a look and just do the same as you would for spraying a panel.

If I've missed anything, then I'm sure someone will correct me.

Hope it helps.

Dan

[tyrant42]

You don't need special paint, just use the same stuff you would use to spray any car panel. They aren't large parts so probably 1 can of colour and 1 can of clear should do.

The gelcoat should be fairly smooth anyway, but make sure it is with some 1200 wet n dry.
Usually 2 or 3 light coats of colour is good enough to cover. (as long as you cannot see the colour of the gelcoat through it. If you can then give it another coat.) You might need a primer to cover the grey first, 1 or 2 coats will do.

Usually you want to be allowing about 10 minutes between coats of colour/colour or clear/clear and about an hour between the colour and the first clear.

Just wet n dry it before any painting, you shouldn't need to sand the paint at all. Maybe give it a light wet n dry with 2000 a week after painting. Then polish it back up with some polishing compound after sanding.

Theres a few painting technique guides on here, so have a look and just do the same as you would for spraying a panel.

If I've missed anything, then I'm sure someone will correct me.

Hope it helps.

Dan

Hey thanks for your help, that was exactly the kind of guide I was looking for! I am also going to repaint my Rims white, I will post some pics when it is all done.

[vsideboy]

No worries matey, always willing to help out a fellow diy'er