It sounds like you have never painted a car, or car part before. To me, that means you probably don't have the equipment you need to do the job, and you are intending to "learn" through this experience. If you believe more painting is in your future, it may be worth the expense to get the equipment and have a go at it. Then when you get sick of looking at the mess you created the 1st time out, you will be prepared to sand it down and try again, then do it again until you get to where you are happy. It may be a $1,000 learning experience that if you keep doing it won't matter.

However, if you suspect this is going to be your one and only paint job, pay the pros to do the job, it will be much more cost effective. I don't see how you buy or rent the equipment you will need, and then buy the additional supplies your going to need, and then learn to paint what could be a great job, or a mess of a job, for less money then paying a pro with professional results would cost.

I've done some of this stuff before, painting even a Dart hood and not dragging the hose across, and then get an even smooth coat, takes time to learn. If the paint is metallic, you will be doubling your learning curve. Gene