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Hey all, I joined here to chat about this DIY paint job ...

...The paint I hope to use (Omni Blue Metallic):






Is this standard automotive paint? If so I see a couple issues.
1.) I don't think anyone here has tried that type of paint yet. No one has tested the self-leveling capabilities of such a paint. As well, you would have to make sure it is a single-stage automotive paint (i.e. NOT a base coat + clear coat system). Even with that, unless you add the catalyst (hardener) like you would when spraying, I'm not sure it would cure properly.

2.) Metallic paint. I don't know if anyone has tried a metallic, but the general thought is that the metallic particles will not say suspended properly as they would with spraying. As well, the wet sanding process will either be hindered by the metallic particles and/or grind them down.



DO IT DO IT DO IT!!! The subject of using this type of paint comes up every once in a while, everyone says it won't work and then the person asking the question doesn't do it. As far as I know, nobody has ever actually tried it. I've read this whole thread a long time ago, and I can't remember anyone ever actually posting the results of trying this. There are lots of reasons it might not work, but until someone actually puts some time into trying I'm not totally convinced it won't work.

I've sprayed a fair amount of metallic paint, and it's definetly not as forgiving as a solid color, but I think you might be able to find a technique to do this with. I would suggest trying to apply it as "dry" as possible...work as much paint out of the roller as you can before putting it on the car.

As far as color sanding it, I don't think it should be any big deal. I've wet sanded metallic paint before spraying a clear on it without any problems. I don't see why it would buff out any different than any other paint. The metal particles in the paint are microscopic. Metallic paints have been around since the 1950s...I'm sure there were plenty of paint jobs back then that got buffed out too. Adding a catalyst is no big deal...I've used hardener with these alkyd enamels and then put it on with both a roller and a brush. The only real difference is the curing time is miles ahead of using straight paint, and you don't get to reuse your old roller .

If I had *any* spare time at all I would have tried this myself...but I don't. I'm really curious to see it done though. It might come out a horrible mess, but until someone tries it we'll never know. And I really dig the color too!



I agree with toolbox, What do you have to lose, but maybe you outta try a test panel just because all the decent looking cars here have been done with solids. Personally, I'm not crazy about solid blues except on maybe a 50's car or earlier.

Here's my plan of attack if someone would like to put in their 2cents. I'm going to roll rustoleum rusty metal primer straight out of the can based on older posts. This way I have the high solids to smooth out the surface as much as possible before paint. I figure on wet sanding the primer with 400 grit. Then I'll go ahead and due the Regal Red Professional Rustoleum. Wet sanding after two coats and repeat until full coverage is achieved. I'll probably use the Poorboy polish that Aussie recommends.

I'm hoping that the Rustoleum Professional would last longer against fading and that's why I'm choosing it over Stops Rust. I really like LUV4X4's result with the safety red, I'm just looking for more of a "blood red" color.

The only thing I'm not sure of is the Aluminum pieces on my car. The fake side louvers and the hood louvers on my stang are aluminum, as well as my Quarter Panel end caps and probably my headlamp buckets.

Should I use Rusto's aluminum primer? I want to insure paint adhesion, but I'm concerned about the different colors of the primers. I'm just a little worried that the paint would end up lighter looking on the aluminum parts. Any suggestions would help.

Thanks,



Not to pee on your parade, but it won't work. Auto paints use a catylist, where a chemical reaction occurs to "cure" the paint. Without hardner, the paint will stay soft for years, too much and it will over dry, become brittle and crack. You'd be trying to roll single stage paint, and you would have to use a hardner, single stage paints are much like bondo, when you mix in the hardner you got about 3mins to work the bondo before it becomes hard and blobs making it impossible to smooth out, which is basically the same mess you'll end up with auto paints. Plus the metalics would be hard if not impossible to keep uniform, even with spraying using HVLP/spray gun (air) it's hard for the inexpirenced painter to get the metalic uniform and not end up with "zebra" strips on their whole car let alone trying to roller metalic paint. The enamels (tremclad/rustoleum) do not use a catylist, the "gas/vent" and dry. To and extent the mineral spirits is a catylist, ineffect decreasing pot life, but at the same time making the paint thinner, and giving you the ability to apply thinner coats and they self level. You may be able to do a small peice with a roller and auto paints like a mirror, but a hood/roof, no way, you'll end up with a big ball roller with auto paint in a stringy mess!!! SIngle stage paints are designed to "flash" litterelly within 20 mins, that's why with single stage paints you have 20-30mins to recoat, or 5 days until it's fully vented (enough to recoat and not disturb/re-wet the underlying layer; which typically presents it'self by "wrinkling". I'd rather explore putting metalic in tremclad/rustoleum, and explore mixing in tremclad clear coat (liquid, only available to us lucky guys in canada!!!); that i think has a really good chance.