Wow you didn't hang about did you

Just a quick one, but did you use plastic primer? The expertz will probably confirm, but I think normal primer won't be good enough for painting plastics.

Erk, rattle cans

The primer will be fine just rubbed down with 1200 grit wet and dry used wet with a bit of soap. All you're looking to do is smooth off the surface, not create any modern art sculptures.

Once it's sanded, wipe down with a clean cloth, allow to dry and, literally seconds before you're about to paint, run over it with a tack rag to lift the last of the loose dirt.

When painting, give it a light mist coat first and WAIT. 10-15 mins should be enough. Then go back and apply another coat but heavier, again wait 15 mins, then finally apply your top coat of colour.

Don't sand it! This flattens off the metallic flakes in the paint and dulls the finish.

Finally apply the lacquer after a few hours of settling to allow the solvents to escape the paint you've laid up already. Don't leave it more than 24 hours or it won't adhere properly, you'll have to sand and repaint the colour if you wait too long.

Apply the clear the same as you did with the colour, mist coat followed by a couple of heavy coats.

After 24-48 hours you can start sanding, start too soon and you can pull the paint away. Sand wet with 1200grit,dry the part off and look, you'll see shiny spots and dull areas. You want to make the whole thing dull. Keep going with the 1200 til you get a nice even texture when dry.

Then start working your way through 1500, 2000, possibly even 3000, and finally polishing compounds.

You'll find it's shiny enough without sanding the clear but it's essential you sand and polish if you want a good finish, especially with rattle cans.

Good luck

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Bye bye Sundance Kid

Correct on all accounts.

Wet sanding - leave the paper to soak in a pot of warm soapy water until it starts to curl. Gives a smoother finish when sanding and stops the paper from clogging up.

You'll need 1200 / 1500 / 2000 and polishing compound of some sorts, something like Farecla G3. Not regular polish, will take forever using regular stuff.

The lower the number, the coarser the paper. Start low and work your way up.

Oh and also change the water between grades of sandpaper to stop sanded particles getting stuck in your finer grade paper.

It's easier using a spray gun, believe me

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Bye bye Sundance Kid

Okay update, just been out and sanded down the 3 layers of primer with 1200 grit wet and dry.
To leave this....







Seems to be going ok so i started laying on the paint, 15mins between each of the first two coats and 25mins until i put the third coat on.

Only worry is it seems to be pretty patchy in places? Is this because ive focused in one spot too much or what? As far as im aware i just sprayed in a side to side motion over the whole panel so im not sure why these patches have turned up.

Will they go when they dry?


Second coat


Third coat

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''Oh, it does handle like a golf!'' Why drive a Golf....when you can drive a GTi-6?

Pretty sure i did, wasnt any grease on it and it was dremelled which took the initial plastic layer off, then primered and again sanded.

Its a bit odd - guna go and check how its dried in a minute.

Maybe i will just need to sand it back a bit then re-paint a 4th coat?

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''Oh, it does handle like a golf!'' Why drive a Golf....when you can drive a GTi-6?

Dumb idea but it maybe where i have turned the spray can upside down and its layered on differently because of it

Cheers tho. Edit; having just checked out how its dried im sure i have just been a little heavy handed with coat thickness and its produced a raw finish. Guna have to sand it down 2mora and reapply a very thin mist of a fresh coat

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''Oh, it does handle like a golf!'' Why drive a Golf....when you can drive a GTi-6?

So would i be right in thinking i can just sand this paint down a little with some say 800 grit then apply a light mist coat from distance? Then lacquer as planned?

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''Oh, it does handle like a golf!'' Why drive a Golf....when you can drive a GTi-6?

Will look great once you've driven up a drive a few times and it scrapes all the paint off where it connects with the kerb.

OP there is no way to BEEF UP a manstone.

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Black X Reg PIII.VGTi 6 A4212 pt 1 A4212 pt 2 Searching the streets of Bristol for 1.36p/day.

Joint Kent Leader

They meet the tarmac getting on and off dropped kerbs, NCP car park ramps etc etc.

Post the pics up after a couple of months driving with it on the car and see how it's fairing up.

This was a none sanding effort off a rallye I broke.



Someone still bought it though.

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Black X Reg PIII.VGTi 6 A4212 pt 1 A4212 pt 2 Searching the streets of Bristol for 1.36p/day.

Joint Kent Leader

Well today has gone pretty well.

Sanded back the initial paintjob so it was silky smooth the length of the splitter.

Then did exactly as you described beez_neez_gt.

Result - much better finish and its looking pretty good now.

Started lacquering and one panel has had 3 coats and is drying until tomorrow.

Second panel had a bit too much sprayed on again so i will need to sand it back and redo again

But yeah good results so far.
Pics to follow tomorrow but for now im out on the p*ss!

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''Oh, it does handle like a golf!'' Why drive a Golf....when you can drive a GTi-6?

Was gonna say, I painted a set of rub strips, filler strips, a bonnet badge and clear coated some carbon bits today, and still found time to have a lie in, watch F! P3 and Quali and f*ck about in the sun all day

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Bye bye Sundance Kid

They were done ford graphite grey to match my wheels.

In your situation i'd do them nile, or if gloss black i'd do the filler cap trims, scuttle panel and mirrors to match

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Bye bye Sundance Kid