Interior paint

[suki243]

Hi there, well, I got the car back from paint and I said, wow.... the exterior looks great... the interior... not so much, so I decided its time to paint the interior, all seats, carpet and old sound dampening is out.
I'm using 4 cans of interior paint from mustangs unlimited. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about doing this? For example how to prep? how do I protect the exterior? just wrap everything up? including windows in newspaper? Do I sand the existing parts like dash and quarter panels and doors? or do I just paint on top of it?
Any tips would be great, for example how to spray paint correctly, how many passes at a time? continuous flowing? etc...

Thanks in advance

 

[66 Restomod]

Tips

If you are using lacquer the most important tidbit I found was to lay down 2 thin passes 8" away, 30 minutes apart. Then the next day lay down a thick coat from only 6". PRACTICE ON SOMETHING FIRST. (I had to redo the dash because I wasn't happy with it the first time.) Let dry a few days minimum before reassembling. I also found the can must be close to upright. And I discard the can when it is 2/3-3/4 done, or it spits out the paint and I can't control it very well.

(A note about lacquer: it wil lift enamel paint unless the enamel is very old. But lacquer lays down over lacquer just fine.)

If you have the metal interior rear quarters, strip them with paint stripper to save the stamped "grain" pattern. Same for the interior doors (no sandpaper!). The dash can be cleaned and lightly wet-sanded if needed with 400-600 grit paper. Parts can be degreased and cleaned as needed before painting, I used 3M adhesive remover which I had handy.

I actually repainted my interior before leaving my car at the painter a month ago. When I get the car back I need to reassemble the interior.

 

[SL 1993 R]

I second don't sand the stamped grain, use a thinner. I used the thinner and a green scouring pad to help get the prior paint off. Apply two thin coats for the door, as anything more, you will loose the texture.

 

[suki243]

ic, well i went out bout an 8 pack of scour pads, and i had some paint thinner at home. However, when I started scrubbing it really didn't come off, i get like a watery film that comes off and gets everywehre but washes off like a color sand but nothing else. There are some spots where i can see metal emergy but very very little,like im not sure if htey were there before but they're very minute. I tried scraping some off with a flat head at a shallow angle and that seems to be working, then when wherever i scraped off i simply brush of chips and then put some paint thinner over it and the sheet metal color emerges, should i continue to do that or keep on scrubbing with paint thinner? I am using a paint thinner that thins oil based paints is that the problem?

 

[88gt]

I've been told to use emery cloth and lacquer thinner to remove old paint from the stamped grain surfaces. Haven't tried it yet, too many other projects to first.

 

[suki243]

this is the one i'm using, it was around the house so i used it,
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17622&cookietest=1


Geez paint and electrical supplies are adding up, almost spent 100+ now

 

[66 Restomod]

Interior quarter panels refinished

Here's what I got when I used 3 coats of aircraft stripper (or probably any paint stripper would do) on the interior quarter panels. (These are the original metal ones and probably had 10-12 coats of paint on them so they were completely smooth.)

Since the bare metal was exposed I used a thin coat of lacquer primer, after cleaning off the stripper.

Then I used 2 thin coats of blue interior lacquer spray. The blue coats were each thin enough not to fully cover each time.

The next day I used what I'd call a thick coat, but it was just enough to allow full coverage with no runs.

Then I left it in the sun for a couple hours to dry.

 

[suki243]

oh nice, are u guys using an aersol thats why u guys keep saying coats? cause im using that product exactly its a quart, do you think i'll go purchase a lacquer thinner and try that?

 

[66 Restomod]

Links to what I used

This is what I used to strip the old paint:

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=MHY&MfrPartNumber=3711&CategoryCode=3272

Of course it's easier to deal with when the parts are off the car so this info may not apply to your particular situation. But a couple tips: spray the product in the shade, scrub with a green scotch brite pad, and use a plastic bondo blade to clean the stripper off the surface and right into a trash bag when it's done working. Don't forget the rubber gloves and goggles or glasses. Wash the part thoroughly with soap and water when done. This product or similar can be purchased in a can to brush on instead.

Here's the primer I used (it's lacquer based for a lacquer or enamel topcoat):

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=DPL&MfrPartNumber=FP101&CategoryCode=3275

If you are using an enamel or lacquer topcoat in a spray can, make sure the can has a good quailty "fan spray" nozzle, which gives a smoother more consistent paint finish. I used Medium Blue Metallic in spray cans from NPD, but you can buy good spray cans just about anywhere these days if you don't need a Mustang-specific color.

That thinner you are using says "Thins oil-based paint, stain, and varnish" so it wouldn't remove a lacquer if that's what you have on your interior now. Maybe you can post a pic of your interior? If the grain's not too bad, you may want to just scuff up what's there and paint over it.

 

[suki243]

haha i was afraid of that =\ w.e. here are some pics of the interior, the first two are the quarter panel, I tried this scotch brite pad and a flat head screw driver thats the results i got. 2nd is a close up. Third is a picture of the passenger door somethin that i haven't touched yet.

View attachment 380054

View attachment 380055

View attachment 380056

The new paint im getting is from mustangs unlimited its a 65 red, the car's PO put 65 red seats and dash in it but didn't paint the rest or change the carpet, go figure... so yah now i'm painting it 2 match the rest.

would it be ok to paint it on the floor or should it be hung? i'm currently in my garage 2 car, its always shaded and has a nice breeze coming in.

Edit: i'm in southern california and the days are getting hotter and hotter, 95 +, the paint itself hasn't come in yet, its back ordered, i'm also gonna have to start taping up the car, cause I just got the exterior painted and i dont wanna screw it up =)

 

[66 Restomod]

Thanks for the pix

Your quarters look much better than mine when I started. You have half as much paint on them.

For the quarters I would strip them down the way I described. It's really the easiest way to go and the results speak for themselves, if I say so myself....

I did 3 stripper coats per quarter which ended up being close to 2 cans total. You might need half that.

I wouldn't use a screwdriver blade for anything here except loosening or tightening screws. The blade could easily scratch up the metal surface and the scratches will show through.

I happened to hang the quarter to paint it, there are a few holes in it that come in handy for this. I used a strong wire hanger normally used to hold a gallon of paint to the rung of a ladder, which I had handy. The quarters are pretty heavy and I didn't want them to fall. I did this because it helped me paint the contours much more evenly, keeping the spray can not only upright but 8 then 6 inches away. Once painted I took it down and laid it on the driveway in the sun for a while. When the afternoons are 95, it's best to paint in the morning.

The felt trim on the quarters should be riveted on (factory sheetmetal staples usually long gone), and if you choose to replace it (I did) it's like $5 per side.

The doors also don't look too bad at all. I'm kinda surprised your taking this task on when your interior looks pretty nice and shiny the way it is. I could see getting some lacquer thinner here and scrotch brite pads and scuffing up the doors thoroughly before painting them. (I'd personally strip them down like the quarters but using brush-on stripper, but that's probably overkill here.)

 

[suki243]

yah it looks alright in some places but i didn't show you a picture of the bottom of the door. here it speaks for itself:
View attachment 379968

On every painted panel there are either scratches or paint is chipping.

Plus with everything else i thought to myself might as well do it now.

About felts, when they went to the painter to do the exterior he replaced all weatherstripping and felts for me, of course i had to buy em but he replaced em. I'm just gonna cover em. The problem is I don't have any space to hang the panels, =\ i think i'll practice on the kick panels that i'm going to replace any way. I'll try the two passes letting it dry and then trying another two passes, until it is fully covered.

 

[66 Restomod]

Ahh, the ol' used car salesman photos...

I held the quarter in the air with my left hand holding the hook and painted with the right. This allowed me to always have the best angle for paint. Remember to get close to the pieces; if you paint from too far away or have the can at a wierd angle, the paint will come out "dry" and "dusty". I used metallic, not sure if other lacquer colors have the same issues. Good luck, should be a sharp looking interior when you're done.

 

[suki243]

haha yes, will do, thanks for all your help and i'll post pics on how it went, just waiting for the paint to come in and to finish stripping it.

 

[suki243]

Golly...Well i finally got enough time to go to lowes and pick up a lacquer thinner... I brought it home... tried the pour and scrub technique, and it wasn't working out too well.... then I got a spray thingy stuck it in the canister and sprayed the entire surface... it worked in some places while not in otehrs... i then tried to use a plastic scraper i have to take it off... not much came off there was a last coat over the metal, not as clean as the parts wehre i used a screw driver to scrape it off... i kept trying and I'm wondering... is it worth all this tiem and effort? is there any easier way to do this?

I'm using Klean Strip's Lacquer thinner.

 

[86T-Top]

You need to use a paint STRIPPER not a thinner. I like to use air craft stripper you can find it at Pep boys, it does a great job but do not get it on your skin. I recommend that you wear thick rubber gloves and a resperator when you use it. Apply it with a brush and let it sit on the paint for a bit, come back out to the car and the paint should have bubled up, take you scrapper and remove the bubled paint. You may have to repeat this process 2 or 3 times, but it is the best stuff that you can buy these days.

Mario

 

[suki243]

ok. I got a stripper! and it works like a charm! It works but it just left the lightest and thinnest of film in most places. I did 2 coats. Its a spray but it works. I'm gonna be gone for the next two days but i'll do the other quarter panel when i get back, and then i'll try the doors and dash.