im almost to the stage where im goin to paint my sami.  Im think just do some rattle can and had some Qs...

1.  is there a certain brand/type that is less likley to flake off?
2.  how important is it to sand all the paint off?
3.  ball park what did you/yall spend on paint?
4.  what should i look out for and know?

Unless the old paint is flaking off, it's ok to paint over, but you need to
sand the smooth off the paint so the new can stick, 220 grit and wipe
it down with a tack rag or a solvent to get the loose stuff off.

Paint from a rattle can will look like it on the truck, unless you get high
quality paint with the easy touch tip, and the tip you can turn to fan the
spray the way you want it, even then it's going to cost you a small fortune
in spray to make it look good.

I think I would get a gravity feed cup gun, Autozone has them, and a quart
or two of auto paint and a gallon of lacquer thinner and mix and spray with that,
primer it 1st for the best finish, it could save you some $$ and be a better
overall look.

Wild

thanks man, anyone else has input it'd be greatly appreciated.  or if you live close and wanna give me a quote

just go with a can of roll on bedliner. I spent $40 and did the inside and outside of my samurai as well as a 2 piece top with one quart.

Spend the extra money and get some Rustoleum paint.  I bought some of the 99cent red spray paint at the hardware store once and it just doesn't keep it's shine nor look near as nice as the quality spray paint.

Eventually I went out and spent big and picked up a gallon of Safety Red.  You can the paint thread over at http://zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/50-dollar-paint-job/

I have seen a little bit of everything over the years.

if your paint isnt flaking, or peeling it should be a good base.

a good scuffing with decent sandpaper, depending on what your planning to use for a top coat. with house paints you can probably get away with 220 or so grit, but if you spray automotive paint 360 grit for some enamals, & 400 for most others so you dont see sanding scratches.

I have seen vans painted with spray cans, & 1 that was even clear coated with spray & it looked great. but it was primed, sanded, several coats of paint applied, then cured & sanded, & then clear coated. but I think he said something like 40+ cans of color.


when I was in college a classmate painted cars every week, he bought a used car from auction, applied bondo, & sprayed it with a wagner electric sprayer. they didnt look too bad, & he sold the car the following week at auction. he paid his tuition, & rent, gas money, & food for him & gf for 2 years doing this.I wasnt impressed with the spray, but it was ok.

I have seen cars painted with a paint roller, as well as bed liner sprayed. it depends on what you want, as well as what you can afford.

I made my living for many years doing body work professionally. & highly recomend using automotive paints. along with an air compressor, & a spray gun.  however for a beater I understand the economics of using house or outdoor paint.

I have seen quarts of Rustoleum lately for for $3 per quart, while cheap cheap cheap car paint is at the least $60 a gallon. & good base coat clear coat can cost you $300 easily in materials, some lower quality base coat clear coat can be at least $150 ish.

I will do my best to answer painting questions.

Randy

all those look great.  my concern is that i will spend money on an paint gun and then never use it again, and the only air compressor i have is a small one that goes on the trails with me (tiny tank). 

most rental shops have that stuff. if you only need it for a day or two it would be much cheaper.

how much air does your compressor put out?

at the very least you need 5cfm at 90psi. some guns are rated around 3.5 to 5cfm but rated at different pressures. most automotive painting will be done around 30 to 50 psi, I have seen 2 small compressors hooked together to do a paint job, I dont really recomend, but it worked. also if you can borrow a couple of air tanks like used to inflate tires, you can use extra storage volume to mask having an undersized compressor. or if you watch craigslist people sometimes give away compressors that have blown their pump or locked up & they can be used for extra storage volume.

but if you purchase a gun look closely at the cfm rating. I know I have some that pull around 22cfm. but are old suction type, which I prefer. but for average individual stay under 10, & closer to 5 the better for small compressors.

I consider tools an investment, & I have quite a few dust collectors, that havent been used in years. but I once made my living doing mechanic work, & then went to body work, & painting, & then into working on old Harleys.

if you go for a rental, or decide to do it yourself, one way or another, buy a cheap water filter to install at the gun for a last ditch, to help remove moisture.

Randy

I bought a gallon of rustolium   (sail blue ) at walmart , thined it down with mineral spirits , and it came out real nice.
I was able to buff it and it has a real nice shine to it , i think it looks just as good as alot of cars i`ve painted with PPG. Products.

You might be able to rent an HVLP sprayer that has it's own air supply

Or, you can strip it of all trim, bumpers, lights, rubber etc, do the body prep yourself, ( sanding, dent repair etc, ) and drive it over to Maaco for a $ 200 paint job. If you do a good job of prep and masking etc, thats a cheap and good way to get a decent paint job. If your going to buy or rent equipment, buy the time you add it all up, this may be a cheaper and easier alternative.

Or, you can strip it of all trim, bumpers, lights, rubber etc, do the body prep yourself, ( sanding, dent repair etc, ) and drive it over to Maaco for a $ 200 paint job. If you do a good job of prep and masking etc, thats a cheap and good way to get a decent paint job. If your going to buy or rent equipment, buy the time you add it all up, this may be a cheaper and easier alternative.

best idea yet. if you have a macco or similar that would probably be cheaper in the long run.

Damn, I wish Earl Scheib was still around...You could do the body and prep then supply them with the paint and have them shoot it. Heck, half the fun is doing it yourself. Remember, you'll get better each time, LOL.