Lowest temperature to paint in? (Yep, I did it. PICS)

[terrible one]

Bodymen? Anyone else? I'm Googling and getting answers of 50* and 60* as being the lowest to paint in. Don't know what difference it makes but I'm using Rustoleum enamel in spray cans to paint the whole car. Sundays are the only days I can do it and tomorrow will be 55* and 35-40% humidity for a good few hours. Should I go for it? I don't want to fuck up the whole paint job on this car, but it's only getting colder . . .

[mikepmcs]

TO
I say go for it!  If you have a little space heater to help that would be a bonus, but you should be ok.  Shake em up in the house where it is warmer first, then shake them every 30 seconds or so while you are spraying.  Don't try to cover everything in one shot, just mist it on in layers, give her a chance to dry and then hit it again, and again(if you don't it's going to run).  Patience is the key here, you cannot rush this).  Also, pick a place to stop while spraying that is at the end of a panel or an edge.  Don't spray 3 foot of the qtr panel back and forth.  Use that rattle can just like a gun, one fluid motion across the whole panel, about a 50%-75% overlap as you go down the panel(hopefully they are the wide spray type).   
Have fun, good luck and take some pictures.

oh, one more thing, when the can is getting low, don't try to squeeze every last drop out of the can, go to a new can.  You can save the almost empties for later and do some touch up underneath or in the trunk, etc.. where blotching, spotting, spitting really doesn't matter.

v/r
Mike

[superduperbee]

I have done this myself. I have painted parts with temps. in the mid 40s and turned out ok. Keep the cans in the house till you're ready to spray, that way the paint wont spray all thick and blotchy. Wipe off the areas to be painted with terry cloth towel to get rid of any moisture, then paper towel to get rid of any lint.

[mikepmcs]

Good point SDB, forgot about the wax/grease removal and tacking off.  Good catch!

[terrible one]

Thanks for the info guys!

My shop is isolated and there is really no source of warmth for the cans, but I suppose I could keep them all in the car with the heater on or something? Like I said the whole place is isolated and all I have is electricity so my plan so far is to get a few 5 gallon buckets from work and fill them up with soap and water and give it a good scrubbing, then rinse it, then dry it, then give it a once over with some wax and grease remover. Does that seem plausible?

[mikepmcs]

that will take quite a long time to dry unless you have an air source to blow it off.  Make sure you get in all the cracks with the air and get that water out of there as it will ruin your job.  Also that moisture even after you blow it off is still going to be present on the car(think cold and damp).  If the car body is in decent shape(cleanliness wise), i would skip the washing and just scrub it down with the final wash or whatever you are using for a final prep cleaner.  It will dry a hell of a lot faster and you will be able to paint the car today.

It's 1015 better get busy.

[terrible one]

Hey man I hear you there. I was thinking microfiber towels for the dry but I hear you about the moisture. The thing isn't dirty, just dusty. I guess I get to cheat because it's 9:25 here right now! Heh. I'm going to get all the paint and take it to the apartment so it can be warming up, then I'll leave it in the warm car as I said while I'm painting. I think it's going to happen! 

[jaak]

another tip on keeping the paint cans warm.... fill a bucket up with hot water from your house and place your spray cans in the bucket of hot water until you are ready to use them.... will work for a few minutes until of coarse the water in the bucket gets cold.

Good Luck,
Jason

[terrible one]

Thanks man. I guess keeping the paint itself warm is important. Right now I've got the cans over here warming up. I went to the shop to get them and the car is a bit nastier than I thought. There's also just a couple spots on the body I want to mess with before painting. I'm going to leave the cans here while I get all of that taken care of and then hopefully they'll be at room temp, and from there they can just go in the car with me and have the heater. I really like the hot bucket of water idea, but I've got about 40 something or maybe 50 cans (Not sure how many it will take to do the whole car?) I suppose I could just do a few at a time and kind of keep them backed up?

[jaak]

Be sure to post pics of your progress!

Good luck,
Jason

[Silver R/T]

Good point SDB, forgot about the wax/grease removal and tacking off.  Good catch!

just go out and get a tack cloth, you wont believe how much crap it will pick up. Use it just before painting.

[FLG]

You also need to remember its not necessarily the air temp that needs to be fairly warm, with temps in the 50's your main concern should be the temp of the car itself. That metal is still going to be colder then the air, so you need to make sure its warm enough. Id probably let it sit in the sun for awhile or find some way to keep the panels warm.

[terrible one]

Well . . .

I did it. Obviously it didn't turn out as well as it could have, but I'm not upset about it or anything. I went ahead and washed the car with soapy water, scrubbed it, borrowed a massive fan to dry it, wiped it down with wax and grease remover, let it dry, then wiped it clean, then taped off and painted. The only thing that gets me is that it is full of splotches, some of them from paint application and some of them from the surface not being right I think. They're worst on the deck lid and roof. The killer of the day was the wind! It wasn't hard but was almost constant, and it REALLY fucked me up. It was pretty frustrating because I know if it wasn't for that it would have went fine. Oh well. I'm going to post some pictures next and you guys tell me what you think. Obviously I'm not shooting for anything close to what most would consider nice, but I do want it to look decent. What can be done about the splotches? Will they improve with a heavy coat of wax? Should I try wetsanding? I know nothing when it comes to paint and body. Tell me what you guys think . . .

[terrible one]

[69 OUR/TEA]

  I can think of a few ?'s to ask,but first I'm not trying to be a$$,but did I miss something?I geuss I want to know WHY you did this?I mean,so much body work apparently needed,money in the rattle cans,time,etc........ I mean,you were worried about cleaning it,tacking it,etc... Sorry if I sound out of line,not trying to offend you,but you could have stuffed the holes,did some half ass bodyfiller work,and sent it to maaco and just got their bottom of the line paint job for probably not that much more than you have in all the rattle cans you bought?

[terrible one]

I can think of a few ?'s to ask,but first I'm not trying to be a$$,but did I miss something?I geuss I want to know WHY you did this?I mean,so much body work apparently needed,money in the rattle cans,time,etc........ I mean,you were worried about cleaning it,tacking it,etc... Sorry if I sound out of line,not trying to offend you,but you could have stuffed the holes,did some half ass bodyfiller work,and sent it to maaco and just got their bottom of the line paint job for probably not that much more than you have in all the rattle cans you bought?

Hey man,

No offense taken at all. I had $100 or so into the paint, and then other BS materials probably like $30 so we'll just say $130. I didn't feel like buying Bondo, and I don't have the time, money, or skill to fix the rust correctly right now. There isn't a Maaco or anything like that around here and I don't have a trailer. The lowest estimate I got to spray the whole car around here was $700. As you can see, the body is dented and rusty. That being said, I really just wanted the car all one color, and liked red better than primer I guess.  I can see how someone would look at the results and say that the car looks like shit . . . hell, it kind of does. But you have to understand that I am in college full time, live on my own, work as a cook at a restaurant, etc. All I'm trying to do right now is get my Charger on the road. I have found it a struggle just to own one and keep putting money into it so far, so not having a really nice paint job is really the least of my worries. Body work needed is right, so I don't see the point in getting a real base/clear job right now anyways, even if it was from Maaco. The thing is, if I tore it all down and started bodywork, it would just be sitting. For years.

I'm going to make it someday, and then I'll do it right.

[knitz01]

Amen bro, Do what you can afford right now This shit is pricy and at least it looks like you can drive it. Mine is in peices. i would try a light wet sand to even out the color(so lt looks like a base coat), and maybe just shoot a cheap clear on it. My father in law did that and didn't turn out to bad.

[SFRT]

YES!

spray paint rules, especially as a motivator! ANY FORWARD PROGRESS ROCKS!

[69bronzeT5]

HOLY RATTLECANS BATMAN!!!!!

It looks pretty good for rattlecans.

[Ghoste]

Now you need to fix the slow leak in the left front tire.  (I'm sure it's my imagination but it looks a little lower in each progress pic)

Good work and I'm SFRT on this one, any forward progress rocks.

[mikepmcs]

TO
Live with the blotches, you aren't going to wet sand that stuff out, it's going to be ok and you will forget about them in a week.
I agree with SFRT, you are making progress and that's all that matters. Good job and stick with it.
Now what you can do is when you do have a little spare time, pick something and work on it.  I suggest mechanical stuff first.  Once you do that, then suspension/brakes etc.... after the good stuff is done then you can concentrate on the body portion, and then you just do one little thing at time on that as well.  ie: you got a free day pick a fender and fix it up, that sort of thing.  It's all one color now so you will be able to see where the panel needs attention. Body work is not that scary, just a little passion and the want to make it look right and you will eventually get it done.  Don't get me wrong, bodywork and paint is an artwork in itself(and i'm still in the learning process myself) but with a little practice you can achieve very desirable results .

Just keep moving forward and get that beast on the road. (i should live by my own words, but do as I say not as I do )

v/r
Mike

[terrible one]

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

Looking at the pictures today I'm a bit more satisfied. The car is going to look real good with the front slots on there. Really it's not the blotches that gets at me, it's the fact that it would have been seriously smooth if it hadn't been for the wind and me having to zoom in to compensate. Oh well, like I said, I just wanted it all one color. Now I won't be pissed off when it gets scratched, etc.

As for the car, I really don't know what all progress I've posted here and not, but mechanically, I'm almost done.

I have:

Installed new Mopar XHD leaf springs
Installed new shocks
Installed new brake lines front and rear, and master cylinder
Pulled the rear, restored the housing, replaced the 2.76 pegleg with a clutch type 3.55 suregrip unit
Replaced everything up front: ball joints, bushings, etc. excluding sway bar
Pieced together a disc brake setup for the front
A fresh, mildly built 383 lacking a few accessories
A rebuilt 727 from member RD
Driveshaft
Other shit

I need:

Wiring
Seats
Motor mounts
Driveshaft strap thingies
Radiator
Firm Feel steering box and Flaming River coupler
Rear drum hardware
Parking brake cables
Starter
Some other shit

I hope it's on the road for spring. 

[BigBlockSam]

Amen bro, Do what you can afford right now 2thumbs

  at least your having some fun with your car

[six-tee-nine]

At least if you have to make a choice, you made the right one 

You have good brakes and suspension....... to much guys on the road with high dollar paint jobs and crappy brakes......
At least you can be sure you'll get home in one piece in stead of mabye trashing some nice undentet places of your dream-machine.

[skip68]

  Dammmm T-one, you've been busy.    I'll trade you my paint for the suregrip and steering box when you get it.    Doing great brother.     Chuck...........

[superduperbee]

I painted a couple parts this morning 28 degrees in the garage. The parts came out ok but the can wouldn't stop spraying when I was done.

[hemi-hampton]

I would not recommend any colder then 55 myself. Ray Donna sez High

[terrible one]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Chuck and six-tee-nine. Like Mike said I'm kind of over the splotches, etc. anyways. I gave it a good 4 hour waxing just for primary protection and it looks a bit better. Now I'm just ready to build on it! The box actually goes out and a transaction with Firm Feel will be made next week. I'm also hoping to pick up a radiator and motor mounts too. Once the drivetrain is in I'll go ahead and take it to the exhaust shop, then I'll just have wiring, some engine parts, etc. left to start it, but I will be able to break it in/ drive it once I do because it'll have exhaust. I guess I need to finish up the brake system too . . .

I'm ready!

[superduperbee]

I would not recommend any colder then 55 myself. Ray Donna sez High