How to paint your car for $75.00 - No kidding

[Styluss]

I recently just finished painting my car myself, at home, in my driveway.
I used a foam brush and some Rustoleum from Home Depot... No, really.
Total cost of the project was $72.40 and it took about 10 days of my time.
The final result is amazing to say the least. Dont get me wrong, it is not perfect, but for $72.40 I would say it is a damn good job.
What do you think?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/StylussKid/Paint%20Project/DSC06185.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/StylussKid/Paint%20Project/DSC06172.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/StylussKid/Paint%20Project/DSC06198.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/StylussKid/Paint%20Project/DSC06178.jpg


Here is a link to the write up on how I did it:

Styluss Customs - Poor Man's Paint Job (http://www.stylusscustoms.com/poorMansPaintJob.html)

I know some of you may have seen the $50 Paint Job out there, this is different. Yes, it uses some of the same principles, but an entirely different technique to help eliminate the need for excessive sanding. What you see here is NOT sanded and NOT polished in any way. I simply let the paint dry, washed it and waxed it.

I figured some of you might want to throw a coat or 2 on your rides. It really is an easy, inexpensive way to bring some new life back to your car!!

[jhadler]

Great looking paint job! As always, it's all in the prep. A lot of prep will generally result in a good paint job. Minimal prep, and you get an Earl Schieb quality job that looks great the very next day, and looks pretty darn poor a couple years later.

I've always found these $50 paint jobs interesting.

The test of time is what I have yet to see from any of these that I've seen on the web. How well does the paint stand up to the sun and the elements. Does it fade? Does it crack? Does it peel?

These are the questions that I haven't really seen answers to yet. If you can point me to a site that can show how well the paint stands up to the elements, that would be great!

-Josh2

[Styluss]

50 Dollar Paint W/ "after" pics (http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html)

This was the inspiration for my paint job. Scroll down to the bottom of his page for his after pics. He has them at 4 months, 8 months and 1 year. It still looks great.

[jhadler]

Not too shabby! Seems to have held up alright. :)

But the prep that went into that Corvair... That makes a huge difference.

-Josh2

[ianacole]

50 Dollar Paint W/ "after" pics (http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html)

This was the inspiration for my paint job. Scroll down to the bottom of his page for his after pics. He has them at 4 months, 8 months and 1 year. It still looks great.

I got a kick out of his site :)

[Styluss]

Plus he sanded between every one of his coats! That is what gave him the like glass finish. I created my method just to avoid all the work!

[PaulL]

Very nice job - congratulations!

Did you have much of a problem with bugs and leaves and dust getting stuck in the paint as it was drying?
With 50% mineral spiritis, I bet it took hours to become dry to the touch.

What type of paint is the Rustoleum?
An oil based enamel?

[fast_eddie_72]

I've heard about this. It looks great! You bringing it to the event Sunday? I'd like to have a look in person.

When I read about it I wondered how you deal with nooks and crannys. Did you have any trouble like that? I guess newer cars don't have things like drip rails and stuff.

[z46]

nice job. i saw a website a while back where a guy did a 69 charger like this. i plan on doing this for my rally car so thanks for the info

[Styluss]

For painting this in my driveway, I did not have too much of an issue with bugs, leaves etc... If anything large did end up getting stuck to the car, I just let the paint dry, then "chipped" it off of the paint very carefully. If you did not read the write up, I laid on 3 coats, then wetsanded and then another 3 coats. That wetsanding eliminates a lot of flaws too.

As for dry times? Thinning it makes it dry quicker! With an early enough start I was able to lay down 2 coats in one day! It would dry to the touch, fully, in about 6 hours or so. And yes, Rustoleum is an oil based paint.

As for "nooks and crannies", well, that is the main reason I removed the bumpers and painted them seperately. they have a body line, a very thin body line in them I did not want to deal with painting in a vetical manner. I took them off so I could paint them as a horizontal plain as much as possible. And really, it is all in the techinique. In the 6 coats I laid on the car, there was only 2wice that the paint ran or dripped that I had to fix.

AND YES! I will be at the event this sunday, please come and have a look!!

[Tom Hunsinger]

AND YES! I will be at the event this sunday, please come and have a look!!

Then we can see how well cone marks come off :D

[Styluss]

Then we can see how well cone marks come off :D

THIS, is true.....

[RAB]

http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

[47ford]

I recently just finished painting my car myself, at home, in my driveway.
I used a foam brush and some Rustoleum from Home Depot... No, really.
Total cost of the project was $72.40 and it took about 10 days of my time.
The final result is amazing to say the least. Dont get me wrong, it is not perfect, but for $72.40 I would say it is a damn good job.
What do you think?


I think your car is all one shade of white now instead of two or three shades (+ the black hood):D . That alone is an improvement. Can't wait to see it in person, unfortunately I won't be able to be there sunday (Nov 4th):( . maybe at the next event;) .

Mike

[Styluss]

http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

That is indeed where I took my motivation from, and I credited him properly in my write up. The way the paint is mixed is just about the only thing my method shares with his though...

[tronic]

Back from the dead..

is Ryan Haenny still out there?
I'm curious how the paint job has held up in 2 years. I'm thinking of a cheap way to paint my Integra.

[Styluss]

I am still out here! PM Sent.