FAQ
Project.
Frequently Asked Questions about Painting a FIAT
By George Emery, August 1998
By George Emery, August 1998
FAQ Project. |
Frequently Asked Questions about Painting a FIAT By George Emery, August 1998 |
Contents
1) How do I improve my Fiat's faded paint?
2) I'd really like to repaint my Fiat… what are the choices?
3) Any tips for bodywork?
4) What paints should I use?
5) Any tips for spraying the paint?
1) How do I improve my Fiat's faded paint?
Despite the poor steel Fiat/Lancia used in the '70s, their paint quality was quite good. As long as you're not planning bodywork or rust repair, the first thing to do is get a can of rubbing compound and a couple of soft cloths, follow the application directions on a test area, and see if that brightens & polishes the paint to your satisfaction. If so, then attack the whole car (plan on 8 hours to cover all the exterior of a 131/Brava). Beware of rubbing too long in one area since you might cut through the color layer. Use an old toothbrush to get in cracks, crevices, and around trim. Finish off by thoroughly waxing to prevent further oxidation.
2) I'd really like to repaint my Fiat… what are the choices?
Doing all the work yourself, performing only the bodywork and surface preparation, or letting someone else do all the work. The work can be as extensive as you wish (remove all trim, upholstery, glass and mechanicals, then acid-dipped, rust repaired, general bodywork, sprayed, and reassembled) or as minimal as possible (sand the exterior, mask, and spray). Unless you have major rust damage, acid-dipping isn't recommended, nor are other paint removal methods-you'll have better paint adhesion as a result. If you're planning on changing the color of the car, know in advance that the proper way to do it is by removing everything… it's usually a better idea to keep the car near the original color and just spray the exterior, door sills, and door jambs. The original color can cheaply and easily be spiced up by going two-tone or using graphics (pinstriping, vinyl stickers, sponge painting, or a combination). If you want to match the original color of your car, you will need to give your paint supplier Fiat's paint code, which can be located with the aid of a Hayne's manual, or a good paint sample.
3) Any tips for bodywork?
Take your time! If you use a hammer to form sheetmetal, use lots of small blows to avoid distorting the panel. Once you get the surface close, sand and use a minimum of filler ("bondo") to smooth the surface. Small areas of rust can be treated effectively with naval jelly after removing the paint. To sand down filler on large surfaces, get one of the long body sanding tools to keep the surface from appearing wavy after painting. Feather the edges of large rock chips so that a half inch of OEM primer shows through as it blends into the surrounding paint.
4) What paints should I use?
Only fanatics and lunatics, with more money and time than us mere mortals, use lacquer paints. Home auto painters (and many professional shops), today, use acrylic enamel paints. Most professional shops can also spray urethane paints. If you're sending your car to a shop for painting, then by all means have them use urethane paint as it produces an incredibly tough finish-some people don't like the slightly plastic appearance, however, so look at samples before you commit. If you're spraying the car yourself, then only venture into urethane paints if you have the proper safety gear (an exterior forced air respirator mask with air pump-great for general use in the shop, but they cost about $750 for a single man unit and $1000 for a two man unit). I've sprayed both enamel and urethane at home on three cars and believe I've had better success with the urethane. Urethane doesn't run or sag as readily as the enamel, dries faster, and doesn't attract insects as much as enamel. Enamel is cheaper, less toxic while spraying, and can be kept in the spray cup longer (has a longer pot life).
5) Any tips for spraying the paint?
Keep the work area clean and dust free. If spraying in your garage or carport, make a cleanroom by taping or stapling plastic sheets, especially on your ceiling. Reduce dust contamination by misting water onto the floor. Use a sealing coat compatible with your topcoats before spraying the topcoats. Strain the paint and thinner (enamel) or catalyst (urethane) to avoid gnat-sized lumps in the finish. Buy several spraygun cups to avoid contaminating different colors of paint. Overlap spray paths by 50% when spraying enamel and 75% when spraying urethane.
George Emery, August 1998