Sponsored

Repainting hood or other body panel yourself?

DivineStrike

Doomsday
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Threads
82
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
200
Location
Charleston
Vehicle(s)
15 GTPP, 11 F150 FX4, 07 CBR600RR
Anyone ever do this yourself with a magnetic car or other metallic?

My 2015 has the infamous hood cancer, which ford denied. I really have no intention on going with a carbon fiber hood, nor do I want to pay for a brand new hood. I would rather paint it myself as I know if I get it repainted by a shop its just going to come back later on. I don't really mind that if it's my work as i'd have saved on labor costs.

I would intend on using a paint gun. Also not sure about where to acquire OEM paint...dealer i guess.

Looking for others experience or tips.
Sponsored

 

Cobra Jet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Threads
705
Messages
16,235
Reaction score
17,947
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 EB Prem. w/PP and 94 Mustang Cobra
I think the metallics are either 3 or 4 stage paints.

I haven't seen any posts on here of a DIY for a metallic respray, but it would be a good tech thread if someone attempted.
 

XS

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2017
Threads
3
Messages
357
Reaction score
398
Location
Rockies
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT PP
Metallic takes a lot of experience to get right. The application as to be perfect. Flat surfaces, like your hood, are the hardest too. I would pay a shop honestly. I have painting experience and I painted the silver metallic bumper and hood on my '99 Durango. The bumper looked perfect. Despite my DIY experience, the hood tiger striped regardless of my best efforts and hard work to avoid that exact issue. Considering the cost of supplies, I was livid with myself and I couldn't stand how awful it looked so I just gave it to a shop to redo. A very expensive mistake.
 
OP
OP
DivineStrike

DivineStrike

Doomsday
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Threads
82
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
200
Location
Charleston
Vehicle(s)
15 GTPP, 11 F150 FX4, 07 CBR600RR
Metallic takes a lot of experience to get right. The application as to be perfect. Flat surfaces, like your hood, are the hardest too. I would pay a shop honestly. I have painting experience and I painted the silver metallic bumper and hood on my '99 Durango. The bumper looked perfect. Despite my DIY experience, the hood tiger striped regardless of my best efforts and hard work to avoid that exact issue. Considering the cost of supplies, I was livid with myself and I couldn't stand how awful it looked so I just gave it to a shop to redo. A very expensive mistake.
Roughly what was your diy cost? Estimate is fine, just curious.
 

XS

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2017
Threads
3
Messages
357
Reaction score
398
Location
Rockies
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT PP
Roughly what was your diy cost? Estimate is fine, just curious.
Approximately $600 I think. The shop redid it for $1000. But I also rented a booth and did other things you can skip. I also needed two different primers, one for the bumper (plastic) and a high build primer for the hood. I bought enough paint for two coats of base and five coats of clear (plan for orange peel so you have enough clear to level and polish). I did not get past one coat of clear before it became apparent I was too unhappy with the tiger striping to live with it. The supplies I bought were:
Primer
Body filler - presumably you won't need this
Base coat, clear coat, and one can of guide coat paint
Sand paper (400 - 2000 grit wet sand)
Tack cloths for dust - you can skip, it's just an extra caution
Isopropyl wipe downs
Respirator (do NOT skimp on the respirator and filters for it)
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
DivineStrike

DivineStrike

Doomsday
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Threads
82
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
200
Location
Charleston
Vehicle(s)
15 GTPP, 11 F150 FX4, 07 CBR600RR
I see, doesn’t sound much cheaper than having a shop do it tbh.
 

86pagt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
317
Reaction score
336
Location
Virginia
First Name
Dale
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Mustang GT
I had a entire hood repaint estimate done by a ford dealer.... Ruby red and it was $540.00 which I thought was a good price
 

Veteran

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
369
Reaction score
250
Location
Italy
Vehicle(s)
2020 GT white
I have a lot of diy spray experience . I’d never do it for 2 reasons,
Striping on large surface and lack of booth.
small parts are ok though
 

Kevdon92

Active Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
35
Reaction score
4
Location
Philadelphia
Vehicle(s)
None
I have Guard with the same issue and may just try and tape off the edge and blend the line from spraying
 

ctandc72

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
44
Messages
1,621
Reaction score
1,074
Location
VA
Vehicle(s)
'19 GT 6 speed Base
Vehicle Showcase
1
All depends on what you're trying to do. How bad is the rust? Are there spots you'll need to fill?

Get the supplies and paint at a good auto body paint / supply store. They will mix the paint based on your factory paint code. Some good shops will actually scan your car and adjust the factory paint mix based on that to help blend the repair.

Tiger stripes from metallic are almost always gun pressure / spray pattern issues. Go to the junkyard, buy a large flat hood from a truck / car. Odds are you can get one cheap / close to free.

If you really want to do it - practice.

Quality paint / clear isn't horribly expensive for spot repairs such as a hood. If you have to do finish work, supplies will add up (tape, sandpaper, 3m scotch-brite pads, filller if needed)......

You do not need an expensive HVLP gun to get good results. You just need to practice on spray out panels (the hood I mentioned) with your actual color to get the fan and pressure where it looks right.

The great thing about base coat / clear coat is that you don't have to be an expert to make the job look GREAT. You simply have to have patience. The different comes AFTER painting and clearing. You can color sand / cut / buff most mistakes out. That's the beauty of clear coat.

The truth is that blending a current hood in a metallic, darker color like Magnetic will not be guaranteed for even an experienced painter. And odds are if you do it yourself, you'll likely be the only one that notices all the imperfections.

That's the downside to doing your own prep and paint. To do good prep work (90% of a good paint job) you'll need to go over the panel multiple times. Bribe a local painter (beer or cash usually works) to check your work BEFORE you start spraying.

Most bad DIY paint jobs are caused by bad prep work.

Want to a SMALL taste of doing it without dropping a ton of money or time? Call your local auto body paint supply store. GOOD ones will have the ability to put base coat in your color in a spray can. It's not spray paint - it's actual base coat mixed with propellant and put in a spray can.

For clear coat - get some Spraymax 2K clear coat. Most good shops will have it. Many high volume shops are starting to use it on small blend / repair jobs where time is money. It's an actual urethane, hardened clear coat in a spray can. You pierce a container via a button on the the bottom of the can, it releases the catalyst in the can to mix with the clear. Shake it well and you have a legitimate 2K urethane hardened clear. Just like the stuff that comes out of the paint gun. Once it's mixed you only have so much pot life to spray it.

Try your hand on a spare panel.

Here's the inner fender on a GREEN fender I started on for the 95 Bronco I redid with my son. It's original paint and rust free - but the RH front fender has some bondo from a fender bender repair (likely done via insurance 20+ years ago). I wanted to test the spray out on the inner fender. Hoping to spray the outer in the next few weeks.

inner fender painted1.jpeg


I didn't take a ton of time with prep (it's the inner fender - just didn't want it green) and that's 3 coats of PPG base coat from a aerosol can, following my two coats of Spray max clear coat. Excuse the crappy picture........

HTH

Be warned, once you go down the paint / body rabbit hole, you'll never look at paint jobs the same again.
 

Sponsored

Kevdon92

Active Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
35
Reaction score
4
Location
Philadelphia
Vehicle(s)
None
All depends on what you're trying to do. How bad is the rust? Are there spots you'll need to fill?

Get the supplies and paint at a good auto body paint / supply store. They will mix the paint based on your factory paint code. Some good shops will actually scan your car and adjust the factory paint mix based on that to help blend the repair.

Tiger stripes from metallic are almost always gun pressure / spray pattern issues. Go to the junkyard, buy a large flat hood from a truck / car. Odds are you can get one cheap / close to free.

If you really want to do it - practice.

Quality paint / clear isn't horribly expensive for spot repairs such as a hood. If you have to do finish work, supplies will add up (tape, sandpaper, 3m scotch-brite pads, filller if needed)......

You do not need an expensive HVLP gun to get good results. You just need to practice on spray out panels (the hood I mentioned) with your actual color to get the fan and pressure where it looks right.

The great thing about base coat / clear coat is that you don't have to be an expert to make the job look GREAT. You simply have to have patience. The different comes AFTER painting and clearing. You can color sand / cut / buff most mistakes out. That's the beauty of clear coat.

The truth is that blending a current hood in a metallic, darker color like Magnetic will not be guaranteed for even an experienced painter. And odds are if you do it yourself, you'll likely be the only one that notices all the imperfections.

That's the downside to doing your own prep and paint. To do good prep work (90% of a good paint job) you'll need to go over the panel multiple times. Bribe a local painter (beer or cash usually works) to check your work BEFORE you start spraying.

Most bad DIY paint jobs are caused by bad prep work.

Want to a SMALL taste of doing it without dropping a ton of money or time? Call your local auto body paint supply store. GOOD ones will have the ability to put base coat in your color in a spray can. It's not spray paint - it's actual base coat mixed with propellant and put in a spray can.

For clear coat - get some Spraymax 2K clear coat. Most good shops will have it. Many high volume shops are starting to use it on small blend / repair jobs where time is money. It's an actual urethane, hardened clear coat in a spray can. You pierce a container via a button on the the bottom of the can, it releases the catalyst in the can to mix with the clear. Shake it well and you have a legitimate 2K urethane hardened clear. Just like the stuff that comes out of the paint gun. Once it's mixed you only have so much pot life to spray it.

Try your hand on a spare panel.

Here's the inner fender on a GREEN fender I started on for the 95 Bronco I redid with my son. It's original paint and rust free - but the RH front fender has some bondo from a fender bender repair (likely done via insurance 20+ years ago). I wanted to test the spray out on the inner fender. Hoping to spray the outer in the next few weeks.

inner fender painted1.jpeg


I didn't take a ton of time with prep (it's the inner fender - just didn't want it green) and that's 3 coats of PPG base coat from a aerosol can, following my two coats of Spray max clear coat. Excuse the crappy picture........

HTH

Be warned, once you go down the paint / body rabbit hole, you'll never look at paint jobs the same again.
I was planning on doing something similar to this, just masking a much smaller area
 

ctandc72

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
44
Messages
1,621
Reaction score
1,074
Location
VA
Vehicle(s)
'19 GT 6 speed Base
Vehicle Showcase
1
I was planning on doing something similar to this, just masking a much smaller area

FWIW - me personally - I would NOT use duplicolor or any other spray paint for a repair. Get base coat put in an aerosol can - any good paint supply shop can do this. And if the clear you are using does not have a button at the bottom to mix the hardener - it's not a true urethane 2K clear.
 

Kevdon92

Active Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
35
Reaction score
4
Location
Philadelphia
Vehicle(s)
None
FWIW - me personally - I would NOT use duplicolor or any other spray paint for a repair. Get base coat put in an aerosol can - any good paint supply shop can do this. And if the clear you are using does not have a button at the bottom to mix the hardener - it's not a true urethane 2K clear.
Oh yeah, I just meant the technique, not the actual paint. I was considering having automotive touch up mix up some Guard in an aerosol can
 

ctandc72

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
44
Messages
1,621
Reaction score
1,074
Location
VA
Vehicle(s)
'19 GT 6 speed Base
Vehicle Showcase
1
Oh yeah, I just meant the technique, not the actual paint. I was considering having automotive touch up mix up some Guard in an aerosol can
No need for touch up. Just take your paint code to a good shop. They'll mix it. Get some of the 2K clear and go to town. Get a GOOD respirator to spray this stuff.
 

MX5Racer

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2015
Threads
32
Messages
495
Reaction score
334
Location
Saratoga Springs NY
Website
www.rixclix.com
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT Convertible
My 2015 has the infamous hood cancer, which ford denied.
Did Ford deny a warrenty repair or a TSB request? I'm curious, as I'm about to go in with the TSB and try to get my hood replaced.
Sponsored

 
 




Top