So I've never painted a car before...and this paint is cheap...so why not?!?

You're getting some great advice.
I say do what you have planned except,,,
find a local buddy that wil come over to your
homemade paint booth and show you the ropes.
Be a spectator the first time around, it will really be
the best if you want a paint job you can live with. Good Luck!

 

If you don't run it, you're not doing it right.


I've ran every clear coat I've ever sprayed. And I'm damn proud of it!

 

isnt it a capitol offense to paint a car in california? lol!

 

You are sure to get a lot of very useful and good advice from others on this website.
As someone mentioned, lots of talented painters here. For what it may be worth, here is my sugestion. Ratehr than prep and paint a car for the first go, why not consider prepping and painting a filing cabinet? Or tool box? Or your neighbors mailbox? Uh, maybe noit that mailbox. At least this way you will see errors, mistakes, and learn how to avoid and/or correct them. Mstakes on a car are, well, big and a pain to strip, sand, whatever. Definitely, go for it. It is a skill anyone can learn. Well, almost anyone. A desire to do the best you can do and then doing it can be very satisfying. Read all the words from all who reply. A free education!!
Good luck and post photos!!

 

Consider base coat/clear coat if it is your first paint job and it will be a metalic. Single stage metalics are tough for even the experienced to get right. Paint is realatively cheap compared to the time it takes to prep a car for paint.

Bob

 

I have shot that EXACT paint. Actually I have shot their "Daytona Blue", their "Metalic Purple" "Emerald Green" and their "Teal". It is fairly easy to shoot. I shot grills, frame, suspension, and bodies seperate, and it all matched up very well. It does spray "heavy" and will sag if not careful from the weight of the mettalic. GO FOR IT. Never understood why guys fear shooting their own basic paint jobs, unless you are looking for a home shot $20K job.

 

do it your self no matter what people say it is not as hard as people say just buy a cheap gravity feed gun for 30 bucks at harbor freight and some tape scuff it all down and wipe the whole car down with wax and greese remover mix the paint put it in the gun and ajust the gun till you see a fan with a good amount of paint coming out and start painting the car as if you have been painting for years. thee only advice I can give is dont look at the gun or the paint coming out look down the side of the panels using the horison as a back bone to see the gloss optimazation of the paint on the panel and give the paint time to flow out and cure between coats paint temp room temp between 75-80 degrees keep it simple. no need to turn air pressure up too high wear a resporator so you dont pass out

if you want to test out your painting skills put wax and greese remover in your gun and test paint the car with that it will not hurt any thing but will give you a chance to see how the paint will FLOW OUT. keep in mind that the paint wll be a lot thicker than wax and greese remover so you may have to re ajust the gun when painting. make sure to buy some laquer thinner to clean the gun out or it will be ruined if you leave any paint in it. If you have any questions just ask. you can pm me.

when I painted my first truck every one told me all these problems I would have and it scared me but I sait screw it just like you and I painted with no problems in a garage and a 110 compressor just by following what I just told you . it is the same thing my cousin told me. good luck

 

One thing that hasnt been mentioned or i missed it was that if you have any imperfections in it you cannot sand them out of a metallic single stage. I really recommend a single stage solid for your first, that paint you have kinda looks like itd be a bitch...even if you have been sprayin a while.