Repainting Carb Zen - Brick Red Colour

[ss80]

Today fixed the headlamps back, gave another round of putty work to some panels, finally fixed front bumper and used a bit of body filler to fill all deep scratches. There is a tear in the front bumper, I am not sure if I will be able to fix it. Now only bumper work is pending, that's about 2 - 3 hrs of work. Then car is ready to be sprayed.


fixed headlamps


I tried to work on the bumper, but it dint help as keeps shaking a lot and also flexes. So had to fix it to the car then start the work.









The car is some what looking better with bumpers. I am not sure, if I will paint it Red as some scratches are too deep. May be I might paint it black as well.

 

[sumitsinha12]

SS80- I am glued to this thread from the very begining. I was a silent visitor.
Very nice and appreciable work done so far. Really hats off to you.
About the bumpers, whatever you do, these scratches will appear. The best solution is to get them new.
Along with the bumpers change the Indicator lamps also. It will add four stars to a newly painted car.
All the best for future works on this car.

 

[jarpickle]

Anand, why not use a grinder or polisher to smooth the scratches then use putty and hardener or you can try what Sreejesh did and use his technique to repair the bumper using fiber glass.

 

[ss80]

Bumper Update

SS80- I am glued to this thread from the very begining. I was a silent visitor.
Very nice and appreciable work done so far. Really hats off to you.
About the bumpers, whatever you do, these scratches will appear. The best solution is to get them new.
Along with the bumpers change the Indicator lamps also. It will add four stars to a newly painted car.
All the best for future works on this car.

Thanks a lot Sumit. You are 100% right about painting old bumpers, the whole project got delayed just because of the bumper painting (my idea). Struggling a lot to try to bring out a decent finish though.

Anand, why not use a grinder or polisher to smooth the scratches then use putty and hardener or you can try what Sreejesh did and use his technique to repair the bumper using fiber glass.

I dont have a grinder/polisher, budget is over shot so all expenses put on hold unless related to metal surface/ paint. I will do a small patch work for sure for the cut.

Not much progress for today, just started wiping the doors with thinner to get rid of the Black Spray can paint.

 

[sumitsinha12]

I will still sugget you to go for new bumbers.
Are you going to paint the bumpers body colored?

 

[ss80]

Here is the update on Bumpers, I started off today with some body filler to cover the deep areas, then scrubbing and finally work begins on the Bumpers.

Today again the Swift car was parked at less than 10feet from this car and I waited till afternoon for the car to leave, after lunch I am frustrated to see a Santro Xing, Indica, Swift and a few 2 wheelers all parked at less than 15feet from the car! I felt that it is better to relocate for this evening if not everything gets delayed.

So called up a friend of mine (the WagonR guy) and fueled the car with 5litres of petrol and loaded with all required equipments and went to his place by 4.45pm. Masking took some 15mins time then started wiping whole bumper with thinner (repeated this task for a few times with fresh cotton waste everytime).

Applied the Plastic primer and let it dry

Rear bumper with Primer



Front bumper with Primer




First coat of Surfacer on the dried Primer (Germany product)


Since it was a open road with trees and uneven wind directions, I had to continously change the gun angle to get a good coat


First coat finishing (above picture)


Second coat finishing (above picture - notice the white patches disappear)




Above 2 pictures are also of the second coat


3rd and Final coat of surfacer - 2 pics below




Tomorrow morning, I have to mildly rub the bumpers to smoothen them, heavy masking (might take almost an hour), then reach the apartment basement parking (referred by friend) and start off with the work. I hope there no cars tomorrow at the apartment.

 

[ss80]

Okay here is a update for some quick work happening on the car,

1. I quit my job yesterday, since the company refused to pay me my incentives (I worked for BPO - night shift, UK process). Infact this issue was unresolved for the last 50+ days, finally after a heated debate with some top officials, I just dropped the papers and came home.

The impact of this will be quite big this month end, when I got to face a lot of EMI's.

That is the reason, I just cant go out to buy a bumper/ do the bumper repair work. As of now, I want to finish the job as neat as possible and hand over the car as soon as possible and then start attending interviews again . I am in a quite confused state of mind as to whether I should take up another painting task or just get a job to pay those EMI's.

There are some things with me now
1. Confidence to start and finish a hatchback/sedan painting in less than 7days.
2. I have someone to coach me and guide me to enter the professionals painters world.
3. I have basic tools and a little professional ones too (They all add up to about 15000/- or a little more) - I dont want to let them sit and rust at any cost.
4. A willingness to learn more and correct myself where I am wrong
5. A desire to be best in something in the Automotive world, the Bodyshop seems to be the most appealing one as of now.

What I dont have
1. Commercial Space to start off 7day car jobs
2. Money to clear existing loans and apply for bigger ones
3. Essential gear - like the hitech masks, gloves, car tripod stands, dremmel, electric screw drivers etc (These can come later though)

I feel its better to join a job and continue to do small works till I can get rid of all my EMI's but the finishing (so far) on the Zen is tempting me to try my hands on a few other cars as well. Not sure where I will land in the next few days!

Hopefully I should finish this job by tomorrow.

 

[jarpickle]

Sorry to hear about your job.Now that you have time, concentrate on one job.Then move to the next.You can take up more jobs once the weather improves.

 

[ss80]

Today painted the rear wheel drums with a yellow paint and then did some more work on the bumper to get a good finish.

Today only one car was parked at some distance from the Zen, so used my bike with a stretched carton box as a wall to save any overspray on that car. (I know that the car is quite far but still, why take a chance.

 

[charithao]

Hi,

I have been following this tread from the start quietly. Sorry to hear that you have to quit the job. But this might be opportunity to start something of your own. Anyway what ever you decide to do next, I wish you best of luck.

 

[ss80]

Wheel Rims painted, Window frames in black, bumper base coat fone :)

Charithao:
Thank you for reading my thread, I am not sure what's my plan in next 3 - 4 days. Once the Zen is delivered, I have a lot of things to sort out at personal end and then find a new path may be.

Sumit:
Thanks for the advice, you are 100% right about new bumpers are always better suited for body colour painting. May be next time I will insist the owner to go for new bumpers.

The update;
Today my friend came home and my niece also helped me in doing wonderful progress.

1. Wheel Rims painted - I fully agree that these rims are not good to be used, the owner also has plans to go for alloys pretty soon, however I promised to paint the rims and I am doing it (also it looks good on newly painted car).

Although it looks great, it is not that durable. I will suggest to go for Powder coating instead (I dont know how to do and dont have the set up as well, so adjusted with the spraying)

Masking is a painful process (new Yokohomas are too good and I dint want them to get sprayed at any cost, hence plenty of papers used). Masking if done like the way I did it can take upto an hour easily for 5 wheels.

Use of Shoe Horse (Tripod Stand) can reduce the total work time, I just managed with the jack and the stepney, so I could paint two wheels at a time, while the car stood on 3 wheels and a jack.

The colour was chosen by my Painting Guru and I feel its fantastic, would like to know your opinions as well.

Cleaned the inner and outer side, then sanded wherever necessary (scratched the old chipping paint at places with screw driver). Some of these rims have been already sprayed twice in the past. Outer edges are damaged (dents) and these should be replaced in a few months time.


Cleaning the rims

Masking and painting begins












Fixed on the car






Once done, had lunch and then started masking the car for the window/door edges to be painted black. Again the paint is a kind of semi-glossy type, it feels like matt and looks a bit glossy (again superb item by the guru).

















Then continued to do the base coat for the bumper (additional masking!)


Front bumper









Tomorrow hopefully my friend's apartment parking should be free so that I can start off my work.

A special thanks to my friend (the WagonR guy) and the Silver Swift owner who surprisingly took out his car for a full day, that's what pushed me to do so much.

 

[ss80]

Early morning pics of the car

 

[Varun560061]

Finally I can see the car in one piece !!

Waiting for the final coat to be done. Why not paint the plastic cowl near the wiper area with the same Matt black ?

 

[sumitsinha12]

Very nice progress.
The wheel rims are looking very nice. It will look stunning once the body painting is completed.
The bumpers are also looking great.
One suggestion- Mask the condensor also. I can spot paint over it.

 

[Releesh]

I feel Black colour is better than silver in rims, Specially for this Red Zen with mat baclk on the doors..That silver painted wheel cups also look better in the black rims.