You've looked into how much it cost to get a professional red paint job for your car, but you can’t afford it. You could always buy the primer and paint yourself, and get to work.
Instructions
1. Thoroughly wash the car to remove all dirt, road tar and other foreign substances. Use a very mild soap solution and rinse the car several times until all the soap is gone. Then dry the car well.
2. Cover all surfaces that are not to be painted or shouldn't get paint on them with whatever material you have chosen to use as protectant. This is called “masking." Use as many layers as necessary, and secure the protectant well so that paint cannot seep through or under the protectant.
3. Decide where on the car you are going to begin painting.
4. Pour denatured or rubbing alcohol on a cloth or paper towel, and wipe the entire surface of the area. This will ensure that all soap residue has been removed. Dry the surface with a cloth or paper towel, then allow it to air-dry for a few minutes.
5. If you are using a commercial (industrial) paint sprayer, thin the automotive paint primer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6. If you are using primer that is already in a spray paint can, skip Step 5.
7. Starting at the masking on one side and ending at the masking on the other side, spray the primer onto the area of the car you are painting first, using broad strokes. Work from the top down, going left to right, overlapping the strokes. Keep the nozzle about 8 to 10 inches from the surface as you apply the paint.
8. Wait about 30 seconds, and then repeat Step 7 on the same area.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until you have painted over the same area three or four times.
10. Repeat Steps 7, 8 and 9 until the entire car surface has been primed. Then allow the primer to dry for at least 48 hours.
11. Wet-sand all primed areas until the surface is completely smooth. Wet-sanding simply means you are using fine-grit sandpaper that has been soaked in water, then attached to a sandpaper “brick” or holder.
12. Use a clean, wet rag to remove any leftover sandpaper grit, and then dry the sanded areas thoroughly.
13. Check to see that the surface is perfectly smooth and even (no high places, bumps or other imperfections). If necessary, fix any imperfections by filing or scraping down high places and bumps, then wet-sand the surface again, beginning with 300-grit paper and ending with 500 to 600 grit sandpaper.
14. Repeat Steps 7, 8 and 9 to apply the second coat of primer. Allow this coat to dry for 48 hours.
15. To prepare for application of the top coat (the red paint), repeat Steps 11 and 12.
16. After this, repeat Step 4.
17.Apply the paint using the same directions set out in Steps 7, 8 and 9.
