new paint for ron!

[dlb]

so i FINALLY got ron all painted. it was no cake walk because there were a few complications along the way. i gave the store a paint chip for the exact green i wanted but the green i got wound up being a little bit lighter. not a huge deal because it's still an awesome green but boy oh boy, if i had been dead set on a specific shade i would have been some pissed. then the day after my buddy painted the chip guard it had bubbled up in some areas but not others. he chipped it all off and did it again and it seems to have stuck fine this time. he said he's painted numerous vehicles with chip guard and never had it happen so i asked a friend who has a semi-pro paint shop at home and he said that the green paint is breathing lacquer and will for about a month. he suggested just waiting a month and if there are any more bubbles, chip those areas off and repaint it with the chip guard. live and learn.

so here are the pics:


pre-paint





removed rub strips





found the rub strips seemed to trap a lot of moisture and cause rusting. in this pic there are the big chips in the paint that came off with the rub strip glue but above them you can see the mottling and blistering of the paint where the rust was beginning to set in. the big chips weren't a concern because the textured surface of the chip guard would hide all of them.







no hatch or bumper makes it look like a space ship! we couldn't figure out how to disconnect the fluid line for the rear wiper cleaner so we just cut it and used a junction to reconnect the ends afterwards. tested it out, no leaks thus far.



mad sanding.





my buddy's step dad took issue with my fram oil filter.



you can see the encroaching rust in the usual areas here, which was the excuse i gave myself to paint the SOB.





painted the trim pieces:



after 3rd coat, pre-chip guard:



finished and back home:







i had been looking into getting a hood deflector or even a car bra to protect the new paint but then i decided to just chip guard the hood as well as the lower portions. i really like the way it turned out.



there are a few areas that will need touching up once the paint has hardened in a month but overall i'm really happy with it.

[ARCHINSTL]

WOW!
Now THAT'S an original scheme! And I do NOT mean that uncharitably!
A lot of work and it resonates - especially visually!
I'll bet you are getting a LOT of head-swivelling from other drivers!
The later headlight arrangement sure helps clean up the front end - even more so than with stock colors.
Did you have any rust-through at the bottom of the hatch? While Goldie was/still is 99% rust free, there is some starting on the inside bottom lip of the lid - I presume from eventual leakage past the ATM or the twistlock.
What is "chip guard?" It sorta looks like the spray-on bed liner for pickups - true?
Tom M.

[dlb]

thanks tom. yeah, i like it loud for sure. i imagine people will expect the car to be some sort of rocket now but i still drive pretty conservatively.

no, the worst rust was just in front of the rear wheel wells. you can see it in the 12th pic. definitely cancerous but nothing the chip guard can't stop for a few years.

you're right, chip guard is just some heavy duty stuff that is often used as bed liner for trucks. it's feels almost rubbery to the touch. we rolled it on with a swiss cheese-looking roller to give it a real textured appearance. lots of gravel roads around here and they take a toll on the lower panels. that's what made me go for it, besides looking truly burly.

[Neu]

I'm digging it. I like the chip guard black on the front of the hood.

Overall I like it quite a bit, giving me ideas for when I get around to painting my car(s)

[toughtercel]

you did fantisic job on strips planning and black on front of motor hood , green are my favorite color too , that color is same as on newer LOTUS car.

[ohcanada_00]

okay, that paint job is WICKED!!!! looks great, love the Kawasaki green! the scheme is awesome, well done!

[Mattel]

Had a VW golf Mk1 the same colour (baja/santos green). It was the best thing about that car. I actually saw it on the street the other day - 10 years after I sold it - probably because I replaced everything on it! - looks so much better than the Mk6 behind it I reckon!

[takza]

Someone's been jacking that car up using the rockers? Not good.

[takza]

While Goldie was/still is 99% rust free, there is some starting on the inside bottom lip of the lid - I presume from eventual leakage past the ATM or the twistlock.

I have one word....oil. Best bet is to take the inside panel off the hatch and let some oil run down all along that lip...inside. Will need to keep the oil off your hatch rubber...as it will swell it. Get the whole bottom inside edge soaked...then wipe any off the outside.

[ARCHINSTL]

Thanks - it's on my list to do before Winter. My plan is to spray the inside with RustOleum Rust Reformer and follow when dry with the oil you suggest. Lord knows I have plenty of slightly used trans oil.
Tom M.

[dlb]

Someone's been jacking that car up using the rockers? Not good.

that was one of the brainiacs over at the tire shop i frequent. great deals there but not honour roll material, if you know what i mean.

[splatterdog]

Cool stripe!

Now you just need a matching bikini for the wife!

[Petros]

looks great. Makes it look modern, all you need now is a spoiler for above the rear hatch window and it would be perfect! That chip-gaurd on the leading edge of the hood is a great idea, mine is full of little dents and scratches right there from street driving. It almost looks like a painted on bra. Makes me consider it for my long term plan for painting mine someday.

Update to an EFI engine and better brakes, than you will have up dated the whole car.

I love the flashy colors on performance cars, but one thing I have learned from my younger years is bright colored cars tend to attract the attention of law enforcement, and you consequently get more tickets (even for things that everyone else is doing). That aggravates me so much I have always shied away from flashy paint jobs on a daily driver. If I ever build a club racer or rally car, than it will have bright color scheme like that.

hold on to that SR5 wide trim, someone on the list may want to up-date their DX with the SR5 trim you have.

[blade]

hey can you piant my car????

[dlb]

petros, i do have the door trim just in case. after finding the rust behind it i don't think i'll ever want them again but you're right, someone else might like them. luckily i drive pretty slowly so i should be okay with cops but you're right about that too: anything that stands out is a total heat score.

blade, i only helped my buddy paint it but if you brought your car over here for a week or so he might paint it for you. i helped with removing everything, sanding, degreasing, taping, and painting trim pieces, and that helped cut down his time and thus my cost. the black stripes were actually his idea. he loves tercels too so my car is sort of like his nephew--he's always happy to do shit on it with me. anyway, PM me if you're serious and i'll put you in touch with him.

thanks for all the compliments, i'm really happy with it and was hoping you guys would dig it too. i like the green window frames especially. they're not immediately apparent but they are very different since most car window frames are black. neato.