Question for FoMoCo

[Kwicherbichen]

Hey FoMoCo,
I just went to your site for the first time the other night and noticed it looks like you painted your own Kachina. I have a 77 Challenger (nearly same hull) I'd like to paint (hopefully this off season). I've never painted a car or boat before can you provide me with any tips?
Maybe I could get someone to do the painting for a reasonable price if I provide the paint. How much was the paint, type, amount, etc.....I'm starting at zero, you know what I mean.
Brian

[FoMoCo]

OK where do I start. Well atleast your starting with a boat and not a car because you can hide a lot of messups with a boat! I perfer to start with a boat so this is good for you! When I got my boat someone had all ready painted it once over the Factory gelcoat and It was laquer, which meant it all had to come of down to the gel coat. I used aircraft stripper with extreme caution because it also eat gelcoat, to remove the old paint. http://www.fomocomotorsports.20m.com/Boatpic3.jpg first painted the bottom of the boat and, sanded and filled all the nicks in the bottom of the boat with fiberfglass bondo. Then I bought a generic epoxy filler primer for the bottm, it was about $50 for a gallon. I blocked the WHOLE BOTTOM, to get it some what staight, and also wet sanded it to around 600 grit so the Dupont imron paint would stick good! The Imrom was pretty pricey stuff but its EXTREMELY STRONG! After the bottom was done http://www.fomocomotorsports.20m.com/boatpic15.jpg I flipped the boat back over on the trailer, and started filling in all the scratches and holes that I didn't want like Ign, foward and reverse lever. http://www.fomocomotorsports.20m.com/boatpic17.jpg
once I got the magor body work done I bought a good quality epoxy filler primer for the top because it would be seen more than the bottom! it was around $120. I also blocked this primer and wet sanded it down to around 600 grit. Then I applied some more Dupont Imeron.Once that dried I wet sanded the white imeron flat and to around 1000 grit for all of the kandy to stick to.The Kandy trim and all the clear cost me around $500. I started with the deck doing the 3 kandy fades which took about 10 hrs if you include tapping! Then I started with the ghoast flames which were just red pearl base sprayed with only 2 or 3 coats http://www.fomocomotorsports.20m.com/boatpic20.jpg Finally I did the kandy fade around the whole boat. http://www.fomocomotorsports.20m.com/MyBoat.jpg The last thing I did was clear the shit out of it so I could cut and rub out any imporfections my garage left in it! Also it leaves room for when you get a scratch in it 5 years from now you can sand it out.
Good luck, I had fun with mine , If you have any more questions let me know!

[Kwicherbichen]

Thanks bro, I'm sure I will have other questions. You made it look easier than I thought it would be. I think I have a guy that would be willing to do the painting for real cheap, I just need to get the paint. Mine should look close to yours except I'll be doing candy blue and a diffent deck graffic.
Brian

[FoMoCo]

DO you have any pics of her now?

[LVjetboy]

Wow, I love the ghost flames! You did a great job FoMoCo...
jer

[Jungle Boy]

That looks real good. Nice job.

[flat broke]

FoMoCo,
I have looked at your boat on your page a couple times and that is the first time I have seen the ghost flames. Great Job!
Chris
BTW, nice meeting you at Ming.

[Kwicherbichen]

FoMoCo- here it is in it's current condition. One benefit is, I don't have to strip any previous paint. I have the colors and graffics in my head, now I just need to scounge up some cash to pay for this thing to get started.
http://wsphotofews.excite.com/034/XF/ZH/2j/Bz14847.jpg
Brian

[jweeks123]

FoMoCo, you've done a beautiful job on the Kachina. Where did you learn how to paint?
jw

[Kwicherbichen]

FoMoCo, how many gallons of primer, Imron paint, and clear did you use? How many coats did you do of each?

[FoMoCo]

I learned how to paont but asking a lot of questions, and watching a lot of people!
Paint used: this is a rough est. because I forgot my exact amount,
2 gallons total primer
1.50 gallons of Imeron
.75 gallons of clear only on top!
Sorry for the late reply, I started a new job, kinda out of wack latley!

[RiverDave2]

Fomoco, what's those crazy looking guages in the background of the pictures? It almost looks like two Huge voltmeters with some round readings above them..
RD

[one4me2]

Great job FoMoCo.
Guys, be carefull with strippers containing methylene chloride or other nasty solvents. They will not only eat your gelcoat but also compromise the strength of the polyester/vinylester resin that holds your ride together. I had excellent results with Peel-Away stripper sold at West Marine. It is orange and smells like - well oranges.
After application you cover it with polyethylene tarp, wait up to one day and "peel away" the whole mess. Wash the rest off with water. Does a great job. I submerged a piece of fiberglass with gelcoat in it for 3 days. No attack of the gelcoat or measurable weakening of the fiberglass. I use aircraft stripper only on aluminum after messing up some expensive fiberglass fairings on my seaplane. And BTW: DuPont Imron rules for high UV and high humidity applications. Just wear a fresh air hood. The stuff contains isocyanite which does not only sound nasty but really is bad news for your health. Happy spraying out there.
[This message has been edited by one4me2 (edited November 01, 2001).]

[Oldsquirt]

Originally posted by RiverDave2:
Fomoco, what's those crazy looking guages in the background of the pictures? It almost looks like two Huge voltmeters with some round readings above them..
RD
Hey RD, I recognize that! It's an older model Sun oscilloscope/engine analyzer. Looks just like the one I use at work.

[Kwicherbichen]

FoMoCo & one4me2,
Thanks for the info. I really want to do this thing during the off season. Hopefuly I can put the time, cash, and effort into it.
Brian