Im doing a rustoleum paint job on a w126 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

turbobenz · #1 06-01-2008, 03:46 AM

Im going to do it. Ive seen a friend do it and I have witnessed the potential in it. Unfourtantly he got lazy, frustrated, and didn't spend enough time on it and the end result was **** on his old Volvo. But it was better than before. He spent 50 dollars on all material and had enough to do two cars. That includes the rollers and sandpaper. So Ill strip everything I can of the sd so I can get a legit repaint. Im thinking gloss black. But I dont want people to open the doors and be like "hey it was gray once" so ill make the car nude and do it the right way. Ill dc everything from the engine and paint the engine compartment also. Bumpers removed and everything. Ill repaint the bumpers gloss black but keep all the chrome on the car as I just love chrome on a classic mercedes. Then later Ill get a set of euros and some clear corners. Ill have dieselkraut put a new pick n pull windshield in and that will give me a chance to even get behind that trim.

Basically with a roll on paint job you take rustoleum paint and mix it with 30% paint thinner. After you prep the car and thoroughly scuff it all around you then apply a layer of the thinned paint. Then you wait an hour or two and apply another. Then another. Then sand the crap out of it to alleviate orange peel. Then you add another coat. Sand. Another coat. Sand. Another coat. Sand. Then you sand it with 1k grit real nice. Then 2k grit (they only say 1k but id do 2k) then buff it and wax it. Then ill have myself a gloss black mercedes benz!

I'm choosing gloss black because Im not to fond of the gray color. Its just too boring. Not cool enough! I'm a kid, gray is too damn boring! I can practice on the hood of my wrecked w123 to see if I am truly capable of the task and to get a preview. If that turns out great Ill go for it. The paint on his Volvo
was real great paint. It dries quick and is bulletproof. If anyone else has suggestion on color go for it. Im just thinking gloss black because Its my second favorite car color (the diamond blue color of the 300d is my favorite) and doesn't need metal flake in it to look good.

Before people start saying "don't ruin the car its a mercedes blah blah blah spend the money" realize I got this thing for 150 dollars from a forum member with no engine or tranny. Its my beater. If this doesn't work out ill have it professionally done. I'm just sick off going out to my car and seeing more clear coat delaminating day by day.

I'm going to be in Alaska for the next week (fishing and winderness trip) so unless I can browse the forum at the hotel I may ditch this thread for a week.

Boardmonger · #2 06-01-2008, 04:19 AM

I think any color but black would be realistic. Black is the toughest color to do, and every imperfection in your prep is going to pop out in the paint. White would be a much more logical choice for this (I'm sure you've see those pictures of the corvair painted in this method).

But try it, I'd be interested in the results. Do you think the paint will be hard enough to last?

turbobenz · #3 06-01-2008, 04:25 AM

supposedly it is extremely durable. The corvair has been on the street with no wax for over a year and he says it looks like the day it was finished.

Ill try on the hood of my parts car with the black. I agree, black will be difficult to perfect (or get looking at least decent). White is an ok color. Better than gray imo.

thesst · #4 06-01-2008, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbobenz

an browse the forum at the hotel I may ditch this thread for a week.

Man that is super cool-looking. Hope that works out for you. Let us know and post pics!

JimFreeh · #5 06-01-2008, 05:32 AM

Lots of info on the internet about how to do it, all the usual prep rules still apply. Car Craft or Hot Rod did an article on this within the last year.

No reason it can't work, application isn't to far removed from spraying lacquer paint.

I'd only suggest you stay with the recommended 1000 grit. The 2000 grit is a finish, not a cutting paper. Wet sand with the 1000, then go back on your final coat with 1500, then 2000.

Good luck!

Jim

t walgamuth · #6 06-01-2008, 08:19 AM

I would suggest picking a color that is close to your existing paint but without the metallic.

I have done quite a bit of repair work on my paint on my non metallic mercedes with custom mixed paint that is done to the numbers of the factory paint, from the local car paint and body supplier. They mix the paint and put it in spray cans for me. My daily driver, the 123 230/300d is the ivory color. Its the factory paint on top of the bump strip and below I have painted the entire car. It looks very good. Most folks would never guess it was done with a can, but this is not ordinary paint. Its a lot higher quality than typical spray can paint. A pint makes four cans. A can will do one coat on a litttle more than a door, hood or fender.

Preparation is everything. You have to have the base perfect. The paint will not "fill" anything. It has to be either sanded smooth or filler used to fill cracks or chips. Once it is all filled and sanded I put on a coat of primer, then about three coats of paint, sanding between.

It all takes time but the results are excellent and the cost is mainly labor.

Tom W

tyl604 · #7 06-01-2008, 10:30 AM

I think silver would be better. It is practically the best classic color for a Mercedes and it would be a less noticeable change from the existing gray than black.

Hatterasguy · #8 06-01-2008, 10:53 AM

Well its not going to look like the W126 in the pic!

You should get a cheap spray gun from Autozoo. Rolling and tipping won't give you a perfectly smooth finish.

I have rolled and tipped a boat or two and it will give you about a 20ft finish if your good, which I am not so I just helped.

With marine paints I have been surprised by how good of a finish you can get with a cheap spray gun and a little practice.

cphilip · #9 06-01-2008, 11:38 AM

If you want something cheap and yet can be applied to a nice glossy hard finish take a look at Tractor Supply for the Enamels they sell for Tractors. Seriously. I did a Scooter in this paint. International Orange. It came out super nice. I had to thin it a bit to get it to flow and I added a hardener to it but it came super nice. Of course the prep was as intensive as with anything. The brand is Valspar. They sell the hardener too as well as the cut. However, a good gun is always a good idea. The colors are limited to what they have but its fairly cheap but it is also good tough Enamel.

Anything finer than 600 grit will/can be fine enough to fill with paint properly flowing and applied. I prefer to use a Epoxy primer on old prepped metal. Never have a problem with it bonding good and making a good surface after scuffing.

Here is a shot or two of that Paint I did on a theme scooter I built.

Hatterasguy · #10 06-01-2008, 11:48 AM

Ahh good old Valspar, they make marine coatings as well.

cphilip · #11 06-01-2008, 11:52 AM

It's tough as nails when you put that hardener in it... And another advantage is that they sell the same exact color code in a rattle can so you can touch up a bad place later on.

TheDon · #12 06-01-2008, 12:22 PM

neat scooter, is that one of your Vespa's?

#13 06-01-2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

neat scooter, is that one of your Vespa's?

I think those are very cool, one of these days I will need to buy one. I was trying to talk my 17 year old daughter into one, I don't think she's interested. I seem to recall hearing words like "dork," "nerd," and "geek."

t walgamuth · #14 06-01-2008, 12:53 PM

[QUOTE=cphilip;1871272]If you want something cheap and yet can be applied to a nice glossy hard finish take a look at Tractor Supply for the Enamels they sell for Tractors. Seriously. I did a Scooter in this paint. International Orange. It came out super nice. I had to thin it a bit to get it to flow and I added a hardener to it but it came super nice. Of course the prep was as intensive as with anything. The brand is Valspar. They sell the hardener too as well as the cut. However, a good gun is always a good idea. The colors are limited to what they have but its fairly cheap but it is also good tough Enamel.

Looks sharp. What is the purpose of the little seat on the tank?

Tom W

cphilip · #15 06-01-2008, 01:34 PM

It was indeed one of mine. However not in my signature as I don't own it anymore. It is one I did. I tend to like to do them and then after I get it done the fun part is over for me. I eventually sold it to a fellow up in the DC area. It was a theme bike that had a hankering to do.

Back in the 60's Piaggio did a "small frame" racer sort of bike called SS90 (also they did a SS50 version) in very small numbers. They are highly sought after today for their rarity. So I wanted to do a version of a bike like that style but with a faster bigger motor and so I used a Small Frame project bike (Primavera 125) with a 125cc motor of a later date (75 IIRC) and then applied some of the characteristics to that. I then rebuilt the motor to 135cc top end. So it is not exact copy as it has a wider leg shield and wider handlebars and slightly different front mud guard. But it has the essence of the bike. I had to then find the Little dummy gas tank and pad and the discs that go on the spare wheel and its carriers and also the seat is reversed. I located these items in Vietnam believe it or not as their are a few ex-patriot British guys over there who are rebuilding scooters and scooter parts. I had the stuff shipped over and then refinished it. These same guys are reproducing the little badge that goes on the Dummy tank and offered a version that said SS135 because I am, of course, not the first to do a theme of this type. And so the project began.

The dummy tank serves no real purpose. It is hollow and under that belly pad is a storage compartment. The Belly Pad is for when your laid out full out so you can reduce wind resistance to get some more top speed. You can also see in that picture of the tail lamp that the tail lamp is a matching Orange (normally DOT Red). I had that made specifically for the bikes color theme. A fellow named Greg Clauss of Clauss Studios does this sort of thing. He reproduces old lenses and gaskets for all sorts of things like Motor bikes and cars and does custom colors and such if you like He has a web site that you can just google for. Look him up if you want something special for your MB. If he doesn't have the mold already he will make the mold from your part.

This is the bike I used and how it looked when I got it...

In the very background and right side of this picture you can see where I am mocking up the bike to get the tank mounting correct which had to be adapted to the slightly different small frame from what it was first used on. Some artistic license was used to marry the differences between the Primavera badging and the SS90 script badges.

Be careful if your ever offered to buy a SS90 as the untrained eye could miss the real thing from a look a like. I was careful to make it fairly obvious but some people are faking them and selling them as the real thing. A real SS90 in excellent shape would bring 10K. it has a totally different motor and some other key parts. A theme such as this is probably only worth around $3500.

Oh and your Daughter is right. Not much Dorkier than a scooter. However riding one is a "attitude". Like anything else.