Paint

[jaimo]

Has anyone painted there stainless steel panels if so how did it go never painted on stainless before just considering it any pics of theres would be good

[chris n]

Yes it has been done.

Flat the stainless down with P380/ P400 grit paper either by hand or with a DA sander fitted with an interface pad.

Degrease and tac cloth off mask off areas you don't want to paint , degrease and tac cloth again. Then spray on a couple of coats of etch primer

When dry de-nib the etch with 800 wet n dry (no water). re-mask any areas that needs to be.

Then you can go one of 2 way-

1/ straight on with your colour over the etch or

2/ spray on a wet on wet primer and then on with the colour (this is the way I would go) as it will give you a better level for the paint to lay down on if using a solid colour

or if you are using base and clear the metallic will stand up better on the final Tec coat.

 

HTH

 

[Bob Tucker]

+1 for Chris's method.

 

But even that wont stand up to the gravel trap at Lydden...

 

 

[Guest 2b cruising]

Doesn't look like I will be going for a rack day at Lydden.

Jaimo, with paint there will be no going back to stainless without weeks of hard work repolishing the whole body.

It would in my opinion be better to go the wrapping way.

The end product might not be as deep a shine but it is easy to remove if you want to.

[jaimo]

It's just I love the kawaski green caterham and won't mind mine like it

[Guest 2b cruising]

I've had all new panels put on mine a bd am seriously thinking of scuttle and bonnet the same colour.

I have also made an aquantence with BTCC owner/driver of the Hard Racing Team.

I'm thinking of asking him to wrap my car in their colours (except the pink bit) for next year. I am going to get my engine change done by him when I am ready.

[chris n]

Doesn't look like I will be going for a rack day at Lydden.

Jaimo, with paint there will be no going back to stainless without weeks of hard work repolishing the whole body.

It would in my opinion be better to go the wrapping way.

The end product might not be as deep a shine but it is easy to remove if you want to.

Yeah Ken is right, once the stainless has been Flatted down and the etch has bitten into it there's no going back

not even with loads of polishing

[jaimo]

Scaring me now

[Guest 2b cruising]

WRAP IT. You know it makes sense.

If you love it, you can always paint it after a couple of years if it's getting tatty.

You might even fancy a different colour by then.

[Guest busman770]

Leave it stainless

[johnhetherington]

I wrapped mine and it doesn't look bad, and if I want a change then peel off and re wrap

i think the combination of stainless and a colour looks good.