Driveway Paint Repairs

[IRLGW]

I thought I would take advantage of the recent spell of high pressure to execute some paintwork repairs that had been bugging me for a while... The left hand 'bumperette' had been in close contact with a Victorian parking bollard and the NS front splash guard had some lacquer peel which unfortunately went right to the gasket so I used 9mm 3M fineline (which is the same width as the gasket).

I always prefer to use white primer and apply two medium coats of base as I find it helps obtain a better colour match. Grey primers always seem to produce a darker finish and at least if its looking a bit light, then on a white base then you can apply a bit more colour. If the base is applied heavy or with gloss topcoat then I don't find the primer colour makes much difference. I used a paint I got matched from the fuel cap from a generic brand but it certainly wasn't max meyer priced paint.

On the splash guard the lacquer surrounding the peeled area was feathered with 320 then 600 then 800 which meant I didn't have to apply filler. when the primer was mixed I didnt use and thinner in the first coat and let it rest in the pot for an hour so it didn't attack the old base coat. The second coat I did thin 10% to achieve a smoother finish applied a guide coat using light grey aerosol primer and then left for 24hrs before flatting with 800. 2 medium base coats and 2 medium clear but with slow activator as I find it allows solvent more time to escape which gives a finish that can be sanded sooner given this was probably going to be necessary. Fast Activator gives a quicker dry time, but can be days before it can be sanded if not using a heated workshop.

The Bumperette I learnt from repairing the other side is best left in situ to prep because it is such a freggin awkward shape to work on the bench without mentioning the pia it was going to be to free up the bolts. you can just see the 3 vertical imprints from the bollard so with a bit of heat and filler I managed to straighten it out and used the same technique as the splash guard. when i got the paint mix for that last year I forgot to bring the part with me and picked one from the toyota trim chip card that was marginally lighter, but didn't have enough green in it. The landcruiser grey trim has a fair tint of green in it. Its ok but cannot claim its the right one.

 

[Towpack]

That looks very much like 3H4 red like mine. I've had to do this a on the plastic wheel arch extensions couple of times over the past few years thanks to careless use of shopping trolleys by arsholes in the local Asda carpark. I try and park away from the masses if possible now. I get paint mixed up at a motor factors near Chesterfield and it's absolutely bang on.

 

[IRLGW]

Yep 3H4. I have tried some different types and wish I had of got 2l of this instead of 1/2l When its a great match you dont mind sorting other areas as they need it. If I go into a car park these days I just park over two bays if I cannot get an end spot. What amazes me is when you come back to your car and somebody has parked so freggin close they must have climbed out the boot to escape. I always wait for them to come back and make sure that they climb back in through the boot !

 

[Shayne]

Looks great

You would think black would be easy to match with off the shelf paint but i tried them all without luck before finding a small shop that mixes it up and puts it in a rattlecan while you wait , the difference suggests to me Halfords and the rest should be selling it at 2p a gallon .

 

[Towpack]

Before the LC I had a black Disco which was a nightmare to match paint for. A white Sierra I had back in the 90's wasn't much better. Black is black and white is white is nonsense! I had a rattle can mixed by Halfords for the LC using the paint code. It was slightly too dark and when I asked if they could mix another slightly lighter they couldn't as they "just put the code into the machine and what comes out is what you get". The place I use now can take a reading from existing paintwork. I just had a mix made up in matt green for a Triumph bike as Triumph don't supply any. I left them a plastic mudguard as a sample and the match was perfect!

 

[IRLGW]

It isn't too difficult to match the paint yourself sometimes. If you find the right shop ask them to give you the ratios and bases separate then you can add the darker colour last until you get close to your match. If om trying to get a colour for the house I just buy white vinyl and a couple of small colours and off you go! Always start off light and darken it down as vice versa you will need a lot of paint!