Aftermarket panels - replacing / painting / advice

[skhudy]

My car the bumper and wing are damaged. I'm looking at "platinum plus" replacement body parts on euro car parts which are on sale.

Has anyone got any experience of these panels? and what would you have to do to paint them with a spray can, primer and paint? I'm not that fussed with the finish, it is an old car.

I've see the ex neighbour's son in law spray paint a car with spray cans (his job) so I'm sure it's not impossible

 

[Burnerman]

These are pretty good panels, so far as after market stuff goes......they need a bit of tweaking most of the time, and usually come finished in black primer.
Look for the odd tiny dent, fill and smooth that after checking the panel for fit.
Your friendly motor factor will advise you on the primer to use for the colour top coat, and don't forget rustproofing the underside!
Check the primer and gloss don't react first, and dont spray where there's moisture or direct sunshine.
John

 

[Mursal]

Loads of stuff on U-Tube, but its an art, so practice makes perfect. We have been doing it just for ourselves, for a while now and we are still finding things we do wrong. But the cost of a body shop, well its worth all the hassle.

Here is just one of those videos, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08iHSCxza2o&feature=youtu.be

 

[Peter.N.]

I have done a lot of spraying in the past but the cost of paint for a small job is out of all proportion so when I had a slight prang in my Citroen CX I got a secondhand bumper, grill and front wing, not the right colour of course. Fortunately the car was black so I got some cans of aerosol paint from Trago Mills, to paint it and it came out really well and it wasn't just me that said so.

If you use these, invest in a can holder with a trigger, otherwise you loose the feeling in your trigger finger and it also gives better control of the spray.

Peter

 

[Astra99]

If you watch "Wheeler Dealers" you may recall that the Ford Capri Mike Brewer bought required a new front wing and lower panel. The wing was a "pattern part" and Edd China had to spend a great deal of time fettling it to make it fit perfectly.

If you are not too worried about panel gaps, then a pattern part will be fine, otherwise go for the real McCoy (assuming the car has not had a hefty clout or two in its time!).