Earning your stripes as a...
Earning your stripes as a hobby kit car painter is not as hard as you might think, though it does require you to be tenacious, thorough, and tremendously talented in wielding a spray gun. Remember, the only way to improve is through practice.
Performing body and paintwork on an automobile is an enormous undertaking. If you're a kit car enthusiast who enjoys doing something you haven't tried before in the construction of your replicar, doing body and paint may be for you. Being a detail-oriented sort of builder helps, as does having the tenacity to be meticulous and not satisfied with good enough. Should you be up to the tasks at hand, this article is designed to give a step-by-step guide to adding Le Mans stripes on an already painted FFR Type 65 coupe.
Since we don't wish to throw you completely into the deep end of the painting pool (so to speak), we'll give you a little advice on the body and painting of this coupe first. You can also obtain a wealth of valuable information from your neighborhood automotive paint and supply store, should you be desire to do all the body and paintwork from start to finish.
Plastic sheeting lines the walls of the detached garage that is Marshal Custom Paintworks. Two floor fans are also deployed for keeping dust away. In the past couple years, within this very converted garage, we've laid down award-winning paint jobs on two Factory Five Racing roadsters and two FFR coupes, the second of which is the star of this stripe story.
So, see how the striping is done and decide whether you wish to render some art on your kit car yourself.
Editor's Note: The author of this how-to coupe striping story, Marshal Gilliland, had a bustling body and paint shop for 10 years before embarking on a different career. Presently, Marshal Custom Paintworks performs body and paint jobs for customers as a fun, artistic-expression fulfilling sideline, which proves that body and paint can be an engrossing, rewarding pursuit for those meticulous sorts of kit car craftsmen. By reading on, you'll get some tips from a part-time car painting pro, which could give you the courage to do some striping yourself. Stripe on!
 The bodywork must be finished...  The bodywork must be finished with 180-grit or better sandpaper. Spray three to five coats of Valspar DTM2000 primer/sealer over the entire car. If painting inside the hood of the car, bodywork and primer must be done as you would the outside. Use a Flex additive in all materials you spray. After primered, let the primer dry for one week or so, allowing it to sit in the sun as much as possible. Wet sand the car with 400-grit sandpaper, blocking areas where needed. Fill in minor imperfections and pinholes. |  |  Spray the car with two coats...  Spray the car with two coats of Dupont 2800 series sealer to prevent bodywork shrinkage. Let dry for one hour then nib sand with 600-grit sandpaper. |
 Wipe the entire car down with...  Wipe the entire car down with a wax and grease remover. Then use a tack cloth to wipe down the car three to four times to pick up any lose dirt or lint. We sprayed the coupe with Valspar Z Base series Diamond White tri-stage pearl, clear coated with three to four coats of Dupont/Nason 466 series clear, adding Bulldog flex additive, up to 1/3 ratio. Allow one to three days to dry. |  We wet sanded areas of the...  We wet sanded areas of the car to be striped with 800-grit sandpaper, being careful to stay away from edges to avoid burning through. Use a gray Scotch-Brite to sand the edges. |  Find the center of the body...  Find the center of the body and the hood of the car. Lay down 1/8-inch Blue Fine Line tape for a reference point. Measure areas accordingly and mark with chalk. Keep hands free from any grease while taping. |
 |  Pull stripe lines with 1/8-inch...  Pull stripe lines with 1/8-inch Blue Fine Line. Taper stripes wide to skinny in most cases. Areas inside the tape will be painted silver and candy apple red. Be sure to overlap the tape and press firmly to prevent from overspray. |  |
 Cover the car with paper and...  Cover the car with paper and plastic to prevent overspray. Wipe car down with wax and grease remover and a tack cloth three to four times to remove any loose lint or dirt particles. |  |  Spray the stripe with three...  Spray the stripe with three to four medium wet coats of Valspar Z Base Aztec Silver. Allow five to ten minutes between each coat to flash, making sure to keep even patterns so it won't stripe. After the silver is dry (about a half hour), tape on the inside of the stripe with 1/4-inch Blue Fine Line. Tape as close as you can get, and always double check. This will give you a silver outline, when the tape is pulled after spraying candy paint. |
 |  Add one to two ounces of House...  Add one to two ounces of House of Kolor Kandy Apple Red Kandy Koncentrate to pre-mixed clear. Use to your own discretion. The more Kandy, the darker it will get. Apply three to four medium wet coats of tinted clear, allowing at least five minutes between each coat of clear. |  Pull up the 1/4-inch tape...  Pull up the 1/4-inch tape to expose the silver paint, being careful not to touch the wet candy paint. Spray two more coats of clean clear over the entire stripe. Be sure to use flex additive in the clear. Let the coupe dry for one to two days (preferably) in the sun if you can. |
 Now wet sand the entire hood...  Now wet sand the entire hood and car with 800-grit sandpaper, so you can clear coat it again. Be sure to clean off all the sanding sludge and use a tack cloth. Spray three more coats of DuPont/Nason clear coat, using up to 1/3 ratio of Bulldog flex additive in the clear. Flex additive helps the paint flex and resist rock chips. |  |  If you want to go crazy, you...  If you want to go crazy, you can paint and stripe underneath the roof and hood using the same process as if it was the outside; I prefer to do the jambs (underneath) first. |
 After the final clear coats,...  After the final clear coats, let the car dry for three to six days to permit all the material to cure. |  |  |
 |  Wet sand the coupe with 1200-grit...  Wet sand the coupe with 1200-grit sandpaper, staying away from edges so you don't burn through. Using a machine buffer, go over the car with 3M Rubbing Compound. Then use 3M Foam Pad Polish to eliminate swirls. Wash car and rub a hand glaze over it. Don't use wax for four to six weeks. You're now ready to take a trophy at the next show. Well done! | |