Hi all,

I'm completing an underbody restoration on a 1994 non metallic red SL500. The car has ended very stripped down bodily at the moment so I intend to do some preparation, MAYBE with a view to teaching myself to paint. I'm not sure at present how I feel about spraying 2k clear but I'd like to at least set up a gun I've bought to prepare body items.

My main question is this: The doors/quarters and rear polished up beautifully with wet sanding and machine polishing. However, the vehicle needs new wings/front fenders and it's proving incredibly difficult to match the fenders to the existing paint which must have been a single stage 2k, not original paintjob. Two different people tried with new fenders. There are a coupe of small dents but otherwise very little by way of repairs needed to the body.

If we put aside the small dents, what would be needed to prepare the wet sanded, super smooth panels for painting?

There are microblisters on the plastic lower door mouldings and sill/rocker covers from another old paint job. Once I sand those out, is spraying 2 part epoxy primer (non Iso's) a reasonable pre paint option for those?

Many thanks

I would recommend finding a paint shop that has it's own mixing bench, so they can tint the color to match, while they are working on the car. It's not that hard, if you have the proper materials to adjust tint and shade. There are variants of colors, as well, even from the factory. And if the car had been repainted, you can't be sure of the exact color, and if the man mixing the paint did it right.

chopolds wrote:I would recommend finding a paint shop that has it's own mixing bench, so they can tint the color to match, while they are working on the car. It's not that hard, if you have the proper materials to adjust tint and shade. There are variants of colors, as well, even from the factory. And if the car had been repainted, you can't be sure of the exact color, and if the man mixing the paint did it right.

Thanks but the first attempt was by a paint supplier who people in this area have confidence in making up a match. He was given an A pillar trim. It was absolutely no use though. The colour on the car has an odd purpley hue to it. It looks a great colour actually but I can see why it’s probably going to be nightmarish to match, sadly

Also by the time you’ve done the front wings/fenders, blended onto the single stage doors, cleared them, you’re probably as well just taking in the rear quarters and boot lid. This is bearing in mind the exterior trim and bumpers etc need done as well.