DIY: Painting Lowers!

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

I did this on my 2001 Silver A4. Duplicolor has a "radiant silver" that matches our factory LY7W "silver" perfectly. They have the cans at local auto parts stores for about $5 for a 6oz. can. They also have clear coats in 12 oz. cans for $5 as well. You will also need a plastic adhesion promoter to prime the plastic. For the sides I used 4-6oz cans of silver and 2-12oz can of clear coat and 1-12oz. can of plastic adhesion promoter.

If you don't have silver, don't worry!
You can get YOUR color code here! (Just to name a few)
http://www.paintscratch.com
http://www.etouchup.com/store/agora.cgi?p_id=10035
http://www.levineautoparts.com...spray
http://www.paintworldinc.com/touchup.aspx

1) buy/gather all materials:
mask tape, paint, newspaper, jack/stands, respirator, goggles, gloves, etc.

2) deep clean (with dawn dishsoap or equivalant)

2.5) I did not remove my lower side moldings for painting, some do, but I didn't! It would be such a pain to remove them...not worth it!

3) dry completely and mask area

4) apply plastic adhesion promoter (read front & back for more tips)

5) apply color soon after, in very light coats for it to look best.

6) more color coats until desired match it achieved, took me 4 coats of color per side. I used basically half of a 6oz can for each coat.

7) apply first light clear coat when paint is dry, very light coat so the color coat doesn't run.

8) apply 1-3- more clear coats, heavier this time, after the first coat has almost dried completely.

Let that all dry overnight and demask very carefully!

Unwrap your work and enjoy!!

Scroll down for the FRONT and BACK section

Modified by 20VTURBOSpoolMeUp! at 1:30 AM 7-2-2005


Modified by 20VTURBOSpoolMeUp! at 1:08 PM 5-31-2006

[96jettabink]

sweet diy, wish I could to that to my color car

[hover]

i heart you for this.

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

Time for the front and back!

DONT FORGET TO WEAR GOGGLES AND A RESPIRATOR or you could die! darwin theory at work...

These pieces will take a little longer because they are textured. You can paint them as they are but your finished product won't blend perfectly with the rest of your bumper. I wanted it to blend as closely as possible. In order to do so I had to get rid of the textured effect. I did it the stupid way and sanded and sanded until I wanted to shoot myself for ever starting this!

So you must all learn from my lesson. Work smarter not harder!
It came to me yesterday when I was refinishing my wheels and had to use some filler primer. So instead of sanding all the little bumps off, which is hard to do even with an electric sander...we will fill them up with filler primer. Then we will sand them down which shall be much easier! Filler primer $5 autozone/shucks/you know

First put on a few coats of plastic adhesion promoter, who is your friend when painting on plastic stuff! Don't put on too much or it will leave little bubbly speckle things...if that happens wipe them off with a clean lint free rag. When you are priming, it is a good chance to practice your even strokes with the can and get the hang of throwing that paint on their evenly!

Then put on a few coats of filler primer until you have built up a good layer. Do this 5-10 mins after the ahesion promotor is on. The filler primer is supposed to be sandable in 30 mins or an hour, I forget. But be smart and don't sand it until it is completely dry!

I would hit it with some 400 grit sandpaper to get it nice and smooth! If you really wanna get silky, bust out some 600 grit. When it's all smooth, go wash all the dust off.

Now you are ready for color coat! Bust out your color of choice (hopefully to match the body color). While wearing respirator and goggles put on nice thin coats. Maybe let them dry 5-10 mins in between. We are just trying to prevent runs here. Runs = ugly paint job. At your discression, put on as many coats as you think you need until you can't see any red/black underneath anymore!

Looking good so far!! Go have a beer while that last coat dries up nicely so you don't put the clear coat on too soon and make the color coat run...That will ruin your day

Ok, color coat should now be dry or almost dry. Give it an hour or 2 just to be sure

Then whip out the clear coat. The first coat (as the can should say) will go on lightly followed by slightly thicker coats on top . Again we want that first clear coat to be dry or almost dry for precautions of the color coat running on us! Paitience is the biggest virtue while painting. 30 mins should be fine for wait time. Then come back and put on a little bit thicker coat of clear. Let it get tacky and then put on another coat of the same thickness. Now we are most likely safe from making the color coat run underneath. The pieces should be looking pretty darn glossy now too! Basically you are home free now. Let them dry for as long as possible up to 24 hours!

Put them back on, step back and tell yourself the usual, "Damn, I'm good!" lol

Modified by 20VTURBOSpoolMeUp! at 10:26 PM 6-22-2005

[WTRCULD]

too bad laser red is a hard color to match, or I might try it

[SilverA4_2.8]

How did the inside come out, when you open the door is there over spray on the inside? Just curios.

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

i'm going to try and get some pics this weekend about that

the only part where there is some overspray is in between the front and back doors, but if you simply just mask that area with the doors open it will take car of it. everywhere else there is a sharp cutoff line

[SilverA4_2.8]

Nice, i will be waiting for more pictures its coming out good.

[hover]

out of curiosity, did you paint where the rubber door pieces cover up part of the body lowers? or is that question confusing?

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

Quote, originally posted by hoveraudi »

out of curiosity, did you paint where the rubber door pieces cover up part of the body lowers? or is that question confusing?

hmmm....hold on...let me go take a pic with the door open, that may help answer your ?

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

answer your question?

[hover]

yup

[cruisinforabruisin]

really really nice DIY job

[jaredpgh]

awesome diy!! i wish i could find a duplicolor for melange.

ps - PLEASE lower that thing, it looks like a rollerskate.

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

Quote, originally posted by jaredpgh »

awesome diy!! i wish i could find a duplicolor for melange. ps - PLEASE lower that thing, it looks like a rollerskate.

haha thanks guys!

yeah, i feel so lucky that they have my color in a spray can!

and yes...it will look 100x's better once lowered and i have the fronts and backs done too!!

[GolfMedic]

http://www.paintscratch.com should have most OEM Audi paint colors. Probably more expensive than regular duplicolor but at least its 100% match. Dupli brilliant silver works well with VW Golf Satin Silver too.

[svavr6]

Looks great can you post picture in a month or two to see how it holds up to everyday driving?

[acroracer]

looks good and the over spray isnt that hard to fix anyways.

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

yeah, i'll post pics up later on, but from what i can see now...it seems sturdy!

and yes the overspray is easy to fix and you can't even see it unless both doors are open really...

[pepers215]

i did the same thing to my old mkIV vr6 jetta and it worked awesome. i also did the front and rear valance and I had a difficult color to match (blue lagoon). it makes the vehicle look much better i think mainly because it appears to sit lower to you visually. i definatley recommend doing this.

oh to make your job easier on yourself go to the dealer and buy the color matched spray paint. i lucked out and got mine dirt cheap because a couple of my buddies work at vw but even at regular price it is worth the money.


Modified by pepers215 at 8:20 PM 5-29-2005

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

I finished doing the front and back a few weeks ago but forgot about my DIY, gonna put up the rest tomorrow.

I hope this DIY gets used because I know I use DIYs to do everything to my car. Just want to return the favor

Keep on quattro'n

[Convallo]

I wonder if it would work if I went to a body shop...had them mix me up a batch of "santorin blue". Then go buy an aerosol spray jar (glass jar that attaches to an aerosol based nozzle) and do it that way? I suppose if it turned out like ****, I could always take it to my trusty paint shop and have them re-spray it, its just paint. I really would like to do this myself, sounds fairly cut and paste, but am just concerned about matching up the color.

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

Quote, originally posted by Convallo »

I wonder if it would work if I went to a body shop...had them mix me up a batch of "santorin blue". Then go buy an aerosol spray jar (glass jar that attaches to an aerosol based nozzle) and do it that way?

haha man, don't make it soo hard on yourself.

I did my jetta last year when I had it and just go to http://www.paintscratch.com and give them your color code and they will send you spray cans of your color! It's like $20-30 for a 12oz can but cheaper still than a body shop!

Quote, originally posted by Convallo »

I really would like to do this myself, sounds fairly cut and paste, but am just concerned about matching up the color.

You can do it!

[Convallo]

Ahh! Thank ya!

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

this needs to go in FAQ DIY!

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

useless bump to get this into the DIY/FAQ thread

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

bump for update of front and back pics

[CorradoFuhrer]

my cars black, the lowers are already black... what do you guys think

[gmrocco16v]

i was thinking the same ..mine being black also..

[Owdee]

doing this very soon (added to history)

[Harv]

back from the deaddddd

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

haha...it is in the DIY page

[AudiRs2Porsche]

yea i HAVE TO DO THIS!!!!!.... but i never have to time... i was just gonna send it out to get done but maybe i could try this if i get a free weekend... or after winter

[20VTURBOSpoolMeUp!]

yeah, waiting for paint to dry in the winter would not be fun...plus you're supposed to paint above 70 degrees i think

[NeW_DubbeR]

looks really nice! im suprised it matched that good! isnt silver one of the hardest colors to paint match??