Experienced painters: help out a newb!

The paint is literally falling off my car, and I've made a big decision:

I'm gonna paint my own car this summer.

I'm getting a 17gal 140psi air compressor for xmas. Then I'm gonna buy a paint gun. I'd like to keep it simple. I'm looking at a Kobalt HVLP gun or a porter cable. I realize the compressor is a little small to paint a whole car, but I'm gonna be doing the car in sections to keep the load down:

Roof, then hood, spoiler, front fenders, doors, etc....

If I **** up the paint, no biggie. I'll just drive my 2010 camaro SS while I fix it.

I'd like to buy an old fbod door or spoiler to practice painting on. I wanna learn how thick to make the primer, color coat, clear coat, etc... I also wanna experiment with the best way to prep fiberglass.

I'll be doing all this in my garage. I'm gonna get some plastic sheets, and make my own clean room in the garage.

Any gouge or advice? Books I should read? paints I should get/avoid?

These are the paint kits I'm looking at. I don't know the difference between the two styles of clear coat, but the difference is only $5. I'll call the company and ask. I like the candy red metallic.

http://www.paintforcars.com/kits_5star_cndyappleredmet.html

http://www.paintforcars.com/kits_starfire_cdyapleredmet.html


They also offer a single stage kit, which is $100 cheaper. I don't trust single stage though. I have a single stage metallic paint job on the car right now, and it's peeling off and looks horrible. It scratches easily and is really fragile.

http://www.paintforcars.com/kitu_candyredmetallic.html

I've sprayed the Xtreme clear before. It's really not bad for the price... It does run rather easy and without warning though.

I would suggest searching the net for how-to articles and even the Hot Rod magazines are pretty infornative about the basics.

Spraying is the easy part. A quality paint job is all in the prep work!!!!!

I've sprayed the Xtreme clear before. It's really not bad for the price... It does run rather easy and without warning though.

I would suggest searching the net for how-to articles and even the Hot Rod magazines are pretty infornative about the basics.

Spraying is the easy part. A quality paint job is all in the prep work!!!!!

Werd on the prep work. I'd like to go to borders books or something, and get a detailed "how to" book before I even buy my paint gun. I'm concerned painting a camaro, because i have to prep fiberglass, plastic, and metal.

I'm gonna get a new SS hood, and I considered getting a new set of front fenders, and new front and rear bumpers. THey are really cheap, and I wouldn't have to worry about stripping off my old crappy paint.

You don't have to strip the old paint. Just sand out any flaws and bad spots in the old parts.

You don't have to strip the old paint. Just sand out any flaws and bad spots in the old parts.

thats what I'm unsure about. My current paint is a single stage metallic green, and it's peeling off everywhere. It is barely sticking to the car. There are bubbles in the finish in several places, and I can literally chip off paint with my fingernail.

I'm worried that If I just sand and paint over the old coat, I'll be setting myself up for failure. The new paint will be sticking to the old paint, which isn't sticking to the car.

thats what I'm unsure about. My current paint is a single stage metallic green, and it's peeling off everywhere. It is barely sticking to the car. There are bubbles in the finish in several places, and I can literally chip off paint with my fingernail.

I'm worried that If I just sand and paint over the old coat, I'll be setting myself up for failure. The new paint will be sticking to the old paint, which isn't sticking to the car.
You can still sand it all off. Just a lot of work though. If it was just sanded before the green was put on, you should be able to tell when you've sanded through the green coat. It's not bad, just time consuming! If it is barely sticking, it should come off pretty easy. :) Might even try a power washer, i've taken off poor paint jobs with that, just gotta be careful. I used a 3500 psi @3.5 gmp.

How is it coming Malice? Are you sanding the panels on the car or removed? Come back with feedback please!

How is it coming Malice? Are you sanding the panels on the car or removed? Come back with feedback please!

I bought a compressor, and a paint gun. thats as far as I've gotten. I'll strip it down and paint it when I get a DD. I'm dding the car I want to paint though, so I'll wait for a while.