Restoring Fender Mirrors

[ol_skl_jp]

I just recieved my set in the mail today, and they are not in the best condition, they are ok but not great. Anyway what can i do to make them look like new again. I was thinking of just spraying them with a satin black pressure pack can. The thing is im not the best when it comes to preping for paint.

 

i have dismantled it so i can spray every part separately. I have a can of spray putty from supercheap, what number sand paper do i use. When ever i sand i leave marks on the surface like where the grains are. Also is there a special brand paint i could use that lasts longer than others, like the supercheap ones dont last very long.

 

Sorry for the camera phone photos

[Scoota G]

Sounds like you need to work more on your wet & dry rubbing between coats. 400 wet and dry (The Black color) used wet between coats is a good starting point for primer, i always tend to buy the norton brand paper but you need to buy it in sheets. You can buy dry paper from a roll which tends to be cheaper but i haven't seen it in roll form.

Also as you get more coats on you can go for 600 or 800 grade.

[xa1973]

Add Note:

 

I would rub them back as far as you can

 

After the initial sand use etch primer, then primer then spray putty to fill in the small gouges, works a treat, you need to sand between each coat

 

My advice: don't mix product brands, K&H or Septone make mid range quality products of etch primer, primer, spray putty and paint and are very good for small jobs like your mirrors and trim bits etc, available in aerosol cans from Autobarn or the like.

 

Don't forget to wipe over ( one way direction not back and forth ) with wax and grease remover before each coat of paint after sanding,( three or four coats for longevity ) if you want you can then spray the finished items with a protective coat of clear

 

The key is to take your time with each step

[ol_skl_jp]

thanks guys, i'll be working on them tomorrow after work or sunday, keep u updated. Cant wait to get them on the car

[ol_skl_jp]

Do i sand the last coat if so with what grit? Right now im spraying the black top coat and sanding it with 800grit done 3 coats so far and was planning on doing 4.

[xa1973]

 

 

For an ultra fine and mirror finish 1000 or 1200 grade, remember to flick us some pics

 

[RBZ 260]

hmm if u had the right equipment could cut the job in half.

 

sand down to metal or even paint strip it.

etch prime like XA suggested.

 

than 2pk primer filler nice thick coat.

sand it with 400 or 600 paper wet rub.

 

than paint it and all done.

 

i use 3M paper i found norton gets clogged very easily also they seem to be lot more rigid than the 3M stuff. for curvey surfaces u want bit more flexibility.

 

other than that can't suggest anything else than what the guys above did. sanding and more sanding hope u love it. i sure dont.

 

 

[ol_skl_jp]

sanding and more sanding hope u love it. i sure dont.

 

I dont either but being such a small thing i didnt mind. What was worse was waiting for things to dry.

 

Well i finished them i got them all nice and what not, then i went to fit them once finished i saw that i had left fingerprints on it, tried to wipe it off just made it worse by smudging it, mind you the mirrors were drying since Sunday arvo. Since i spent so much time prepping i didnt feel right just leaving them like that. So i adjusted them sanded them down and applied another final coat. Below is the result, looks alot better than when i received them

 

[Scoota G]

Dude, you're a natural  This is my below standard effort at painting stuff.

[ol_skl_jp]

Haha thank Mark first time i painted something that looks nice Maybe now i can have another go at that panel lol its still not fixed and hopefully Rev. Dave can paint it for me as im not very good at meshing the colors (if thats what you call it)

 

Your block looks alright to me, i dont know how you polish stuff so well mate, im scared im going to leave marks all over my work piece even with super fine paper.

[sexual_sushi]

Looks like new, if not better. Good work

[xa1973]

 

Good Work Sach........

 

Glad they turned out for you, you started small, now onto bigger things...

 

NB: Grab an old panel from the wreckers and practice your painting, it wont take you long, there are plenty of good simple reading technical articles / books to get you started

youll be surprised how easy it can be once you understand the principles

[ol_skl_jp]

Thanks... i'll get some practice when i try to fill up the hole from the old mirror. Should i weld it or just bog it up

[xa1973]

Thanks... i'll get some practice when i try to fill up the hole from the old mirror. Should i weld it or just bog it up

 

 

Its always preferable to patch / weld, the job will take you all but a few minutes once youve prepped

 

Bodgy bogged panelwork will eventually cause you dramas.

 

A general rule, bog really should only be used as a surface finisher after your metal repair

 

 

[RBZ 260]

nice job ol_skl_jp. mirrors look great.

 

winter time plays havoc on paint drying. ive just finished painting a bmw. was worried about low temps and 2pk. but suprisingly worked well. if small jobs i paint them outside than bring them in spare room at room temperature. but missus complains of the smell 

 

as for old holes listen to XA1973 i couldnt agree more. just think of this u be sanding it again in short time if u just bog it. unless u like sanding and repairing again than go for it  

[ol_skl_jp]

hmm i need to find someone with a welder then...needs to be done right the first time around.

 

I was worried about the cold aswell so i took them inside to dry because its warm and figured it would dry better, didnt help though.

 

How is fiberglass for covering the hole? any good

[gav240z]

Would be great to see pics of them on your car and not just the close up .

[Scoota G]

hmm i need to find someone with a welder then...needs to be done right the first time around.

 

I was worried about the cold aswell so i took them inside to dry because its warm and figured it would dry better, didnt help though.

 

How is fiberglass for covering the hole? any good

 

I have a gasless mig which i use for panel repair. Fibreglass works but only if you have a clean, dry and somewhat coarse surface for it to bond to. I would tack a 1mm plate behind the area (which would be very difficult to get to) and then fill the holes with weld or metal and grind and weld and so on till you get the disired finish. The whole area would need to come back to metal.

 

Other than that you can cut out exactly the area (using a donor metal) you have to fill and then slowly weld that in place. It is very easy to blow holes in sheet metal even with a Mig.

[ol_skl_jp]

Would be great to see pics of them on your car and not just the close up .

 

ill get some pics when i get the car all cleaned up and im still waiting on my wheels to get here after that ill post up some proper pics.