roof re-painting

[jokerer]

After knacking my roof, it was the perfect opportunity to remove the aerial hole while I repair the rest of the damage.

But after Ive put body filler on the damage what primer do I use? Its going to have to be something I can get in a spray can! probably bought from halfords unless you know somewhere the same price/better! Thanks in advance!

[jasonmayall]

I think it depends on the colour of the car.

I usually start with a coat or 2 of etch primer, or a primer that helps prevent rust.
Halfords sell the stuff.

I'm not really much of a painter though, I can paint well enough to get by and get a half decent finish.

[stevo67]

Go to a bodyshop paint supplier & they`ll advise you mate.

[marcusd]

i'd think bout welding the hole too not just filling it, it will crack and leak, welding wont cost much. and I;m sure you could find a body shop to do work for a decent price.

[jokerer]

i'd think bout welding the hole too not just filling it, it will crack and leak, welding wont cost much. and I;m sure you could find a body shop to do work for a decent price.

Thats what im thinking, il probably just have a go myself, I have a load of old panels to practice on

[tillygti6]

i wouldnt even bother attempting to weld it, as the roof lining and stuff would want removing ideally. just use an ax blanking gromit. about 5quid.
then if you want to refit an aerial you could

[DavidsVTR]

Thought about vinyl wrapping your roof?
Get the aerial hole filled, then wrap the whole roof?


Just a thought. :y:

[jokerer]

Just thought I would give an update

Roof lining is out and so is the sunroof, got it under a gazebo on the drive to keep water out! Got the area sanded and the filler on, decided to fill over the aerial hole and if it cracks il get a blanking grommet.

Going to attempt to filler prime it tomorrow after one or two more sanding sessions and filling anything serious that might occur.

Got the mauritius blue paint from halfords, had to get it mixed but it was the best I could get at the time and expensive, picked up a big can of lacquer too.

Il post a few photos tomorrow hopefully! Its getting difficult to get work done with winter approaching but I want it finished asap!

[Bedford126]

Oh dear what a mess. That's even before you start.

[Gandi699]

I'm no painter (see my saxo for evidence!) You'll never get a decent finish with a spray can, or get it to blend with the other paint. The stuff from halfords is crap. I've tried it many a time

[jokerer]

I'm no painter (see my saxo for evidence!) You'll never get a decent finish with a spray can, or get it to blend with the other paint. The stuff from halfords is crap. I've tried it many a time

If I could afford a proper respray I would be going for this option! either way it'll look better then a massive crease and rust! you'll see how bad the damage when I post photos

[jokerer]

Here it is a few weeks after I got it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/_MG_99584_zps3f76610e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/_MG_99584_zps3f76610e.jpg.html)

This is what it looked like when I got it towed back home after the bonnet flipped up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/aa_zpsc9d8e031.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/aa_zpsc9d8e031.jpg.html)

Close up of roof damage:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/_MG_9981_zps968d71ce.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/_MG_9981_zps968d71ce.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/_MG_9984_zps1b3b1822.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/_MG_9984_zps1b3b1822.jpg.html)

Here is the dent after I got the window frame booted back into shape, I smoothed it with some hammers and wood, and then gave it a good sand and applied some body filler (got rid of the aerial at the same time too)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/ss_zps79a5a8ce.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/ss_zps79a5a8ce.jpg.html)

Looks loads better then when it did, but I prepped it today and gave it the first coat of filler primer before it started raining, set up a little booth in the driveway to keep as much crap and wind out as possible:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/jokerer/fdd_zps02923892.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jokerer/media/fdd_zps02923892.jpg.html)

Il post more photos once ive completed a few more steps but I guess il make this into a progress thread for anyone else stuck in the same boat.

[f13sta]

Please tell me you used p40 before the p38?
Putting that much p38 in it'll crack.
But seeing as you have already done it. Bit of redundant advice.
However. You will have to put a lot of coats of primer on. Use a fast build primer otherwise the filler will 'ring' as the primer soaks into it.
To get rid of this you need to build the coats up with some high build primer. And flat

[jokerer]

Please tell me you used p40 before the p38?
Putting that much p38 in it'll crack.
But seeing as you have already done it. Bit of redundant advice.
However. You will have to put a lot of coats of primer on. Use a fast build primer otherwise the filler will 'ring' as the primer soaks into it.
To get rid of this you need to build the coats up with some high build primer. And flat

I actually bashed the dent in fairly flat before I started and didn't really need to use p40, i just don't really have any photos of that. I reinforced the aerial hole with some mesh before I started, you would be surprised how little filler i had to use really!

I just put the first coat of high build primer on and il be putting a fair few coats down while sanding to get it as flat as possible before I put some darker primer then the Mauritius Blue and lacquer