# Painting an outboard cowl....Proper prep????



## TomFL

Going to re-spray and re-decal the cowl on Yamaha motor. 

First time I've sprayed one, so I need to ask; what do I need to get the cowl down to before primering?

Do I need to just scuff the paint/primer that's on there or completely re-strip?

I am going to be using the factory matched products from Color Rite; Urethane primer, 2-part urethane color (base/Yamaha shiny black) then a urethane clear.

-T


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## mark_gardner

as you already know tom prep is 80% of the job. with that said as far as whether to strip it all or not i would say that depends on the current condition of it, if its just faded i would scuff it (wet sand) then start the repaint process, if it's cracked, blistered,or flaking then i would take it all the way down


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## brew1891

Hopefully str8outha9c will see this thread. He is a professional automotive painter. He seems to know his stuff. Saw a thread over on FL Sportsman where someone posted up the results of their effort to paint a cowling. He warned them their method was incorrect. That poster followed up with a post a few months later stating that the paint job was deteriorating bad already. Evidently there is a very specific way to paint one for durability.


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## Frank_Sebastian

We used Imron AF-700 which was a particular favorite. If you go with Color-Rite it may pay to shop around. I am sure it will do the job well.

Best regards,
Frank_S


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## mark_gardner

> Hopefully str8outha9c will see this thread. He is a professional automotive painter. He seems to know his stuff. Saw a thread over on FL Sportsman where someone posted up the results of their effort to paint a cowling. He warned them their method was incorrect. That poster followed up with a post a few months later stating that the paint job was deteriorating bad already. Evidently there is a very specific way to paint one for durability.


 yep i remember that post, the O.P. used that rattle can crap from the auto parts store, that stuff never last :


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## rkmurphy

I think the guy who painted my Merc's cowling used a urethane paint. I would say sand it down, prime it, wet sand it, and spray it with the urethane paint (I'm guessing you're using an air gun so you can use something with hardener). I guess maybe 2 coats would be good and then apply the decals. I've heard some people spray clear coat on after applying decals but I'm not sure if that's good to do or not.


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## paint it black

Hey guys,
I would sand that cowling down with either 180 grit (if the surface is faded badly and cracking) or 220 if it's not too bad.
You'd want to get a nice smooth surface.
Remove all the glue residue, or cracking paint.
Make sure if there's any paint edges they're all feathered in nicely.
Once that's done, go back with a two part primer.
Make sure you do not use any lacquer primer.
It will shrink, and can "blow up" and leave really bad crack/chips.
Once you have it in primer, come back with some 320 grit and wet sand it smooth.
If you're going with black paint, I'd suggest hitting it up with some 400 grit wet.
Then I suggest you use a solvent based base coat if you intend to use a urethane clear.
Make sure it's not enamel or oil based like some paints are.
Clear coat it with a good urethane clear.
There are some very good high end clears in the automotive industry that are high on UV protection inhibitors. 
Usually a high end custom paint clear like House of Kolor's UC35.
It has high UV protection because it's made to protect kandy paint (probably the most vulnerable paint) against harmful UV rays.
If you use a cheap paint it will definitely show within a year.
A quart kit of a good clear can run you anywhere around $60 and up.


I don't understand a friend of mine.
He too paints cars but got lazy on his outboard and used the Yamaha paint they sell in the spray cans to paint his.
Quite honestly, I don't see his paint lasting more than a couple trips out. 
He didn't even clear coat it and he insists that it'll do good.   


And yes, some people clear coat over the decal.
It will last as long as the clear does.
The decal would scratch up or peel.
One just has to be careful on the first coat or two.
If put on too wet, it will lift the decal right off.

I'm going to paint my logo's on my motor.
I will be using decals I designed as a stencil and I will airbrush them in. 


I'd go for two to three coats of clear.
Preferably three, but two wet thick coats would do the trick.
If you do too many, you'd risk solvent pop and chance of hazing.


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## TomFL

If I could just figure out how to get the old decal residue off it I'd be on a good track. 

Goo-Gone, Goo-Off, elbow grease and sandpaper...nothing. I'm about to start a chemical warfare on them to get the glue off. 

Stickers were a bit of a pain but the residue is crazy. The kicker is, it's such a large area on both sides. 

Any tips?

-T


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## Brett

Not that I knew, but a good question that needed an answer... 

http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?p=269029


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## TomFL

Too late, Brett....

I think I fubar'd the sticker removal to the point of no return. 

Tried alcohol, Interlux 202 and goo-gone, etc. 

Apparantly the combo turned into paint remover so I'm just going to strip the whole cowl down to 'glass and start over. 

The decals were so faded and sun damaged that what I was left with was a combo of the actual adhesive and part of the label. Cooked on for years. 

-T


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## paint it black

> Too late, Brett....
> 
> I think I fubar'd the sticker removal to the point of no return.
> 
> Tried alcohol, Interlux 202 and goo-gone, etc.
> 
> Apparantly the combo turned into paint remover so I'm just going to strip the whole cowl down to 'glass and start over.
> 
> The decals were so faded and sun damaged that what I was left with was a combo of the actual adhesive and part of the label. Cooked on for years.
> 
> -T



180grit on a d/a sander should take that residue right off. 
That's how I did mine.

Just got done spraying this today.


















I will cut and buff it on Monday.


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## mark_gardner

> Too late, Brett....
> 
> I think I fubar'd the sticker removal to the point of no return.
> 
> Tried alcohol, Interlux 202 and goo-gone, etc.
> 
> Apparantly the combo turned into paint remover so I'm just going to strip the whole cowl down to 'glass and start over.
> 
> The decals were so faded and sun damaged that what I was left with was a combo of the actual adhesive and part of the label. Cooked on for years.
> 
> -T
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 180grit on a d/a sander should take that residue right off.
> That's how I did mine.
> 
> Just got done spraying this today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will cut and buff it on Monday.
Click to expand...

  sweeeet , looks like you decided to keep it huh?? my buddy in boynton bch has a 73 olds delta 88 conv. we take it for rides down A1A when ever i visit, we probably look like a couple of gangstas riding along smoking big cigars with the top down. it's definitely a south florida car much like yours [smiley=cigar.gif] it's crazy how much attention that car gets, the women love it 

sorry tom, not trying to derail your post :-[


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## paint it black

> Too late, Brett....
> 
> I think I fubar'd the sticker removal to the point of no return.
> 
> Tried alcohol, Interlux 202 and goo-gone, etc.
> 
> Apparantly the combo turned into paint remover so I'm just going to strip the whole cowl down to 'glass and start over.
> 
> The decals were so faded and sun damaged that what I was left with was a combo of the actual adhesive and part of the label. Cooked on for years.
> 
> -T
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 180grit on a d/a sander should take that residue right off.
> That's how I did mine.
> 
> Just got done spraying this today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will cut and buff it on Monday.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> sweeeet , looks like you decided to keep it huh?? my buddy in boynton bch has a 73 olds delta 88 conv. we take it for rides down A1A when ever i visit, we probably look like a couple of gangstas riding along smoking big cigars with the top down. it's definitely a south florida car much like yours [smiley=cigar.gif] it's crazy how much attention that car gets, the women love it
> 
> sorry tom, not trying to derail your post :-[
Click to expand...


It's not my car.
Although I wish it was. 
It's a customer car. 

If anyone has any painting questions feel free to ask.

Or also, if anyone in south Florida needs some work I'll hook yo up with a forum discount.


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## mark_gardner

> Too late, Brett....
> 
> I think I fubar'd the sticker removal to the point of no return.
> 
> Tried alcohol, Interlux 202 and goo-gone, etc.
> 
> Apparantly the combo turned into paint remover so I'm just going to strip the whole cowl down to 'glass and start over.
> 
> The decals were so faded and sun damaged that what I was left with was a combo of the actual adhesive and part of the label. Cooked on for years.
> 
> -T
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 180grit on a d/a sander should take that residue right off.
> That's how I did mine.
> 
> Just got done spraying this today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will cut and buff it on Monday.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> sweeeet , looks like you decided to keep it huh?? my buddy in boynton bch has a 73 olds delta 88 conv. we take it for rides down A1A when ever i visit, we probably look like a couple of gangstas riding along smoking big cigars with the top down. it's definitely a south florida car much like yours [smiley=cigar.gif] it's crazy how much attention that car gets, the women love it
> 
> sorry tom, not trying to derail your post :-[
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It's not my car.
> Although I wish it was.
> It's a customer car.
> 
> If anyone has any painting questions feel free to ask.
> 
> Or also, if anyone in south Florida needs some work I'll hook yo up with a forum discount.
Click to expand...

 my bad, your right, yours is an impala and thats a t bird, got my makes screwed up and thought that was yours :-[


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## TomFL

Well looks like I've wasted a day. Spent the morning sanding the decals off with an RO sander, then went down to the primer. Hand sanded the remainder with 400 for a super-nice surface then hit it with the primer. 

Dried for a bit as reccomended, then lightly sanded with 600 before part one of the 2-part color. After drying I cracked open the can of the second color part; "yamaha shiny black" and proceeded to spray it on. Looked absolutely no different than the base color, almost like it was clear. 

Thought it would darken up with the second coat, but no-go. 

Eventually wound up spraying it on a white sheet of paper, and guess what? Apparantly there is NO PIGMENT in the can. H*ll the clear coat is more visible on the white sheet of paper than the "yamaha shiny black". 

Both cans of the top color coat from colorite have no pigment in them at all. 

Waste of a day....

-T


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## Brett

> Both cans of the top color coat from colorite have no pigment in them at all.
> 
> Waste of a day....


Guess you better stick to camo...ya did fine with that...quack quack

                                                         ;D


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## paint it black

I assume you stirred the paint good right?
Sometimes when the cans sit for a long time the toners settle on the bottom and the binder is pretty much all you're pouring out of the can.


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## TomFL

> I assume you stirred the paint good right?
> Sometimes when the cans sit for a long time the toners settle on the bottom and the binder is pretty much all you're pouring out of the can.


No stirring; I'm using polyurethane direct from Colorite in an aerosol can. Wish I had a spray gun but I don't. 

And yes, I shook the h*ll outta the cans for 2-3 minutes before using. 



-T


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## paint it black

> I assume you stirred the paint good right?
> Sometimes when the cans sit for a long time the toners settle on the bottom and the binder is pretty much all you're pouring out of the can.
> 
> 
> 
> No stirring; I'm using polyurethane direct from Colorite in an aerosol can. Wish I had a spray gun but I don't.
> 
> And yes, I shook the h*ll outta the cans for 2-3 minutes before using.
> 
> 
> 
> -T
Click to expand...


Oh.
Then I have no clue. lol


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