Miranda's First Car : 7 Steps (with Pictures)

Today so many kids are just given new cars and do not really appreciate the work that goes into fixing and maintaining a "New To You" car.

Miranda picked up a Red 2005 Chevy Malibu 4 Door from a family friend. She drove it as-is for the first 6 months to get the obligatory bumps and scratches that come with learning to drive a car done and out of the way. Miranda learned about "USED" -vs- "NEW" tires and parts for her car. We visited the local scrap yards for various parts such as door pulls, mirror, alternator and radio to name a few. Miranda learned how to change the brakes and plug tire when they get nails in them. Then in the spring she decided the car was looking a little rough and wanted to paint it.

This is that journey. (Major Parts List Provided)

Supplies

Slightly Used 2005 Red Chevy Malibu 4 Door

$24.99 - Bondo Bumper Repair Kit 1 EA BONDO
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/bondo-bumper-repair-kit-1-ea-bondo-31589/11982662-p

$68.54 - Driver Side Rocker Panel https://www.jcwhitney.com/details/Chevrolet/Malibu/Key_Parts/Rocker_Panel/2005/FITN0707140L.html#plpslot1

$9.99 - 32 Oz. Bondo® Body Filler https://www.harborfreight.com/32-oz-bondo-body-filler-67721.html

68.80 - Passenger Side Rocker Panel https://www.jcwhitney.com/details/Chevrolet/Malibu/Key_Parts/Rocker_Panel/2005/FITN0707140R.html#plpslot2

$4.99 - 4-1/2 In. 80 Grit Resin Fiber Sanding Discs 5 Pk https://www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-80-grit-resin-fiber-sanding-discs-5-pk-69977.html

$19.99 - High Speed Air Grinder https://www.harborfreight.com/5-in-high-speed-air-sander-68739.html

$19.99 - 6 In. 220 Grit PSA Sanding Discs 50 Pk. https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-220-grit-psa-sanding-discs-50-pk-60661.html

$32.99 - 6 In. Dual Action Air Sander https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-dual-action-air-sander-68152.html

$133.00 - 3M 08115 Panel Adhesive & 3M 08571 Manual Applicator Gun https://www.amazon.com/3M-Adhesive-Manual-Applicator-Sticker/dp/B00KSF9TCW

$19.99 X 2 - 6 In. 320 Grit PSA Sanding Discs 50 Pk. (2 packs) https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-320-grit-psa-sanding-discs-50-pk-60421.html

$2.99 x 10 - 60 Yd. X 0.94 In. Painter's Tape https://www.harborfreight.com/60-yd-x-094-in-painters-tape-63244.html

$3.99 x 2 - 60 Yd. X 1.88 In. Painter's Tape https://www.harborfreight.com/60-yd-x-188-in-painters-tape-63243.html

$1.00 x 4 - Tack Cloth (bees wax cloth to remove all dust) https://www.harborfreight.com/tack-cloth-66578.html

$125.00 - Sherwin Williams Automotive Paint https://industrial.sherwin-williams.com/na/us/en/automotive.html

Step 1: Bumper Needs Fixed.

New drives always get too close to the light poles and miss-judged shopping cart distances in the parking lots is a task.

The bumper had to come off and be repaired, sanded and primed for painting.

Miranda used $20 Bondo Bumper Kit from a local auto store. Simple and easy to follow instructions.

Step 2: Rusted and Rotted - Rockers

Typical of all Ohio cars with the amount of salt they spread on the roads in the winter and as a result is it rots the rocker panels on cars all the time.

We found one piece replacement rocker panels from JC Whittney online.

Step #1, Grind the rust out.

We used 80 Grit Resin Grinding Disc from Harbor Freight.
Step #2, Grind some more.

Step #3, Dig the rust and rot out of the car.

Step #4, Sand and prime the new rockers for installation.
We used 220 Grit Self Adhesive Sand Paper from Harbor Freight

Step #5, Install rocker panels using 3M Panel Bond Adhesive.
Use clamps to hold the panels in place for 24hrs
We got it off amazon as a kit.

Step #6, Use a little body filler to fill in the gaps and sand it down.

Step 3: The Hood Is the Most Important

The hood is the most important. Everyone looks at the hood first. The sun and weather are brutal on the clear coat of today's cars. The hood needed to be removed and sanded down to remove the clear coat before it was painted.

Again:

Step #1, Sand the Hood
Again we used 220 Grit Self Adhesive Sand Paper from Harbor Freight

Step #2, Sand the Hood

Step #3, Sand the Hood

Step #4, Prime the Hood
This will cover the scratches from the 220 Grit paper

Step #5, Sand the Hood
Now we switch to 320 Grit Self Adhesive Sand Paper from Harbor Freight

Step #6, Prime the Hood

This will cover the scratches from the 220 Grit paper

Step #7, Sand the Hood

Step 4: Sand and Prime and Sand and Prime

Sand and Prime and Sand and Prime. Tape and mask off the glass and black parts you do not want painted. The key to a good finish is to sand and prime and sand and prime and then sand some more. The smoother you get the body the better the finish will be.

For 3 days Miranda sanded and primed and sanded some more using 320 grit sand paper.

When sanding it is best use a Dual Action Air Sander for the major areas and then hand sand the rest in straight lines. Avoid sanding in circles as it will harder to get a smooth finish and will require more priming and sanding again.

Ask friends and family to save their newspapers for you to use as masking (saves $)

Step 5: Here Comes the Color

Here Comes The Color. Finally Painting Day.

Miranda has put 60+ hours into grinding, sanding, priming, filling, taping, sweeping and covering.

TIME TO PAINT.

We visited the local paint store and picked up a can of dark blue that was miss ordered for a car dealer. We paid $125 for the gallon of paint, hardener and reducer and a roll of bright white pin stripe.

The key to painting a car is to take your time. If you are hurried then that will show up in the final results. We were planning on painting Saturday morning but decided to wait a day because of a rain storm coming through Ohio. We waited because we did not want all the moisture while she was painting.

Helpful Tips:

Paint the car in even overlapping strokes. You should overlap the spray pattern by 1/3 for an even coat of paint. Paint the inside of door jambs, fenders, hood and trunk first, wait 20 minutes for the paint to setup then close the doors gently. When you start painting the bulk of the car start on the top of the car on the roof and work your way down and around the car. Use all your paint. You paid for it. Get a nice glossy coat on the hood.