Painted covers - LotusTalk

m3m750 · 11-06-2005, 04:56 PM

I needed to distract myself from the less than stellar 1 and 7 record of my favorite team, so I painted my engine and sparkplug covers today. The pictures look a bit orange, but it's fire engine red.

I used VHT Caliper paint (says it's good up to 900 degrees) that I picked up at my local pep boys. Best $7.99 I ever spent.

Genjuro · 11-06-2005, 05:34 PM

Next you need to hand paint your lettering.

pig · 11-06-2005, 06:18 PM

I used red Fusion paint then hand painted the letters with testors model paint and clear coated everything. To do the yellow and green in the logo you need to use some thinner to get it runny like water so that it will fill in evenly. Otherwise it will clump up on you.

Genjuro · 11-06-2005, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pig

I used red Fusion paint then hand painted the letters with testors model paint and clear coated everything. To do the yellow and green in the logo you need to use some thinner to get it runny like water so that it will fill in evenly. Otherwise it will clump up on you.

Hey, what clearcoat did you use? I have the Testors paint, and now have the time to paint it. What part thinner did you use with it?

Looks good.

Interesting post of pics anyway, it's the three stages of the process from different members.

m3m750 · 11-06-2005, 06:56 PM

You guys win.

I have the artistic ability to operate a can of spray paint, but hand painting the lettering is beyond my abilities. Won't even think about the logo...

andykeck · 11-06-2005, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m3m750

You guys win.

I have the artistic ability to operate a can of spray paint, but hand painting the lettering is beyond my abilities. Won't even think about the logo...

You can get 95 percent of the way there with a silver sharpie. Just rub the side of the nib on the raised portions. A little paint thinner or similar will help erase goofs.

Ian · 11-06-2005, 07:07 PM

For those of you who are not artists, just tape off the logo and then paint it with a silver paint pen; it is easy to do and creates a black badge.

ct_mazi · 11-07-2005, 04:21 AM

here is mine

Hatterhead · 11-07-2005, 06:23 AM

I used a small plastic wall paper seam roller with a piece of masking tape wrapped around it as a paint roller for the majority of the raised lettering. Worked pretty good.

ivan1 · 11-07-2005, 06:28 AM

that looks great...what paint did you use?

pig · 11-07-2005, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genjuro

Hey, what clearcoat did you use? I have the Testors paint, and now have the time to paint it. What part thinner did you use with it?

Looks good.

Interesting post of pics anyway, it's the three stages of the process from different members.

I'm out of town and I won't be back home until Thanksgiving. So I can't tell you for sure what kind of clearcoat that I used. Although, I think it was just a standard Krylon Acrylic.

Also, I didn't use a set formula for the thinner mixture. I just poured some paint into a small plastic soda cap and then added the thinner one drop at a time until I got the consistency I needed. It's probably around 2 to 3 parts paint to 1 part thinner (just guessing). You want to get it thin enough so that when you put a drop in the logo it will spread itself evenly inside the raised areas without any brushing. Just drop it in and let it spread.

Stan · 11-07-2005, 06:48 AM

A tip...

Hatterhead · 11-07-2005, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivan1

that looks great...what paint did you use?

Don't know if you meant mine, but I used the Tower spray paint for the yellow and Testors bright red for the lettering. Seems to be holding up pretty good, but I don't drive it much.

ivan1 · 11-07-2005, 10:37 AM

yes I meant yours...thanks....I might give it a try, maybe black or green for the letters...

Hatterhead · 11-07-2005, 11:15 AM

It is really an easy job, and the worst that can happen is you get another pair or just respray them black . Only takes part of an afternoon.

Jim

JediMindGamez · 11-07-2005, 02:03 PM

I just went to the local paint store and they wanted 200 for the plastic adhension, mag blue base paint, clear coat and catalystic...

Did you guys just use the base? no clear or promotor?

m3m750 · 11-07-2005, 02:36 PM

I didn't. Went with the let's give this a try, if it doesn't work it's a couple of cheap parts to replace theory.

I used high temperatur spray paint and just applied it very slowly with several passes. The first several passes you can't even tell anyting is really being applied, but after a while it builds up and coats well. I experimented with the inside of the covers and found that as long as I didn't apply too much at a time it adhered fine. We'll see how it stands up to the tests of time and heat.

JediMindGamez · 11-07-2005, 03:52 PM

Yea, but I want it to match the car and plan on painting the center console and HVAC at the same time. What will happen if I don't apply the clear coat and just apply the base? Will it look good?

Surferjer · 11-07-2005, 04:26 PM

It's easy. Done myself last winter, very little time and cost.

knucklehead · 11-07-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediMindGamez

Yea, but I want it to match the car and plan on painting the center console and HVAC at the same time. What will happen if I don't apply the clear coat and just apply the base? Will it look good?

Hey Tony,
I painted mine with Auto paint to match my body cover. In my opinion, if you're going to go through the trouble, I'd get clear coat so you can use car wax on it. Keeps scuffs down from passengers who are not accustomed to getting in the car messing up your center console.

11-06-2005, 04:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
m3m750 Born to drive Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 937	Painted covers I needed to distract myself from the less than stellar 1 and 7 record of my favorite team, so I painted my engine and sparkplug covers today. The pictures look a bit orange, but it's fire engine red. I used VHT Caliper paint (says it's good up to 900 degrees) that I picked up at my local pep boys. Best $7.99 I ever spent. __________________ Ways to get to the office: 2005 Elise, AS, Stage II, Fujita intake, better speakers 2005 Acura MDX 2008 MB CLS550 2001 Ducati Monster 750 1986 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

11-06-2005, 05:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Genjuro On the other side. Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: limbo Posts: 1,352	Next you need to hand paint your lettering. __________________ -- Find me in the fields of Elysium.

11-06-2005, 06:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
pig Nightfall Blue Join Date: May 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 262 Images: 6	I used red Fusion paint then hand painted the letters with testors model paint and clear coated everything. To do the yellow and green in the logo you need to use some thinner to get it runny like water so that it will fill in evenly. Otherwise it will clump up on you. Attached Images

11-06-2005, 06:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
m3m750 Born to drive Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 937	You guys win. I have the artistic ability to operate a can of spray paint, but hand painting the lettering is beyond my abilities. Won't even think about the logo... __________________ Ways to get to the office: 2005 Elise, AS, Stage II, Fujita intake, better speakers 2005 Acura MDX 2008 MB CLS550 2001 Ducati Monster 750 1986 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

11-06-2005, 07:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ian Certified Fun Stopper Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 3,974	For those of you who are not artists, just tape off the logo and then paint it with a silver paint pen; it is easy to do and creates a black badge. Attached Images __________________ '06 Exige; Polar Blue; Track/Touring/Stage II/LSD-TC '05 Elise; Arctic Silver/Ruby Red (R.I.P)

11-07-2005, 04:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
ct_mazi Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: washington dc Posts: 379	here is mine Attached Images

11-07-2005, 06:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
Hatterhead Jim Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 96	My covers I used a small plastic wall paper seam roller with a piece of masking tape wrapped around it as a paint roller for the majority of the raised lettering. Worked pretty good. Attached Images

11-07-2005, 06:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
ivan1 Land of the Lotus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bedford, NY Posts: 5,900	that looks great...what paint did you use?

11-07-2005, 06:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
Stan - Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 6,928	A tip... Attached Images

11-07-2005, 10:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
ivan1 Land of the Lotus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bedford, NY Posts: 5,900	yes I meant yours...thanks....I might give it a try, maybe black or green for the letters...

11-07-2005, 11:15 AM	#15 (permalink)
Hatterhead Jim Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 96	Thanks for the Compliment Ivan1 It is really an easy job, and the worst that can happen is you get another pair or just respray them black . Only takes part of an afternoon. Jim

11-07-2005, 02:03 PM	#16 (permalink)
JediMindGamez Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Davis, Ca Posts: 1,014	I just went to the local paint store and they wanted 200 for the plastic adhension, mag blue base paint, clear coat and catalystic... Did you guys just use the base? no clear or promotor? __________________ You can't rationalize cars like these, they're not something you buy with your head, you buy them with your heart because you love them and who can explain love. All I know is I love my lil elise more then I like any other car...

11-07-2005, 02:36 PM	#17 (permalink)
m3m750 Born to drive Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 937	I didn't. Went with the let's give this a try, if it doesn't work it's a couple of cheap parts to replace theory. I used high temperatur spray paint and just applied it very slowly with several passes. The first several passes you can't even tell anyting is really being applied, but after a while it builds up and coats well. I experimented with the inside of the covers and found that as long as I didn't apply too much at a time it adhered fine. We'll see how it stands up to the tests of time and heat. __________________ Ways to get to the office: 2005 Elise, AS, Stage II, Fujita intake, better speakers 2005 Acura MDX 2008 MB CLS550 2001 Ducati Monster 750 1986 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

11-07-2005, 03:52 PM	#18 (permalink)
JediMindGamez Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Davis, Ca Posts: 1,014	Yea, but I want it to match the car and plan on painting the center console and HVAC at the same time. What will happen if I don't apply the clear coat and just apply the base? Will it look good? __________________ You can't rationalize cars like these, they're not something you buy with your head, you buy them with your heart because you love them and who can explain love. All I know is I love my lil elise more then I like any other car...

11-07-2005, 04:26 PM	#19 (permalink)
Surferjer No more cone damage! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 8,827	It's easy. Done myself last winter, very little time and cost. Attached Images __________________ Jer-2005 Elise (retired from autox) 1993 MR2 autox car 2002 Ford Excursion DIESEL 4 X 4 1993 Miata (future LeMons car) 1987 Toyota Corolla FX16 Lemons car (rolled-being rebuilt-maybe) 1984 Chevy Citation Lemons car (almost ready)

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