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FCP Euro Service Kits

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Ever since I have owned my car, the rocker panels have been permanently dirty. No, it’s not because I’m too lazy to reach down and clean them when I wash my car, but for whatever reason, they have been painted dirty. I didn't notice earlier during car ownership as I figured the rocker panels were very shiny and what I was seeing was simply a reflection of the ground.  My theory is, sometime during my car’s life (with its previous owner), its underbody was painted, or my entire car clear-coated. In any case, the painter neglected to clean the rocker panels and thus simply painted the dirt right onto the car. The result is painfully obvious in the picture below. I decided I would not stand for a permanently dirty car and decided to do something about it.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional painter, nor do I try to be one. My methods described below were done to get the best possible paint job with the materials I had around the house. The only material I bought specifically for this project was the spray paint. I am your average backyard mechanic with a mentality that, wherever I can save a couple dollars without cutting too many corners, I’ll do it. If you have any tips for me or for other readers, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Permanently dirty rocker panels Permanently dirty rocker panels

 

Step 1: Materials.

As stated above, the only material I bought specifically for this project was the paint itself. Every other material I used was found around the house, all perfectly fine for this project, but maybe not the most professional. In total, it cost me about $10 for the paint. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Rocker panel spray paint
    What I used was a premium rubberized textured paint which resists chipping and has the ability to be painted over if I desired. I would be leaving the colour as-is. This paint will give you a satin finish when it is dry. I was very happy with the result as it blended in perfectly with the other black plastic trim pieces on my car.
  • Green painter's tape
    Used for creating crisp edges. Be sure to use the green tape as it will not leave a residue behind when you take it off.
  • Packaging wrap
    Not necessarily needed, but it was a quick and easy method to mask off a slightly larger surface near the painted area. This allowed me to be less meticulous with the placement of my newspaper. You could work without it, but I found it easier than holding a large sheet of newspaper onto the side of my car while matching up the tape.
  • Newspaper
    For masking off larger areas of the car, I used the flyers for coverage. It also gave me the ability to compare all the local deals side-by-side.
  • Painting Respirator
    When it comes to safety, don’t cheap out. Make sure you get yourself a proper respirator for automotive painting. You don’t want to risk your long term health for a couple of dollars. There are multiple brands available at multiple price points. An N95-NIOSH approved respirator is a good start if you’re using water-based paints. For any oil based paints, an R95 or P95 rated respirator would be your choice.

Main materials for rocker panel painting. Main materials for rocker panel painting. Tape, rocker panel paint, saran wrap, the local ads.

Step 2: Preparation

Any painter will tell you that prep is key to a good paint job. Despite my ad-hoc methods, this fact was not lost on me and I rummaged my house for the appropriate items.

Clean your rocker panels of any dirt. I elected to use dishwashing soap as it cuts the grease and removes all traces of previous waxes as well. It’s perfectly safe to use on special occasions, but not safe to use as regular car wash as overuse will strip your car’s clear coat. I didn’t wash the entire car, just the rocker panels.

Next, wipe down the panels with mineral spirits or something similar, to further prep the panels. This will give the paint a better surface to stick to and not flake off in the future. I used a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.

Use dishwashing soap to clean the surface and 99% isopropyl alcohol to further prepare the surface Use dishwashing soap to clean the surface and 99% isopropyl alcohol to further prepare the surface

Step 3: Masking

Here’s the fun part. Using your green painter’s tape, mask off exactly where you don’t want your paint to go. Do your best to use a single length of tape, holding the roll in one hand and using your other to stick it on. Breaking the tape may show up as an offset masking line later if you’re not careful. For this task, I used my floor creeper to lie on my back and mask it as I shuffled along. In my case, I was able to press the tape down onto a lip just above the rocker panel, allowing half the tape to be exposed for later attachment to the saran wrap. Make sure you press down on the tape's edge after you lay it down. Neglecting this step may allow paint to seep under the tape.

Masking with saran wrap and painters tape Masking with saran wrap and painters tape

If you want to use my saran wrap method of masking, you can tie it around your wheel spokes as anchors and pull it along the length of the car. Once you have a relatively straight piece of wrap, tuck the lower edge behind your masking tape and press your finger along it to ensure a proper seal.

Tying the saran wrap Tying the saran wrap. This is during the removal process, so ignore the hole in the wrapping.

Next, use your newspaper or local ads and start covering up your car. How much of your car you want to cover is totally up to you. Some people will cover their entire car, or just the local area. I took the route of covering just the sides and wheels as the rocker panels are down low and figured paint wouldn’t travel too far vertically. When taping the ads to my car, I tried my best to tape onto the glass surfaces. It was a warm day with sun pouring in, and I really didn’t want to have to potentially clean up tape residue from paint. Cleaning it from glass is much easier. After you're done, your car should look somewhat like an elementary school paper mache project. Don’t forget to cover your floor!

Masking the Volvo for painting Masking the Volvo for painting

Step 4: Paint

If all goes well, this should be the shortest step. You’ll notice that most of my pictures were of the garage door open. For the painting step, I elected to close the door (remember your respirator!) This way, there won’t be any drafts of air to potentially blow the paint around and deposit it on unmasked surfaces. I placed my light on the ground pointed at the painting area to give myself a good view on what was going on.

Painting in the garage. Don't forget your respirator! Painting in the garage. Don't forget your respirator!

Spray light coats, never heavy coats with your can about 10 inches away from the surface. As you sweep from left to right, let go of the nozzle at the end of your sweep, reengaging on the way back. These steps will ensure no unsightly paint drips on your surface. I did about 2-3 coats of paint until I was satisfied. A little thicker paint on the rocker panels never hurts.

Spraying the paint about 10 inches away from the car. Spraying the paint about 10 inches away from the car.

Step 5: Cleanup

Before you get excited and start removing all the masking and your ads from the car, make sure the paint is dry to the touch. If you remove the masking tape along the edge too soon, it will pull the paint off your freshly painted surface and that crisp line you hoped for will no longer be a reality. It entirely depends on the weather, and how many coats of paint you put until it is safe to remove. In general, waiting 15-20 minutes should be more than sufficient.

Finished Rocker Panel Finished Rocker Panel

Proceed unmasking your car, and step back for a job well done. If you’re lucky, even the weather will be smiling at your paint job.

Enjoying the fruits of my labour. Enjoying the fruits of my labour.

 

Shop Volvo at FCP Euro

 


Thumbnail Tim WongAbout the Author: Tim Wong
Tim is a Canadian from Windsor, which means he has plans to use his Volvo as an emergency space heater. He is a mechanical engineer by day and backyard mechanic by night. His mantra in life is to never break another bolt. 

 

 


author image
Written by :
Tim Wong

Tim is a Canadian from Windsor, with a knack for taking things apart, and sometimes putting them back together. He is a mechanical engineer by day and backyard mechanic by night. His mantra in life is to never break another bolt.


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