Painting the Mirage...6 years into it.

I finally got the courage up to quit making excuses by finding yet another mechanical thing to work on, and dress up in my Sunday best. So I started out with some low visibility parts (side-pod covers), and then the small ones (doors) to test my waning painting skills. Paint now days ain't what it was 15 years ago, so it did take a bit of trial and error before I finally figured it out again. Now I feel I can finish the entire car within the next month. All the decals are in hand, and hopefully put on the car by the end of next month.

http://www.fototime.com/67A11875BE6E328/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/29424788AF63F6C/standard.jpg

Looking good Terry. Your color looks to be a good match to the original McLaren Orange.

Second Act: At this rate I should finish sometime around New Years. :eek: Fortunately, this panel was the largest and most complicated in terms of prepping and shooting. The next two, and other door should be easier. Then I can start into the fun stuff, and start playing with the decals, roundels, and numbers. BTW, it's official...I suck at painting. What used to be a considerable amount of pride in my ability, has turned into a shadow of the shadow of a paint man that I was. Part of this is the paint now days has no semblance to what I used to use 15 years ago. Yellows and oranges used to cover in 2 coats. This took 5 to get proper coverage. It's also too hot to be painting in the afternoon. Morning shoot this weekend for the dash cover or middle panel should help. These photos make the orange look a little more red, and less yellow than it really is.

http://www.fototime.com/B643AED4438B93D/standard.jpg

You are still way ahead of me in painting skills...Looks great from the photos!

Part 3. Last piece now is the nose panel.

http://www.fototime.com/65A60572AE3B60D/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/A9E5C1DD55EDFA2/standard.jpg

Gave up a 65 mile bike ride this weekend to finish the overall painting. Now on to the the detail painting and the many blemishes that need to be wet-sanded and polished out.


http://www.fototime.com/E6061149E4AEF1C/standard.jpg


http://www.fototime.com/E56483DCA37062D/standard.jpg


Then when all that is "fixed", I'll put the McLaren graphics, numbers, and the Gulf and Goodyear decals, on it. My wife is jazzed in that she's optimistically thinking I can finally apply some of my skills to some trimwork in the house.

Great looking car !!

It must be exciting, your car is getting very close to looking like your avatar picture !

A lot of skill and hard work.

Looking Great !

I've been "convinced" that I should use my wife's lucky number of "14" rather than the single number "4". Being she is my largest sponsor of the car, and "if mamma ain't happy, nobody's happy" is true, then "14" it will be. I'll put the last roundel on the driver's side tonight, and then finish up the graphics for this car's first car show this weekend.

http://mantacarsforum.com/attachment...ntid=703&stc=1