Topic

My TF is red - and, in common with so many red cars, the paint is fading/peeling in a couple of places.

The good news is that it's only the mirrors and door handles (so far).

So I fancy painting the mirror covers myself... haven't painted bodywork since the 70s, but I imagine things haven't changed too much - hopefully - primer, rub, red, then maybe lacquer? Two problems:

(1) How do I get the covers off the mirrors? I break things a lot

(2) Can you actually buy spray cans of paint for our cars?

Thanks

Painted Plastics are always a problem they are usually painted with a flex aid additive and when so need to be painted separately.
The paint batches are different and will fade at a different rate. And probably weren’t a great colour match to begin with.
The problems that your gonna have with buying off the shelf touch up paint is a good colour match as well as having no flex additive.
The paint will be harder than the plastic it’s on so chips and cracks are a definite likelihood.
You need to go to a proper automotive paint store that supplies the panel shops and get them to mix it for you, take the car in and they can mix it to match, they will use the paint code as a starting point. Do explain that it is the plastic bits that you are painting and they will know if it needs a flex additive.
A good paint mixer with a good eye will get you real close. And will be able to pack your paint in an aerosol can for you.
Don’t wast your time and money at the parts and accessories supermarkets the 12 years olds they employ wouldn’t know their armpit from their arsehole without having a sniff……..even then they’d need a couple of goes to get it right!

Thanks for such a comprehensive reply - somehow I knew it would be complicated

Regarding the colour matching, I did also consider the possibility of painting them black or something outrageous but off the shelf... what does anybody think?

There is a how to dismantle the mirrors in the list. Currently the photos have gone awol but it is explained in detail.
Traditionally Black was used on the mirrors and window surround of 1.6 variants to distinguish them from the 1.8s.

Thanks David - I did read the two mirror-related guides before posting, but for some reason I didn't see how to remove the actual covers.

I'll read them again...

Ah yes... "The black surround detaches from the painted section by the careful use of a thin blade or screwdriver. Push the black surround down and out, to unclip it."

Don't know how I missed that

I hope they're more robust than those on my 75... as I say, I have a tendency to break things

Hhmmm... I reckon this looks OK, and would save me having to get matched paint etc... door handles too...

I have done this. 1: unclip the back from the inner end of the mirror.
2: get your paint made up at a proper paint factors. Use the factory code. Buy cellulose based paint. Really, really shake the aerosol for a full two minutes. It makes a huge difference.
3: Use an acrylic lacquer. It doesn't craze like cellulose

Mine turned out beautifully and are chip resistant as the plastic is rigid. This means you don't need special paint.

minimax wrote:

Get your paint made up at a proper paint factors.

Thanks. How would I find a suitable supplier please? I'll dig out the code...

minimax wrote:

Use an acrylic lacquer.

Would I get that from the same place do you think?

Cheers

My car is volcano orange a bit of a chromatic/ metallic colour looks great but a very difficult colour to match I plan to get my door handles and mirrors metalised (a chrome coating for plastic)

I would search for car paint suppliers. I use simoniz lacquer. It is cheap and readily available.

Cobber wrote:

Painted Plastics are always a problem they are usually painted with a flex aid additive and when so need to be painted separately.
The paint batches are different and will fade at a different rate. And probably weren’t a great colour match to begin with.
The problems that your gonna have with buying off the shelf touch up paint is a good colour match as well as having no flex additive.
The paint will be harder than the plastic it’s on so chips and cracks are a definite likelihood.
You need to go to a proper automotive paint store that supplies the panel shops and get them to mix it for you, take the car in and they can mix it to match, they will use the paint code as a starting point. Do explain that it is the plastic bits that you are painting and they will know if it needs a flex additive.
A good paint mixer with a good eye will get you real close. And will be able to pack your paint in an aerosol can for you.
Don’t wast your time and money at the parts and accessories supermarkets the 12 years olds they employ wouldn’t know their armpit from their arsehole without having a sniff……..even then they’d need a couple of goes to get it right!

Is this flex aid additive only in the primer or in the colour /clear coats as well? I assume that for parts that do not flex (door handle surreounds), this flex aid is not required?

You really don't need anything other than a tin of primer, one of base coat and a tin of lacquer.