Hi guys hope everyone is well. I've had my 2005 350 since January and as the weather is supposed to be improving I'm having a go at some paint work. I've done the side trim and repainted the spoiler but I've noticed the boot has blistered all along the rear window edge. it will need prepping properly treated and repainting. I'm hoping to take the boot off to do this job so I don't get overspray all over the place or be interrupted by the weather. I managed to do 90% of the wiring harness removal but got stuck as access to the number plate lights was impossible due to riveted plates over the connections. so does anyone know how to remove the boot/trunk.
cheers mike

 

Cannot specifically answer your question.

I am getting ready to respray my bonnet and considered taking it off however have decided to keep it in place to reduce the risk of damage to fenders etc in taking it off and putting it back as I will be doing this on my own.

Masking paper is really inexpensive as are old sheets that I have. I will cover the whole car with a combination of these to prevent over-spray.

I have already rubbed the bonnet down and will be using urethane primer followed by urethane base coat and then urethane clear coat.

I have to wait for suitable temperatures, and minimal to no wind, which seem likely by the end of this week. I will be doing this in my garage but with the door to the outside open.

 

hi hope your good did you manage to paint your trunk lid
mike

 

I actually did it yesterday, the hood, that is.

I ended up removing the hood so did not have to cover the car to prevent over spray.

Quite a procedure!

This was my second attempt. The first ended up with a bad "crinkling" over an area that I had patched about 2 years ago.

So sanded everything down thru to the new base coat and down below that where the crinkling occurred and then primed, again, over the crinkle area.

Sprayed another couple or so coats of base and then the clear.

Had some slight orange peel in places that will have to be wet sanded in about a week.

One issue I had is spraying over such a large panel lying horizontally as it was difficult reaching out to the middle and keeping the gun perpendicular to the panel!

When researching this I did find aerosol spray with integral hardner that is released when you push a button on the base of the can and you can even adjust the amount of hardner/activator by twisting the button. Quite sophisticated and if I did not have a compressor and spray kit I would have chosen that route.

 

hi hope your good and thanks for your story. I'm still waiting to do my trunk lid ( delayed with my bad back) and I'm still sourcing information on how to remove it from the car. You managed to remove yours which is good news. when I tried I got stuck accessing the number plate light switch connectors. these are hidden behind a thin metal riveted plate, the only way I could see to disconnect these switches is by drilling the rivets out of the metal plate. is this what you did or did you have another solution.


did you take any photo's.
mike

 

I have never taken off the boot lid only the bonnet.

With the trunk lid could you not leave the electrical connections alone and undo the bolts on the support backets , only two, either side and disconnect the struts so that you could raise the trunk up about 3 inches with supports?

You would have to screen off the car behind the trunk lid but would have good access for spraying I would think.

I am still battling a very small area of crinkling paint on one side of the bonnet. Very frustrating as I have primed the small area but the crinkling "moves". I have now primed a larger area and need to wait over night for it to harden before sanding down. Am using an airbrush sprayer at this point and am very pleased with it. Never used one before.