Having fixed up the rust on my wing panel using POR-15 I am wondering if I should attempt to top coat paint it myself or get a body shop to do it ? I have the basic equipiment (compressor, spray gun etc) but only a little spraying experience painting some electrical control cabinets I worked on (the finish required was'nt demanding).

If do attemp it myself how many coats of what are required ? ie do I need self etch primer, top coats and a clear laquer ? Paint code is HGG, emerald green, metalic.
How do I blend in the new paint to existing paint and over how big an area ? I would like to work on as small an area as possible so I can't ruin the whole wing !

When I did the rust treatment I followed the following procedure :
1. Wire brush and sanded out the rust on both sides of the panel back to bare metal. The largest rust hole was about 'pea' sized.
2. Taped over the outside and applied POR-15 to the inside, 2 coats. (used the marine clean & metal ready prep first).
3. Fixed a decent sized piece of gauze to the inside of the panel with a thin coat of filler both under and over the patch.
4. Painted another coat of POR-15 over the whole area of the patch.
5. Removed the tape from the outside and applied two coats of POR-15.

Here is a pic of the area. The finish looks a bit rough over rusted pits, some filling and sanding prep would have be done.

 

It may be prudent to carry out DIY painting and give it some time to be absolutely certain nothing is going to come back though before spending significant £££'s with a professional bodyshop refinish.

Have you seen this recent thread on XK8 section:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-repair-79511/

RaceDiagnostics has tackled serious rusting on the rear wing of his XK8 and achieved very good results.

Graham

 

Given the above advice perhaps I should just do a simple 'cosmetic' cover-up, leave it thorugh the winter and see how it looks in the spring.

I have POR-15 treated the spare wheel and battery try in the boot and I was going to go and get a small pot of 2 pack top coat paint and make it all the correct colour in there again. While I have it in the spray gun I'll just plaster over the black patch on the wing. It won't look like a proper job but atleast it will be almost the correct colour.

 

Good decision. Trying to get that metallic paint blended in is something for an expert. I had some repairs on one of my previous cars, and while they were fairly small the shop refinished the whole panel. They said that the clear coat should be sprayed over the color coat without sanding, very difficult unless the whole panel is resprayed.
RJ______________
97 XK8 86K mi

 

I am a DIY'er all around, but painting is not for the faint of heart. It is a required skilled, I tried painting a hood and it DID NOT turn out even some what good. I wasted $350.00, resand it down to metal and primed it, the shop charged me $100.00 for the paint/top coat & $150.00 for labor to paint it the way it should have been.

That is one thing I would leave to the professionals, if you think you can go ahead, for the that little patch will cost you in paint alone, about $75.00 for the correct color, match blending and all.

The sanding supplied, top coat, primer, water filter for the compressor (which you migth have alread) that about another $50.00.

At $125.00 (appox.) you can probably have it done correctly and nice, with a warranty.

 

Fit a rust free wing? sometimes the breaker has the exact colour - no more than £50...

If painted it needs buzzing back to bright metal, leveled and sealer primed/primed, colour-coat then clear. Painter will prolly blend to the bump strip or blow the whole wing.