Repainted my hood, AMA

[Cezar]

I used this paint in 1E9 code: Amazon.com

It required three paint kits, so $180 + odds and ends like sandpaper, buffing pads, etc.

Basic process:
- Remove hood (surprisingly easy, it's aluminum! I easily did the hood solo)
- Sand 220. Should have started at 120. One big lesson learned: It's far easier to jump between grits than to spend too much time at too high of a grit
- Prime, color coat after 20 mins, clear after 2 hours
*wait 2 days*
- Wetsand; 220 -> 600 -> 1500 -> 2000 -> Rubbing Compound on buffer -> Polish on buffer

Results? Absolutely fantastic. Blemishes everywhere! But who cares!!

 

[Parks Junkie]

Rattlecans? Wow, looks good. I've done some painting, both full cars and panels and it's a lot of work. I always make as sure as I can not to go thru the primer and just go over the existing primer and base coat after getting that damned failing clear off. But it takes time, lots of it to do it that way.

Nice results though!

 

[alia176]

Dang, that's a nice job dude.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Looks great! Your 4Runner came w an aluminum hood? My 03' is definitely steel.

 

[AuSeeker]

Looks great! Your 4Runner came w an aluminum hood? My 03' is definitely steel.

I find it hard to believe that his hood is aluminum, you can clearly see rust coming through the paint in the before photo, aluminum doesn't' rust.

[MENTION=117138]Cezar[/MENTION] will a magnet stick to your hood?

 

[Cezar]

I'm like 99% sure it's aluminum.

I actually took on this job because I thought it was steel, and rusting, and I didn't want it to get worse. What looks _exactly_ like rust is actually failure of the primer.

Sanding it down I went through the primer to bare metal in many places and it has that characteristic dull silveriness that aluminum has. The little "eyelashes" were the same material as well.

On top of that, the hood itself is very lightweight. Whole thing is probably 40 lb or less.

I will try the magnet test but I'm pretty sure.

 

[Cezar]

Yep magnet no stick.

Perhaps the sport editions had the aluminum hoods?

 

[prairieghost]

Looks really good

 

[igwig]

did you clearcoat?

 

[Cezar]

did you clearcoat?

Yep. Clearcoat comes in the kit.