Painting both sidesills

gen2lover

Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Posts
1,149
Reaction score
0
Location
Windsor,Ontario
Any advice? How long should the paint shop leave them off the car...to dry etc? Any special tools or pain in the butt issues with removal or putting them back on? thanks in advance! Kevin.:dunno::crazy2:
 

95Viper

Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 1, 2002
Posts
1,510
Reaction score
0
Location
Phoenix
Kevin, My opinion? Remove them yourself and take them there.

The trick is to take two credit cards, slip them under the round plastic covers over the screws, squeeze them together, and they pop out. With the sills off, use pliers, a punch, different screwdrivers, whatever to flatten the holes back out. The problem is that the metal is so thin that the holes drastically elongate and when you put the screws back in they easily, very, very easily strip. Taking the time to flatten the holes back out fixes this. Then use a qtip and dip a little POR15 on the holes to prevent rust. When re-installing, buy new screws if necessary because the old one will probably have corrosion, only use a screwdriver type socket and just snug the screws back in with locktite. I suggest using three fingers on the handle. Do not use a rachet or you will just strip out the screws. You will be amazed at how little effort it takes. You can even test one with the sills off because you can then see the holes from the side. You'll see what I mean with the sills off. With the holes fixed, locktite and screws in snug that is all that is needed. Go online too, they make high temp locktite.

BTW, when they strip the sills and find aluminum corrosion damage, ensure they cut out and reweld. Do not just patch. You should demand to see the sills with paint stripped before they move on.
 
OP
OP
G

gen2lover

Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Posts
1,149
Reaction score
0
Location
Windsor,Ontario
My concern is they wont match the pain properly by not taking the car there. its ps6 steel gray pearl. dont know...debating take car or just sill...
 

95Viper

Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 1, 2002
Posts
1,510
Reaction score
0
Location
Phoenix
My concern is they wont match the pain properly by not taking the car there. its ps6 steel gray pearl. dont know...debating take car or just sill...

Good point...remove them at home, take them there and tell them to call you when they are stripped. Probably will need aluminum welding done on corrosion spots. Now will be the only time that you can ensure things are fixed right. I can't stress the importance enough. Once you are satisfied drive your car in there with the sills off if you are worried about the paint match. Do not let them put the sills back on.

I hope you do not have the original cats on. If you do you will have the problem again assuming you are doing this for paint bubbling. Heat and moisture are enemies of the aluminum sills. Now is a perfect time to get high flow cats or no cats on there.
 

EllowViper

Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Posts
1,656
Reaction score
0
Location
Valrico Florida
I've done mine three times...for various reasons.
1. Strip all the way to bare aluminum. DO NOT simply scuff/prime and repaint/clear over existing paint. The new paint will crack and split due to differing expansion/contraction over the old paint.
2. You do not need an etching primer. Some will demand it, but a good 2-part uerathane primer mixed with base color (to better match the final color) is all that's needed.
3. Do not get crazy with the amount of base and clear coat. More is not better. Get a good base coat to cover, and then a light clear...let stand 20 minutes, another medium clear, let stand for another 20, and then a final clear coat. Wet sand after 24 hours and polish like a diamond! Let cure for one week before driving...and then do several limited heat/cool cycles to allow a full curing of the clear.
..but your shop should know all this anyways.
Don't be too scared/concerned with the job...its pretty straighforward and should not cost that much. My materials were around $200.00
 
Top