Since we are getting closer to painting the Sportsman, I was wondering how much paint, clear etc is needed to paint your basic Manx clone dune buggy. I would love to have my boat buddy gel coat it but that would cost too much. We're thinking about metalflaking it but will most likely just paint it a metalic color.

Mine used about a litre of paint. I have another litre sitting in the basement if I need to repaint something. I'm not sure how much clearcoat as I didn't buy it, my buddy who painted the car supplied it.

KEN...... WHERE ARE YOU????

brad

When I painted my Manx I used Kirker paint. It comes in a 3/4 gallon and you mix it with an activator to make 1 sprayable gallon. Their clear comes in 1 gallon and you add an activator so its a little more than 1 gallon sprayable.

I used just about all of it to paint the Manx, tank, side pods, cage, and other small parts. I may have had a pint of paint left over and very little clear (I use a little more than needed so I can color sand).

Color choice means a lot, some colors cover better than others, a even coat of primer for a base for your paint is also important, the paint supplier should be able to give yo a idea of how good the particular color covers, I would rather have paint left over VS not enough to cover it correctly, I would never try to paint a body with only 1 quart of base coat ( not saying you cant but I dont take the chance of running short ) 1 quart gives you almost a half a gallon of sprayable material once you reduce it so it can be done with a good covering paint, As far as clear I dont use reducer just clear and activator , so my suggestion would be 1/2 gallon of clear + the activator, just remember in some cases it is almost as cheap to buy a gallon of clear VS 2 Quarts, I never mix the whole gallon on something as small as a buggy body. Hope this helps.

                                                        Allison Daytona Ken .....................................

I knew the OLD painter would have the right advice How you doin' buddy????

brad

Doing fine Brad you bought ready for the salt flats ? And Jim my suggestion on the base color is 2 quarts + reducer, better to have more than enough than not enough, and nice job Jerrery. Take care guys , Later

Thanks for the help guys! Just got in from sanding, glassing, sanding, body filler and more sanding. My Boat buddy asked if I would rather have him gel coat it with flakes and I said, hell ya! He even mentioned putting stripes in the gel coat like the Allison's. Only catch is I have to do all the sanding and buffing which he said couild be some long hours. What's your guys thought. Paint, Paint and flake or gel coat?

Go for the gel coat !!!
Have the Allison with original gel coat and doris's  with paint and gel coat is way better.

No brainer, gelcoat. We cut and polished my paint on the buggy for about 4 hours when it was done.

brad

My vote " Gel Coat "

Flake for sure, but either one if quality materials are used.  The cost of a gallon of cheap clear is around 80 bucks.  The cost for a gallon of good Dupont clear is about 200.  It does not take very long looking at a poor quality clear finish to realize you should have spent the extra and purchased the good stuff as the first choice.  The flakes for  a flake finish are cheap, like 75 bucks a pound.  When I painted my manx clone, I used one quart of base, 10 ounces of flake, one complete gallon of flake carrying clear, and about 3 quarts of good clear as a final coat, leaving plenty to color sand.  I painted the entire interior and exterior of the buggy, but I had no side pods or anything else.  But definitely go FLAKE!!
Dave