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Painting letters & stripes: how to?

2K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  batoutofhull 
#1 ·
I would appreciate a little help.

First of all, I've found a coil cover with Rover written upon, which looks rather rare for mine has only a blank label: isn't it odd?
And watching lots of pics via Google, I assume that the majority of MG ZR & Rover 25 coil covers came out from factory without anything on that blank label. Why?

Secondly, I would like to paint only the letters and eventually the stripes of the Inlet Manifold ('INJECTION') and the coil/plug cover letters & stripes ('ROVER', '16 VALVE' 'TWIN CAM') with a spray: is anybody knowing a good efficient trick to paint properly only letters & stripes without messing the job and splashing all around? :eek:

Thanks a lot.
 
#2 ·
For the stripes I would mask lines along them to help prevent colour bleeding and to help you keep the straight edge. Mask one stripe at a time and paint it. Masking between all of these stripes at the same time is going to take a lot of time getting in between the gaps properly masked.

The lettering will be more difficult. You'll have to just really take your time and not go over the edges of the letters.

A small nail varnish or artists brush is what you'll need. Trying to mask it all up and spray it is going to be very labour intensive and not really possible.

Or for the stripes you could add actual stripes as per 'go faster stripes' which are used to stick on the sides of cars. I have a green stripe on my cam cover...



That green stripe is a stick on stripe not paint. If you can find the colour and thickness you want I think that's the best way to do the stripes. Have a search on eBay for self adhesive stripes.

The 'Rover' stamped covers were deleted to save from manufacturing separate 'MG' and 'Rover' covers for the coils. It also saved on cost.
 
#3 ·
Regarding painting only letters, depends how good you are with computers. What is on my mind is to make a picture of your letters, go to picture handling program like PhotoShop or whatever you are good at, then play with picture size and efects in order to get letters printable on A3 size paper.

Then when you print it, you can cut the letters out, which will give you mask in which only letters will be paintable and everything else will be covered with paper mask.
 
#4 ·
Thanks, Mean & Green and Roverlike.

Mixing both your canny suggestions gives me another one: fixing a paper on the letters and carefully taking the shape of them with a pencil (going back over with a rule for the straight sections and a compass for the curves), then cutting out the drawn letters, it remains only a protective mask, and protecting as well the surroundings with sheets of paper, spray all the letters together.

Regarding the stripes, I may follow the advice to paint only one at a time and reusing the mask, if not too spoilt, or making several identical good masks of one stripe which will allow me to spray all the stripes together.

It's just a question of care & patience.

For the moment, I'm waiting for the stuff, including a 400ml silver spray accepting up to 800°C.

I'll let you know... with pictures... but only if I succeed!
 
#7 ·
Yes you're right, the idea to cut several bits of paper sounds actually very nasty.

I have another one, far better, easier and efficient I think, but so far I maintain the suspense: I need to test it out to be sure.
 
#8 · (Edited)
how about using cling film ? must be a way to press it on and make it so the letters and lines come threw ?

other than that some form of grease or silicate spray the whole thing then clean off where you want the paint then paint it wait for it too dry and clean the rest off ?
just had another idea ,how about a hardish sponge or similar type object that you can put paint on and just press it onto the things you want to paint?
 
#9 · (Edited)
other than that some form of grease or silicate spray the whole thing then clean off where you want the paint then paint it wait for it too dry and clean the rest off ?
Yes, that's the point but I don't think of grease or silicate spray...
 
#10 · (Edited)
As I'm a granddad, I rather think of plasticine to fill up between the stripes and inside the empty parts of the letters (long job, but without any difficulty), clean flat the whole surface, protect with paper the surroundings and spray.

EDIT: and remove the plasticine of course! :D
 
#11 ·
As I'm a granddad, I rather think of Plasticine to fill up between the stripes and inside the empty parts of the letters (long job, but without any difficulty), clean flat the whole surface, protect with paper the surroundings and spray.

EDIT: and remove the plasticine of course! :D
hmm sounds like the grand kids arnt going to be happy with you stealing and painting their Plasticine lol
still think the hard type foam or rubber sponge idea maybe worth looking into more and would be quicker and easier lol
 
#15 · (Edited)
Thank to you both, Andy400 & MGNorman.

In the first place I thought of painting the stuff (letters & stripes) with a brush or a paint pen or something of the like, but then I think it will be rather tricky to get straight & regular & plain lines on the stripes, and there are many!

So I decided to go with the spray I have already ordered, much more regular if applied by several light & thin layers, as one should do. Normally doing so the paint cannot trickle. It will be neat and clean.

My only question is what to fill the gaps with (the aim being to let appear only the stuff to be painted), which could be easily removed when the paint is fully dry, and not sticking too much on the Coil Cover & the Inlet Manifold?
Mind that the coil cover isn't flat, but curved, and that doesn't allow easily to do like the old presses used to do with paper. Yes I know that the presses were cylindrical but I don't think I could be able to achieve that and I fear that it may trickle.
 
#16 ·
Job partly done (only the IM cover) so far but it's a pita one.

Here are some pictures:

http://arnaud.aurejac.free.fr/Rover/paintings01.jpg

http://arnaud.aurejac.free.fr/Rover/paintings02.jpg

At the back, my new chromium home painted strut brace (from Dark Ice), on the right, my new chromium home painted fuse box cover (from Dark Ice as well) and at the front the new "ROVER" coil pack cover just put on the top of the original one, and which is to be done.

But to be frank, I think to use a convenient paint brush to do the last job: plasticine is a hell of a job to put in the middle of the letters and between them.
On the tough side, I'll have to spray in a bowl, which looks a bit awkward, given that the painting is drying rather quickly within 2 minutes.

In the end, nothing very spectacular, neither shiny nor flashy like those splendid yellow, orange or green stuff some of us are doing, but I do not want to take off all the bits & pieces under the bonnet and I wish to keep the same overall theme of platinum silver of my wee bonnie 25.
 
#19 ·
Thank you mates.

Here is the final result:

http://arnaud.aurejac.free.fr/Rover/paintings03.jpg

http://arnaud.aurejac.free.fr/Rover/paintings04.jpg

I assure you that one must be light handed to make the job: so, instead of using plasticine, I painted the coil pack cover with my best little brush. The paint was very helpful because it doesn't trickle but I had to spray just a little of it (2 or 3 quick pushes) in my little bowl and paint at once before it becomes too heavy.
I used scotch tape as well to protect some edges.
But don't loose your nerves and don't shudder!
Couldn't help sweating and in the end I was exhausted!

And now I have to drive a little and make the engine heating so as to end solidifying the painting and to make it a bit more bright.

Not a flabbergasting colour and result, but it gives just a slightly better look, that was the purpose of the job.
But is it worth the pain? Definitely it is for me, despite some imperfections, but it would be much more rewarding now with a see-through bonnet! :hysteria:
 
#20 ·
As far as masking off the areas you don't want to paint is concerned; you could try a liquid 'latex' type paint on masking fluid such as Maskol (which should be available in France from any good model shop). You can paint it on the recessed areas, and wipe off any that you get onto the raised parts that you want to paint as you go along (and before it begins to dry!). You then do your painting, and peel of the maskol (which can be a bit fiddly admittedly). It might turn out a bit expensive if you are covering a lot of area with it though.

Probably easier than trying conventional masking (or plasticine), and more likely to get a straight edge than trying to paint freehand.
 
#21 ·
Thank you Man in the Car, but I'm afraid a bit too late for me!
Nevertheless it may give some good ideas to the possible followers.
 
#23 ·
Any raised lettering can be masked with Plasterscene. Squidge it around the raised 'injection' lettering. It has an oily feel so try not to get it all over the tops of the letters. Make sure the area is cold. Scrape off the excess. Clean the tops of the lettering with some kind of kitchen degreaser. Abraid the surface. Paint. Some acrylic paints are good on plastic. I think the inlet is ABS it may need a plastic primer.

You could try and wrap it with a silver film, then knife around the lettering afterwards. Or .... silver or gold leaf it!
 
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