New Evidence of Painting Charlie

<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post isn't about livin’ in a townhouse but . . . I posted about our DIY Dodge Colt paint job <strong><a href="http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/2010/11/our-diy-cred.html">here</a></strong>,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and I couldn’t post “before” & “during” pics because they weren’t digital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But, genius that I am, I took pictures with my digital camera <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of</i> the pictures that weren’t digital and <strong>voilà</strong>: pics of us painting my car, way back in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Proof that we are bona fide DIYers ;)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmyyemZdhswweEFh2Uv4JqovHQ9SOoJDjbZ-O5JXHzBMIauBjNAO_WtjzM-DqEAI9PAlwxItCugzNWUN0hvtg2xDnuq2aGqrIB2ncWXbIN2cBFGkd7VDffzWwphqPyDkZhvDepChEds/s1600/P1020564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmyyemZdhswweEFh2Uv4JqovHQ9SOoJDjbZ-O5JXHzBMIauBjNAO_WtjzM-DqEAI9PAlwxItCugzNWUN0hvtg2xDnuq2aGqrIB2ncWXbIN2cBFGkd7VDffzWwphqPyDkZhvDepChEds/s400/P1020564.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie in 2009</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3LOIzDxdKpY3hrekRqnlZ8_OPoSjSIWL4bLcg9zE6A9xto35-2LwQ48Pqm8x0Y7xuiMD36mo7Kq3knYT2YPXmCo6L0gAZe55J8iut5NoYR90oMJKZMySsu03-EQbcS1MwGs8GVfcBj4/s1600/P1060395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3LOIzDxdKpY3hrekRqnlZ8_OPoSjSIWL4bLcg9zE6A9xto35-2LwQ48Pqm8x0Y7xuiMD36mo7Kq3knYT2YPXmCo6L0gAZe55J8iut5NoYR90oMJKZMySsu03-EQbcS1MwGs8GVfcBj4/s400/P1060395.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting the bumper - 2004</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJjIMM5-8x6RZI3BKQKfasisAoN6D8bVjJMjTuR5j0hTB-jox7l4jLJJwW6Dti6Q-3FdOKrUibSt2k-314yJRMIqKQFnixQj6tuUjuh7iwYJgrV3eKj5jedgaXf8ew-zOnYM-ZvvrPmQ/s1600/P1060396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJjIMM5-8x6RZI3BKQKfasisAoN6D8bVjJMjTuR5j0hTB-jox7l4jLJJwW6Dti6Q-3FdOKrUibSt2k-314yJRMIqKQFnixQj6tuUjuh7iwYJgrV3eKj5jedgaXf8ew-zOnYM-ZvvrPmQ/s400/P1060396.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Rust issues</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWxDQAMg1XLmiEzJ2ZZcK6F9pbbBhnQxejEsd9oxz1GqgzY8fYXcbpnoI9N5iMjYZz3nysQENr1G204h8o5O9XhciiTeQ0xBOE1NQYusbeGiBWciEyA_i2P_woLHIlrKjOyvAbN6aqi0/s1600/P1060397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWxDQAMg1XLmiEzJ2ZZcK6F9pbbBhnQxejEsd9oxz1GqgzY8fYXcbpnoI9N5iMjYZz3nysQENr1G204h8o5O9XhciiTeQ0xBOE1NQYusbeGiBWciEyA_i2P_woLHIlrKjOyvAbN6aqi0/s400/P1060397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently not the right way to tape off a car</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRDesEen7JN6W0orJvASh-FKQuPxq-xE_ioOfonzR6-b1B1wDcRglJ2S-otH1sA_DXuqGYwsx167l6gzVHjgIACoWg4lv1411k0CkqyRD8Vww43jgqE1P9TLUTVtfQJkD1o7ckK0WDvY/s1600/P1060398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRDesEen7JN6W0orJvASh-FKQuPxq-xE_ioOfonzR6-b1B1wDcRglJ2S-otH1sA_DXuqGYwsx167l6gzVHjgIACoWg4lv1411k0CkqyRD8Vww43jgqE1P9TLUTVtfQJkD1o7ckK0WDvY/s400/P1060398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Blue hatchback issues too . . . <br />Check out that head of hair on my cutie hubby!  <br />Its so unfair, he doesn't even want it!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTk4q-LAJ-BZEyOmRZ4Pox0bCls5Qigqtn_Y9n5HB7m7xy0eUjYJ87KXDzyWt-3RZdv12bXbitN9PbajXDDMQVm-hRiZwfbXtt1h1IaoIma6CW1_WbGWvPhFydu_cRKTGZnA8ejiWsxhQ/s1600/P1060399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTk4q-LAJ-BZEyOmRZ4Pox0bCls5Qigqtn_Y9n5HB7m7xy0eUjYJ87KXDzyWt-3RZdv12bXbitN9PbajXDDMQVm-hRiZwfbXtt1h1IaoIma6CW1_WbGWvPhFydu_cRKTGZnA8ejiWsxhQ/s400/P1060399.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently a field is not the ideal place, <br />but its use was free, so the price was right</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwl4eukQSyyDmOwMwUCn6_ckBBR6qRZomw6U-egCGUiiALEZEuuOtmG_tegtBMBdQsA6TdScGGhwESADbT8mlEJeua-tW73gNvqE6q1aC3QXF7mErkB7txW_vo9hCk5bmuhL0AnJmnbM/s1600/P1060378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwl4eukQSyyDmOwMwUCn6_ckBBR6qRZomw6U-egCGUiiALEZEuuOtmG_tegtBMBdQsA6TdScGGhwESADbT8mlEJeua-tW73gNvqE6q1aC3QXF7mErkB7txW_vo9hCk5bmuhL0AnJmnbM/s400/P1060378.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An "after" shot taken the same year</td></tr></tbody></table>Now, THIS is a pretty awesome DIY "before & after".  Does this give us serious DIY cred? <br /><br />Anyone else tackle a waaay too big DIY project and feel totally overwhelmed?  In the weeks it took us to do this, I kept thinking: "I can't believe I ruined my car, I can't believe I ruined my car".

New Evidence of Painting Charlie

This post isn't about livin’ in a townhouse but . . . I posted about our DIY Dodge Colt paint job here , and I couldn’t post “before” ...

Read more »

Our DIY Cred

We used to think we could DIY anything.  Really.  Anything.  Before our townhouse occupied most of our time, we repainted my car (it needed to be done, due to a blue hatchback/silver car/monster rust/no cash conundrum).  Before you wander over to the spray paint aisle, all inspired, know that we even used professional equipment.  Without the accompanying professional results, or timeline (it took us weeks).  Our "before" pics and progress shots were all taken with a disposable camera, but I can share a rough approximation of the before and awesome shot of the after:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuMyZYg-tZQNvIn7zdlp7fpS8nLyWtkffmEXUWlxxbIjl-VDxOy0xYGgqW1YpjjuuFLhkKekqldI7UHnYCUVCZp3RlRC39qwRaglh8AGeBZV18k01ij-zQLeGOOsF7ueSOIQuihGORT0/s1600/088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuMyZYg-tZQNvIn7zdlp7fpS8nLyWtkffmEXUWlxxbIjl-VDxOy0xYGgqW1YpjjuuFLhkKekqldI7UHnYCUVCZp3RlRC39qwRaglh8AGeBZV18k01ij-zQLeGOOsF7ueSOIQuihGORT0/s320/088.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmQuAAteD8bP6ijhW_m5Ii-vFQMjTuL71U1KgctoY7N0_-WQ80o1-hC58bkAKnComaS15z8nI-zyiZOs8ZzG_fuTR8zm_UEDUtbXdzKMKTh27yOTYOkwwe5h2SqAXBaBH9cvrSdqLN3Y/s1600/P1020563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmQuAAteD8bP6ijhW_m5Ii-vFQMjTuL71U1KgctoY7N0_-WQ80o1-hC58bkAKnComaS15z8nI-zyiZOs8ZzG_fuTR8zm_UEDUtbXdzKMKTh27yOTYOkwwe5h2SqAXBaBH9cvrSdqLN3Y/s320/P1020563.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Hot car, right?  If you like your '92 grocery-getters fierce and affordable.  This little guy's name is Charlie, he's a '92 Dodge Colt.<br /><br />Here are our tips:<br />1.  Don't do it.<br />2.  But, if you must, don't use a spray gun outside in a field - rent a booth unless you want more bugs trapped in your paint than a piece of amber<br />3.  Go to an automotive paint store and buy all the proper gear.  If they say don't wrap up the parts you don't want to paint with garbage bags, just don't do it<br />4.  Spend the next four years sanding (rope in lots of family, friends, strangers -- there is enough work to go around)<br />5.  When you're finished sanding, sand some more (get allllll that rust and old paint off)<br />6.  Insert steps as instructed by professional<br />7.  Drive around in your fancy pants car<br /><br /><strong><u>UPDATE</u></strong> - I was able to "digitize" (ish) my old pics, check out shots of the progress and Charlie in silver <strong><a href="http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-evidence-of-painting-charlie.html">here</a></strong>.

Our DIY Cred

We used to think we could DIY anything.  Really.  Anything.  Before our townhouse occupied most of our time, we repainted my car (it needed ...

Read more »