the header panel on my 82 has quite a few scratches, and im thing about taking it off and painting it. i was wondering if you think it would turn out good if i used spray paint on it. i would sand and primer it of course, but i dont want to deal with ordering the paint (which is increasingly hard to find) and finding a place and equipment to do it. i figure maybe 3 or 4 cans of spray paint should do it. just tell me what you guys think about it. thanks alot.

if the color is close enough and is done right it shouldn't look half bad.

yeah if you use a good paint,prepare it right and do a good job painting it it oughta look good

You need to find a auto paint / body shop supply shop...Every decent sized city should have a shop where they match paints for the local Body guys.............Nine times out of ten they have the capability to load an aresol can with the correct mixture in a one-stage(not basecoat-clearcoat)
paint....this can be done in 20 minutes tops.

I buy and sell cars at auction and have been doing so for ten years, so that is what I do....

However, primer is not as important as you may think when "re"-painting,
but a thick sandable scratch filler primer is a good alternative to bondo-ing small scratches...it will fill all that crap in: but you must let that primer cure for at least a day first(in aresol form) so it may shrink and bond good..

when they load your spray can, the "best" way to make it look good and last is to not add hardener, which means the temp has to be right / you cannot touch it for about a day no matter what, and no dust or dirt or cigarette ashes can come in contact with it during the stages of drying..
if they do load it with hardener, do alot of light coats instead of trying to cover in one shot....

-use laquer thinner or good spirits to wipe down the sufaces before you paint and do not touch or the paint will fish-eye in those spots
-if the paint is metallic, shake the can every twenty to thirty seconds
-let off the button and the end of each stroke (don't just blast and blast and blast)and wipe the nozzle often to prevent a drip or splatters
-put the panel to be painted in a position that allows you to keep the can upright mostly....

Many people don't realize how many places load paint cans...I know the Body shops don't wan't people to know, but one might help you find the spot to do it locally if you ask right.

Get your paint codes from the cowl plate on the driver's side under the window with the hood open (??U(upper)??L(lower))

It should look great and un-noticable...

well i bought the paint and primer. was outside since 4:00 working on it. i sanded out most of the scratches and got it smooth (or so i thought) then i put on one coat of primer, and about died! did not sand too good. so i wet sanded it for about an hour, then it looked real smooth. i just put on the 2nd coat of primer and then started the wet sanding again. thanks for the advice on matching the paint, but i am not that concerned about perfect matches. my whole car needs paint... badly. im just fixing this because it really bugged me. o, and i took pictures with my :cool: digital camera :cool: maybe i will post some.