Personal opinion from one who has painted a couple dozen cars, but is NOT a profesional painter here... Yes, you can use rattle can primer, but be sure to get the right stuff. Don't use something like Rustolium paints, and for the body, don't use anything that is rust converting or rust transforming, get some automotive grade rattle can primer and you will be fine. It comes in a filler primer that goes on heavy and sands down easily, and in other grades that go on thinner but are harder to sand. Use the right stuff for what you are working on and life will be simpler. You'll want a couple of different colors so you can do a glide coat to find the high/low spots. Some guys will apply body filler over the primer, but I think you are much better off on a fiber glass body to apply it directly to the bare glass. JMHO...
When using rattle cans, the result may not be quite as binding as if it came from a gun, but it should work out fine. Don't even consider doing the top coat with rattle cans though, it will look like, well, I can't say that here, but believe me, that's not the way to go. Incidently, Harbor Frieght sells some really inexpensive spray guns if you have air, that are not too bad for primer. I wouldn't really want to shoot the top coat with them, but for primer, they will get you by. For shooting primer, you don't need a huge air supply, since you won't be shooting a lot at once. For the top coat, you'll need much more air and it needs to be super clean (no moisure). So, a $50 garage sale air compressor will pay for it'self many times over on your project.
Try not to get the primer any thicker than you need to make it smooth, and cover it all. Thick primer == chips easily. When working with the fiberglass, if you see any fibers come to the surface, that's bad. They all need to be buried or they will show big time in the finish coat. Keep telling yourself "This is not that bad, I can do it!" Take a lick or two on it everyday, and before you know it it will be ready for the top coat.
Lot's of guys don't like them, but I can't live without my long board inline sander, for making things nice and flat. A DA sander, is essential too, and once you have some air, there are about 50 neat air tools that don't really cost too much to purchase, but will become invaluable.
All the above is personnal opinion, and others will tell you different for sure. That's OK, take what you can from each person and then decide for yourself what you'd like to do. God didn't just make Ted ugly and me handsome, he gave us each our own brain so we all have our ideas and what works for us. (Geeze, there I go picking on Ted again! Sorry Ted!!!)
Corley
