My Baja Paint Job (Tales and Woes)

[DougBaja]

So ....
I finally was able to buy a car for myself and I wanted a blue Baja.
I was only able to find an all silver 2005.
About a year later, I found out my son really likes cars.
Then I found out the local army base, Fort Carson, has a paint booth I could use as a military retiree.
So, I found a blue (35J Regal Blue Metallic) I sort of liked (a little darker than I expected) and we painted it earlier this year (son loved it).
I just got the cut'n'buff done locally (the base paint guy retired and they haven't replaced him yet and I didn't want to wait)
I still want to do some minor touch ups (creases where doors/hood are, door jambs, inside gas cap, etc.)
I am still deciding about the plastic liner around the back lights (did deviate by doing the gas tank door).

Things learned:
I don't think I could have done the whole thing in blue with all the curves in the lower part.
The plastic moldings on the front and back roof rack were brittle. (found replacements at junk yard)
The truck bed trim is wild to get apart (but fun) and put back together (replace many broken plastic connectors)
Cleaning the trunk bed is easy with WD40.
Putting the wires back together to operate the doors is very hard (found a friend to do it in 15 minutes ... &^%*&$)
PS That is a home made tonneau cover (3/4" marine plywood, marine-grade vinyl, carpet padding, staples, eye hooks inside)
PPS That is my sons 2002 WRX in back

[mikenmel08]

Looks good, Nice work

[TastyHuman]

Beautiful work. How hard was the body side cladding to R&R?

[bajaguy]

The cladding is pretty simple to take on and off...literally just snaps.