Mercury Megashift | Gloss Liquid Wrap
Mercury Megashift
We liquid wrapped this Kia K5 in Raail Spherical with Gloss Clear Coat for a scratch resistant, gas resistant, more durable finish. This peel-able auto paint will last 5+ years, protect the factory paint, and peel off easier than vinyl. This project literally left me speechless. The shift that this pearl has is crazy. Thanks to Julian for coming all the way from Delaware to get his K5 done and watch the process. Here’s how we did it.
MASK
We washed the car off camera with dawn dish soap and water then gave it a quick wipe down with denatured alcohol and water. This ensures no dirt, grease, or grime is left on the surface. That’s all the surface prep you need for Raail removable coatings. No sanding necessary. The purpose is to protect your factory paint and customize it in the process. Masking is up next and is arguably the most important part. Very important to take your time and do it right. That being said, there are a few short cuts. We used plazmask pre-taped masking film for the windows to speed things up. We also used some trim tape to hold back any pesky gaskets like the ones around the windshield. Pulling the gasket back lets the coating grip the edges of the body panels adding to the durability.
BASE
We are using Raail Spherical for the entire car so we start off with about 2gal of black base coat or “primer”. Im spraying everything with an 80gal compressor and HVLP gun. For the base I’m using a 1.7mm tip. The base coat (depending on climate) has about a 15min flash time once you get past the tack coats.
COLOR
Next up is the pearl. Julian chose an awesome Megashift pearl we have called ‘Mercury Megashift‘. This pearl is white in powder form and most vibrant over a black base. We also added a Black Booster to make spraying the pearl easier. This helps avoid stripes and blotches. Still using the 1.7mm tip, we put about 2gal of color or “mid coat” down.
CLEARCOAT
Switching to a clean gun with a 1.3mm tip, we start mixing up the Clear Coat. I like to only mix up one hopper at a time because it will slowly harden as soon as you add the activator. I also added about 3% reducer to slow down the dry time and allow for more leveling in the coating. I put down a little over half a gallon of clear coat then let the car dry over night with the intention of flow coating the next day.
FLOWCOAT
The next morning I sanded the entire car and wiped it clean for the smoothest possible surface given my environment. I then put 1 last coat of clear down nice and wet. In total, the car has 1gal of Spherical Gloss and about 4gal of Spherical Base. This will ensure durability and peel-ability down the line.
UNMASK
We want to unmask after the coating has dried so we wait about 6-8 hours before removing all masking materials. A rag and some thinner will take care of any overspray and this car is ready for delivery. Its hard to see under the LED light in my shop but when the sun hits this car it shifts from dark blue to purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, and finally green. Definitely a head turner. I loved it, the customer loved it, and at the end of the day that’s all that really matters. As always, everything used is listed below and if you are interested in getting your car done, give me a call!
