CANDY RED SIDECAR RESPRAY

Full surface repair and candy red respray on a custom motorcycle sidecar — stripped back, filler-worked, sealed and rebuilt in deep candy red with a multi-layer 2K clear finish.

Paint & Colour
Custom Respray
Candy Red
Surface Repair

Project Overview

THE BUILD

This custom sidecar body was brought in with existing paint damage — surface scuffs, chips and areas of previous DIY filler work that had sunk and cracked. The owner wanted a full respray in deep candy red to match their motorcycle, bringing both the bike and sidecar to a uniform, high-quality standard.

Candy red is one of the most demanding colours to apply correctly. The depth and translucency of the finish relies on a consistent base — any surface imperfection or inconsistency in base coat density shows through as an uneven read. The existing DIY filler work had to be fully stripped before we could begin a proper paint build.

The Challenge

CONSISTENT CANDY DEPTH OVER REPAIRED SURFACES

Candy finishes are unforgiving — any variation in the base or colour coats reads as inconsistency when viewed in different light. The sidecar's complex curves and repaired surfaces required a full build from bare substrate to ensure a uniform result.

Our Solution

FULL STRIP & STAGED CANDY BUILD

All existing paint stripped to bare substrate. High-build primer applied and block-sanded flat. Candy red built in three even coats over a silver metallic base, then sealed under four layers of 2K clear — wet-sanded and machine polished to a deep, flawless finish.

Scope of Work

WHAT WAS DONE

01

Full Strip & Surface Inspection

All existing paint removed to bare substrate. DIY filler removed and underlying surface assessed. Low areas identified and mapped before any new materials were applied, ensuring the repaired surface would hold the finish long-term.
02

Filler Work & Block Sanding

Correct-grade polyester filler applied to all low and damaged areas. Block-sanded through 80 / 120 / 180 grit stages to achieve a flat, true surface across the entire sidecar body before any primer was applied.
03

High-Build Primer & Guide Coat

Two coats of high-build epoxy primer applied and allowed to cure fully. Guide coat sprayed over the primer surface and block-sanded to reveal any remaining imperfections — then re-primed and re-sanded until the surface was completely flat to 400 grit.
04

Silver Metallic Base Coat

Candy red is a transparent colour — the silver metallic base coat underneath determines the ultimate depth and richness of the red. Two even coats applied inside our spray booth, allowing full flash time between coats to ensure uniform metallic density across all panels.
05

Candy Red Colour Build (3 Coats)

Three coats of candy red applied in measured passes, building the depth and saturation progressively. Each coat assessed under lighting to confirm even coverage before the next was applied. Result: a deep, consistent red with full colour depth across all surfaces.
06

4-Layer 2K Clear & Machine Polish

Four coats of 2K urethane clear applied over two sessions for maximum film build and protection. Wet-sanded through 800 / 1500 / 2000 grit, machine compounded and hand polished to a showroom mirror finish before the owner collected.