hi lazyboy,
here's a very shortened version of events before your car should see it's final coat!
your car needs to be completely built, all holes in their rightfull places so you don't have to worry about drilling and killing anything!
strip it all down again, leaving the panels on.. then starts the back braking stuff!! all the shut lanes have to be made good ( a long and arduous process) next it's get rid of any flash lines, body ripples, and misshapes.. then put shapes in that should be there, when your happy with all that
remove the panels, make good all the inside edges and on with the first coat of primer, rub it all down and do it again!!
when your 100% sure there are no pinholes or anything on the car that shouldn't be there.... paint it!!....... then flat it down and maybe depending on the finish.... do it again!
then polish it to within an inch of it's life, bolt it back together and listen to everyone going Ooooh! Ahhhh! and grin alot!
there we go easy!