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Topic: Am I crazy to paint my car????

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (2/12)
10/24/17 10:00pm

F4Gary

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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

I'll go with the "Dang dude" response. I admire you for attempting this. I can't paint worth a sheet.

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (3/12)
10/24/17 10:30pm

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20129

Dennis, in a properly equipped garage/shop, with a little practice, you should be able to lay down a decent paint job yourself. I certainly wouldn't expect a $5000 result, but it should be presentable.

Painting a Corvette is a lot different from painting a "normal" car. The prep work is far more involved. I've told the story of the paint job on my '74 many times. I paid a professional shop $3000 way back in '97 to do it. And...they re-did it 5 friggin times before I finally gave up and said 'nuff am 'nuff. Of course, I wanted a show finish, but they failed to deliver to my satisfaction. Had I gone ahead and let my friend's paint shop do it for $5000, I know for a fact it would have been perfect....I've seen plenty of his work.

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (4/12)
10/25/17 12:57am

73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.

Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 866

With proper prep, you can do it. Might involve more sanding & buffing than if a pro did it. Be sure to use the proper respirator mask. That isocyanate is bad stuff for your lungs.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (5/12)
10/25/17 3:07pm

vince vette
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Vette(s):
1980 L82 White with doeskin interior

Joined: 1/5/2016
Posts: 72

As a fellow owner of a 1980 vette, I'd say the are we crazy question is much broader. I live just 30 minutes from Carlisle, PA and year after year I see nice 1980's with new paint and interiors, sparkling like jewels, selling for 10k to 15k. Two years ago there was a beautiful frame off '80 L82 restoration priced at 17k and people were calling it ... crazy. That's just $2,400 more than I paid for my '80 L82 new from dealer 37 years ago. I think back then the Dow was about $1,000. I should have invested the 14k there and I'd have a about $300k now. That's a brand spankin new vette and $200+k still in the bank.

The logical move would be to part out what we own then go buy someone else's restoration. But we do it anyway. It's just a labor of love. As Spock once said, "it is not logical, but it is often true". That's my philosophical 2 cents worth.

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As it once looked and hopefully will again

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (6/12)
10/26/17 12:03pm

johnu
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Scottsdale, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Corvette Two-Tone Claret color, 4 spd, C7 Vert

Joined: 5/23/2007
Posts: 614

Is the car garaged most of the time?
If so consider a WRAP. The guy in AZ that sponsors our monthly Cars N Coffee will wrap a car for $1299. Do it in chrome to be different! Wink

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Only 32 years together

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (7/12)
10/26/17 10:00pm

indy99
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Newport, MI - USA

Vette(s):
1980 L-48 still in the middle of a frame-off.

Joined: 6/9/2005
Posts: 932

I have thought about a wrap but I would still need to prep and primer the car. Kind of a toss up at that point between wrap and paint. Still thinking.......

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Corvettes and women are the same...You want to make love to them but they keep breaking down.

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (8/12)
10/27/17 11:19am

BillHanna
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Cana, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1975 Stingray 71 350 engine Flat top pistons Sniper fuel injection Hyperspark ignition Vintage Air air conditioning Borgeson power steering box

Joined: 7/3/2016
Posts: 319

I'm in the process of prepping my 75 so I can paint it this winter. I've painted quite a few cars and fiberglass boats, but this is the first Corvette I've attempted.

I think the important thing, besides a good prep job, is to use the correct reducer for the weather (slow, medium, fast, etc.). Get this wrong and you end up with runs on one end of the spectrum to eggshell or dry, dusty finish on the other end.

Since I don't have a paint booth with heated air being blown in, I'll have to wait for a day that is at least 70 degrees (I live in south western Virginia so we do get days like this even in the winter). I'll get the garage warm over the night before, getting the body at least up to 80 degrees. I have a large exhaust fan to suck out the over-spray mist, which means I'll be pulling in likely cooler air from the outside. This will be pulled in through fine screens so hopefully that will keep most of the dust out.

My car was painted about ten years ago, and while the job is pretty good, there is a lot of dust in the finish. I think the painter was pretty good, but did not have a suitable place to paint it, and never attempted to buff out the finish (the finish is quite soft, so maybe that is why it was not done).

Maybe I'm crazy for trying this, but I think we're all a bit crazy for buying 40 year old fiberglass cars hoping to keep them going for another 40 years or so.

Good luck!

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (9/12)
10/27/17 10:57pm

dwright
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Victor, NY - USA

Vette(s):
2004 Commemorative Edition Coupe, Auto w/HUD. 13K miles in 2015. Sold 1982 Red Coupe

Joined: 7/12/2004
Posts: 6836

Lots of good info there for you to absorb.

Plan on some runs on the vertical surfaces. That happens even when the pros paint.

I know I would never attempt to paint a car. Some things are better left to the pros. The guys with lots of experience.

Accept the fact that you won't get your money out of it if you ever need/want to sell it. Just enjoy it for your own satisfaction.

Keep us posted.

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (10/12)
10/28/17 1:12am

A couple of things you'll want to do if you paint it yourself is to get the car about a foot off the ground and lots of lite over and around the car. Four foot fluorescents stood on end around the car work well for the perimeter lighting.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (11/12)
10/28/17 8:20am

gtr1999
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CHESHIRE, CT - USA

Vette(s):
1969 350 4 spd drop top 1972 350 auto coupe

Joined: 5/2/2016
Posts: 64

Ok here is my thought. While I am not a body and paint man I build the best boxes, diff's and arms out there. Many times people call ask if they could do a job like I have outlined on forums for years and my response is always the same- YES- if you take the time to do your homework, get the best materials and tools and lastly have patience why not give it a shot? The worst, car wise, is you have to shoot it over. I have coached guys all over the world on the mechanical rebuilds I bet there are those here and elsewhere that could coach you - or me in the future. I have to paint my 69.

Now I looked into PPG paint and materials 15 years ago and my cost was $2000 so I would expect that to be double today. My concern about doing it is safety. Chemicals are nasty and I don't have access to a paint booth so I may sub it out to a good painter. I have seen some very nice garage paint jobs, some done outside under a tent.

Good luck, post on what you decide to do and if you do paint it write it up, I'll be watching. Maybe I'll trade you a custom Differential for a paint job!

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Re: Am I crazy to paint my car???? (12/12)
11/10/17 12:18pm

68vet427
Former Member
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macedon, NY - USA

Vette(s):
68 COUPE 454 HAS MOTION HOOD SCOOP, REVERSED GILLS ZL-1 FENDER FLARES AND MOTION REAR SPOILER, LEMAN'S GAS CAP, BUCKET HEADLIGHTS. CAN-AM FRONT RACING SPOILER. CHROME HOOKER HEADERS AND SIDE PIPES! 4 SPEED M20, LOOKS FAST STANDING STILL !!

Joined: 7/20/2006
Posts: 364

I painted my Beast 6 years ago, first time I ever painted a car.

also put Motion stripes on it.

I recently painted a 69 Motion Phase III GT , also with stripes, second car I ever painted.

With the base coat /clear coat system, if you have any runs, flaws in the base, fix and repaint.

With the clear coat, put at least 4 coat of the clear on, so if you have any runs / flaws, you have plenty of clear so you can wet sand it and not worry about hitting color.

It cost me about $1200 for good base and clear at whole sale price.

( place I got it from gave me great deal )

I did every thing on both my vettes because I don't have money and can not afford to have some one else do it.

Just be sure to invest in a GOOD gun, that is important.

Take your time, have someone be there to eye your work.

Hope this helps.

Joe

( stripes are not jagged, its the picture )

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