Hi guys. Finally got my '72 painted. It needed a fair amount of fiberglass work five decent sized cracks. Usual stuff. Corners of hood left rear damaged a little when prior owner backed into something. Then the usual rivets popping up at the front end. Corner of hood knocked off very slightly. Nothing too bad. All of that was fixed and, because there had been three prior paint jobs, the car was completely stripped then painted with urethane mille milia red paint then clear coated. We agreed to apply a drivers not a show paint job. That's because I will drive her! And all of this cost me $4,800. The only problem is the paint has a few pieces of lint or a dimple here and there. Don't get me wrong. 99.99% of it is gorgeous. It just wasn't cut and buffed etc. So, is this what I should expect from a drivers paint job? I've never done this before.

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How about a some pictures.  

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God  Bless, rick

I'll get some pics soon. Maybe this afternoon. The body work was about $1400.

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Ok..had the same kind of paint job...$5,500 and the same kind of results...as you did...I had told them a drive paint job..also. It was just really hard to find someone to trust. 85% happy!

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That's really good to know. He did an outstanding job on the body work. It looks absolutely perfect. The paint shines like crazy and is just beautiful. But, like you, I'm 85% happy. I guess the little bobbles in the paint won't matter after the first door ding or stray rock.

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 Ya...gotta see some PICS!!    Without pics...it didn't happen!!

Paint is a sore subject with me....
I paid over $3000 for what was s'posed to be a show ready paint job, with some minor bodywork. The place wound up repainting the '74 SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES before I finally gave up, and told them to stick it.....just never could get it "right". Still not right, but I live with it....and the car stays int he garage under a cover.
Sure, it looks otay to most folks, but to me, it sux. I should have gone with my other option, and have my friend, who owns a high-end paint/body shop do it, but I dint want to let him have it for 6 months, at the time. I could have afforded his way higher price.....that's what really herts.
Best advice is to check EVERY INCH of it carefully, and have them fix anything that is not up to your standards, for the job they promised. If you're happy with it,great. If not, make them correct it.
Now ya got me all fired up.....I gotta go.....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

It's beginning to sound like your happy with it and that's all that counts.  You know how is was and you know how far it has come and if you're good with that let it go.

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God  Bless, rick

 U.S. version Pic 1

U.S. version Pic 2


(large images flipped and modified to links-aapple)


|UPDATED|3/19/2014 7:31:34 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Gee David...I dint know you were in Australia.....   Nice car, tho!

I'll fix the pics for ya, if ya want.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

SON-OF-A-@&$&*...I didn't know the guy put the paint on upside down!

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Wow...that's great...I got an $9-10 K estimate for mine...out of my price range!  

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DanT

I B confused. The pics looked great on my preview. Must be an iPad thing. I dunno. Thanx for the fix, though I don't know what I'd do differently. :(

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They were upside down in the post. The pics in your PFF were rightside up, tho....can't really s;plain it, but they're rightside up now. 

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

I still see upside down photos.

Did that cause any runs or drips???? :)

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

No runs or drips. A few errors though! :-)

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Whuuuut?
What browser are youse guys using? With Firefox, the images are correct, BUT....with IE they ARE upside down! This would be an Adam question as to why that is happening....

I'm gunna try sumptin...
Upload w/FF
  


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

IE

|UPDATED|3/19/2014 9:59:13 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Every day I learn I know less than I thought I did.
Every time something is made idiot proof. The world produces a better idiot!

Everyone seeing the pics in the previous two posts as right-side-up? 

In the above post, both images were uploaded with IE, BUT the link below the two pics is a copy/paste of the actual(original) image URL. Clicking the link with FF shows the image correctly orientated. Clicking the link with IE shows the image upside down...exact same link, exact same image source.....
This has to be an IE problem.....


|UPDATED|3/19/2014 10:04:09 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

The photo behavior is strange for sure, but I don't think it has anything to do with the site. It has to do with the image properties.   Depending on the browser being used, it is correcting itself and displaying them right, or if it doesn't auto-correct, it shows upside down.

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-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry 
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

Might have something to do with the use of an Ipad to upload the original images. I'll upload them to David's PFF later myself, and see if that corrects the issue. 

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

Don't want to crash the party, but I am having my driver painted but right now running into a pre-paint problem.

The body shop painting the car wants me to remove the rear window trim. My 1978 has the chrome trim. I am told it is not made anymore????  SO I am trying to find someone who has done it before to remove it.  The body shop tells me to go to a glass shop the glass shop tells me to go to the body shop???Catch 22????  OK there is a tool which I have seen two kinds to get under and de-clip it.  I am still searching for the correct tool,tools?  second if the clips break but right now they all look like they are attached but break on removal how do yo replace them without removing the glass.

I have no problem paying for the glass to be removed and replace once new clips are put in if needed but I can't even find someone to remove the trim and reinstall it????

I am probably going to try and remove it myself after I find the right tool?????

and if then clips are broken have a glass guy come remove the glass and replace it.

But first I need the chrome trim removed????

That is my question to you and hope you can shed some light on how its done and who can do it or myself and where do I get the tool. The clips you can buy but the tool???????

Thanks for all your help, sorry if I'm on the wrong forum.  did not want to barg in but You must have had to remove your trim for painting???

Thanks BB 1978

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You'll need a tool like this...or similar. Mine doesn't look like this, but the one I have is a hunnert years old, so....
You should be able to find the tool at any parts house, such as Pep Boys, NAPA, Autozone, etc.



How to use the tool

hth


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

Yes that is what I'm looking for but check several auto stores and they only have a straight tool with a u shape on the end not sure that will work but its not in stock anyway?  But Thanks I will search for one of those and I guess try it myself, it's getting it back on that concerns me but it should just snap over the same clips if not broken. 

Thanks again for the photo and if anyone has a site to buy one I'm in line.$$$$

Thanks BB78

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Mine is the one on the bottom left  here...



You can get them on ebay, if ya can't find one locally...
Window trim tools


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

Thanks again I was able to order one and the pics how how to do it so now we will see whats underneath and how the clips are?

Thanks once again for all your help!

BB78

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Ok it's been a while so an update on the removal of the rear window chrome trim piece for body painting!!!!

First no one told me that the French definition of the word CORVETTE is FUN, or (Oui Oui)

Just kidding but it's been another Corvette education but what should I expect after buying my first Corvette from the Alligator salesman from the swamps of Florida???

I purchase a red handle clip removal tool (anyone need one I will sale to you for cheap as no longer needed and never needed) not because Joel gave me wrong info he was correct if the previous person put the chrome trim on the right way or 100% the right way!

I tried to get the clip tool under the chrome to release the clips but there was no way!  Yes I can understand when the window goes in there must be some adhesive and rubber protection but the clips were covered with rubber goo and sealant that no way to unclip with the tool. I got a thin flat head screw driver under and carefully pop a section of chrome of the clip and worked my way around. Every clip was totally surrounded with goo and hard rubber that It has taken quite a while to dig the rubber clear to remove the clips. I am putting all new ones in as the existing ones are glued rubber sealant tight.

Just endless fun.....  One last question the chrome or I guess not true chrome trim is in pretty good shape but has anyone gotten there's re chromed or steel zinced maybe the correct covering to look like new,a stainless steel look?????

Hope this is all worth it for the paint job.

I'm not sure how they even got that much black sealant under the chrome in the first place, must have squeezed it all out and it engulfed the clips!

any info on getting the chrome/stainless steel looking window piece re-chromed/steeled would be greatly appreciated.

BB78

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Well that sux!  Most likely someone tried to fix a leak by cramming as much sealer in there as they could, instead of removing the glass and doing it right.

The trim IS stainless steel....it can be polished out nicely with some jeweler's rouge, and a buffer wheel....or you can send it out to have it done. I wouldn't recommend trying to have it chromed....the chrome won't stick very well, since the trim is somewhat flexible.


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

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

I just bought a 75 from Texas about 7 months ago,motor was a stock rebuild,shift kit in the Turbo 400. Runs good paint is a little under par but I drive it..............I'll paint it in October. Identical to yours in color.............your car looks great to me!  Ray

Yes I debated for a while on painting it. There are some cracks and small dings and the head light panels are crackle,but when the right rear tire blew on me it smacked the rear panel and messed the looks up. I decided if I'm going to fix up the interior and it looks good now I want a good paint job , not show car but for what I drive it I want it to look clean. It's been an education, so now if I can get the trim back on the rear window? Maybe that's why it was full of sealant ???? Does anyone have a recent experience with getting the stainless piece re-coated,not the proper term but the alligator man got paint on some parts and it's removing the steel coating in removing the paint? Thanks again for all input,and I always get a wave of approval when I drive my car, not a high volume color? BB 78

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I stopped at a metal polishing place and he was not convinced it was stainless steel. he had another piece from another older car and it was much stronger and a different sheen on it. He thought it could be aluminum,or and after market replacement.

He would not try to buff it with a machine since it was thin.

Could the alligator swamp car salesman from the swamps of Florida tricked me again????

I was told there are no rear window moldings being made to buy a new one. Mine is not bad but some spots its like having to remove body paint overspray from some areas it was not silver but looked like it went through the original coating of stainless like it was not solid so no silver to buff.

It is not bad and I can buff it up to  look mostly good but would not mind having a new clean looking trim.  But again its a DRIVER.

I'm just concerned that if its not the original then maybe I will be filling the void with adhesive like the prior version to get it to adhere.  First I need to get it painted but getting the run around.

Ok any input appreciated but I will just buff it the best I can and put in new clips and try to get her in place and go with it.

Thanks BB78

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New member here and if you don't mind me joining in, that's a beautiful car with a beautiful paint job. You  got a more than fair price for the paint job. and by the way, I also have a daughter. Impossible to put anything before them. Congrats.

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