Hi everyone,

I'm looking to have my 1970 painted. Can anyone recommend a shop out on Long Island,N.Y. Thanks.

|UPDATED|5/8/2003 10:33:11 PM|/UPDATED|

In the "Mechanic Directory" under the "Tools" menu, there is an Auto Body shop listed in Staten Island. I'm not sure if that is close to you or not, but you may want to check it out.

I'd do some asking around at (all makes) car shows. Granted there are differences in prep for fiberglass versus metal but a good shop should know the differences. I regularly attend car shows all over my tri-state area (I'm interested in all types of muscle cars) and it always amazes me just how fantastic the paint jobs are. The paint jobs that really impress me are the ones where the owner tells me it's over 10 years old and looks like it was painted last month. The older the paint the more the body prep efforts show through. Preparation is everything!

PS: The Chevelle guys always seem to have the most perfect paint, why is that?

Well, I'm a Chevelle guy again. I just bought a '72 convertible and it was put in the paint shop two days after I bought it. Prep is a big part of paint but so is the finish wet sanding. I stopped every day after work to check on the car. Every repair was done with metal ( not bondo ). Every piece of chrome ( stainless ) was taken off the car to check for damage and to make the painting easier. Tonight it gets painted ! So far, I am impressed with the amount and quality of the work. I am ( by choice ) not going to have the car wet sanded. First because of the extra cost and second, I do not know if this will be the color I decide to keep it, it may go back to the original Pewter color. By the weekend I will know if I can put this shop on the list as a good paint shop or not.

Thanks, I will look around. Your Chevelle stories brought back alot of memories. I had a mint 72 Chevelle. I let my brother take it out and yes it happened. It was totalled. No one was hurt but me and I wasn't even there. Also, Adam I did see that shop on the directory. It is pretty far out of the way, but Thanks anyway.



|UPDATED|5/15/2003 3:18:19 PM|/UPDATED|

I watched the guy paint the car. Trying to look into the paint booth was basically a waste of time cause the window was not the cleanest in the world.
He put a sealer coat on the car, then two complete coats of color and then 5 ( five ) coats of clear ! The car is like a mirror !!!
Today he is doing the stripes and yet another coat of clear on the hood and trunk.
I can not wait to get the car....now if it would only stop raining so I can get a really good look at it in the sun.....

Just another thought on selecting a paint shop. Don't forget to ask about the paint itself. What brand and what finish do they typically shoot. In the past we've always gone with whatever GM was using (basecoat/clearcoat) as their latest and greatest (and usually the toughest) finish, we were never once let down buy copying them. I believe they are still using PPG paints, but I'm not sure. Just ask a local dealership, their bodyshop will know the particulars. The modern paint finishes are incredible when it comes to shine, durability, and workability.