Technical Can paint jobs be too beautiful ?

I started painting cars when I was 15, my own and friends. The last one I sprayed was my 32 3W in '99. At the time I could still buy acrylic lacquer and I used R&M. The amount of time for prep is a clock eater but the reward is an acceptable job. The paint on show cars is really amazing and certainly represents hundreds of hours of body, prep, paint and final cut/buff. My cars are all drivers and don't require show car finishes.
I do admire the quality of the show cars, though!

 

I'm with rest of you cheap bastards. I did my own paint. Used off the shelf single stage paint colors from Summit. I have about 600 bucks in materials.
It will never win any awards, but looks good from 10 feet away. Just I was shootin' for. Still, I get tons of compliments everywhere I go. AND, its durable, I can drive it, use it as the truck it is, and not worry about parking it down to the hardware sto'!

 

I have always been a fan of putting a very nice paint job on a car, and then drive it. Let the scratches come and let it age. The flaws are all part of the cars life story.

 

Paint jobs are a funny story in my life.
The 1st car I "painted" I used spray bombs. All I can say is it was the same color, but the amount of shine was pretty inconsistent. It had a few runs too.

The next car I paid a shop to paint. The guy was a great painter, and the paint was Emran, the paint materials cost me $1,000 at the time. The car looked great with great shine until the guys poor body work showed up a couple years later.

The next car was a paint it all the same color deal. The car was involved in a very minor fender bender (before it was mine) and had a different color hood, grill, and fender then the rest of the car (4 colors), and I didn't like that color most of the car was. That paint job was cheap, and it looked good for a couple years before the cheap paint reveled its weaknesses.

The next car was a complete ground up build. A friend guided me through the body work, and he sprayed the two tone cheap paint I bought. That one looked pretty good for 3-4 years and had a ton of miles on it before the cheap paint (oil base $16/gallon) was deteriorating.

The next ride I painted myself with oil based paint and a brush. 4 years later (it was looking pretty rough), I did more body work, and repainted it with a new brush and paint from the same gallon as the first time. The third round I did more body work and sprayed it myself (it looked better the time before when I painted it with the brush).

There were a few more rides the suffered through me spraying the cheap oil based paint. Lets say I came to the conclusion I'm not a painter, but they looked good rolling down the street and looked OK until you got up close. All were driven hard, enjoyed, and were shown at car shows with pride, I did the work, and the cars functioned quite well.

Then I had a buddy spray my cheap oil base paint on the next one. I ended up selling that one. I saw it just before last winter and from driving by, it still looked pretty good, that paint is about 4 years old, so it may well be at the end of looking good, but I don't think it sees the miles I put on my stuff, so that may help.

When I did the update on my 48 Plymouth, my buddy sprayed it with acrylic enamel. I don't do wax very well, so in some places it is starting to fade a bit. I really liked the shine it has, except the areas where the shine and the paint are starting to fade. A wax and buff still brings it back, but at some point there won't be paint color to bring back.

When we painted the 49 Dodge truck in 2022, he suggested I switch to acrylic urethane because he thought the shine might hold up better. Shine it does, a bit over the top for me, it looks like I'm taking extreme care of it (which I'm really not). Most of the comments I hear are about the shine it has when its clean.

Have no fear, the truck is driven year around (we get snow and salted roads here, and it gets a weekly car wash through the winter), and we drove it 9,000 miles last year. Its going to naturally age out and will likely never see another paint job while it belongs to me.

 

I still build cars as nice as I can make them and have won many best paint and best of show awards, but I gave up the show car thing years ago. I could never justify the amount of time and cost of materials that it would take now days to be presentable let alone competitive. I was reviewing this year's great 8 online and to be honest they were all so over the top that I don't even consider them cars. Million-dollar floor covering. I respect the craftsmanship but not the effort. Larry

 

Did the best paint job I ever tackled on my elco. Man, it was great-just perfect all the way around, buffed out super perfect and even i was shocked at how good it was. So, Mr. Chest Out gets in it, goes to McDonalds for a coffee. Sat inside and admired my wonderful work. Got in it, and on the way home a pickup in front of me throws up 2 small boulders, of course both hit the hood in the middle then bounced to to the top. Four beautiful nickle size chips, even the hood ones had dents. I considered hari kari, then realized some touch up paint and i can drive it anywhere, anytime. Lesson learned. BTW, they're still there.

 

years back got a Earl Schieb $29.99 paint job done and made my car look like a show car to me.

 

That's not possible with my skillset.

 

Built my first old car in 1970. Thru the years I've done between 30 & 40 finished cars mostly 32's. I'm cursed with wanting my builds to be the best. I always use the best parts, etc. Most of them enjoyed minimal driving time before they found a new home. Last summer I traded a deuce tudor project for a 32 pickup with a man in KCMO. Nothing fancy just sort of a beater. It has become my daily driver (save for salty days) So far it has been reliable and fun and strikes up a conversation when I stop. Just replacing the fenders with new UP parts and the paint is gloss black Rusteloum XL. I have built my last high end car and will die with this truck.

 

I painted the R&C Dream Truck back in about 1984. I used the basic refrigerator white, a bottle of pearl paste that I had sitting around since the 60's, and some clear. Seems the total for the paint was around a hundred bucks. I squirted it in an open shop down in Costa Mesa. One of my many friends who has gone to that great custom shop in the sky, Shaky Jake, asked if he could stripe the bugger. Absolutely, and I just handed him the keys. He brought it back a week later, and refused payment. He said that he should pay me for the opportunity. Contrary to popular belief, that pearl white and part of the stripping is still on the Truck today. The picture is of the "Danbury Mint" model, and the design on the tailgate could not be more accurate, and is still there today..... I hope Tim leaves it that way.....

 

This ^^^^ is correct. My roadster has very nice paint...and a few rock chips from those stupid open tires. But I love it more now. My 442 had fine paint 26 years ago. Now it has beauty marks and baked on tire rubber. They get better with age.

 

Anthony, that's not what I said or why I said it. When I was a kid, I was enthralled by the beautiful paint jobs on show cars. They still have a place in the automotive world and keeping the high rollers involved in our sport goes a long way toward influencing politicians not to outlaw it. As I have matured (?) though, I have learned to evaluate what I see and I'm a person who appreciates what others can accomplish.....but it doesn't mean I hate them or am jealous of them because what they accomplished no longer holds my rapt attention.
I look at many of these cars and they are loaded with big engines and fancy suspensions along with the beautiful paint........they are artwork, not functional cars .
I say that because they spec out some humongous engine but don't have the tires and suspension to use it. They will never enjoy the thrill using all that power for fear of getting rubber on the paint. The paint is so deep it looks cartoonish to my tastes. Its not jealousy or hate, but simply saying that I no longer gravitate towards the shinest object in the show..........I like looking at things that are at least somewhat functional and useful beyond being artwork.

Well this curmudgeon is more easily pleased than some. Like Travis Tritt once sang, I like em a little on the trashy side.........We are allowed to like things that we appreciate
the finished results created by the little guys...........guys like you.......aren't we?

That's kinda what appeals to me as well. I know some guys sweated and slaved to make his car not only beautiful as well as functional, but he actually built it with the idea of driving it most of the time. Having an appreciation for that regimen within our hobby doesn't mean I'm jealous or hate show cars.........in fact I'm more apt to be jealous of what some guy created mostly with his own hands in his own shop than some show car.

Here are some examples I culled out of a random old magazine. This is the kind of stuff that gets my interest. Many are approachable and will tell you about their cars and how they were able to accomplish what they did. I like seeing things that Chip Foose, Iron Resurection (Martin Bros), and Dave Kindig produce and I watch their shows and enjoy them. I look for tips on how they accomplish things. More power to them and the part of the hobby they thrive in........but for me, I like cars that people actually drive..........
From Fogger ^^^^^^^^^^ This is perfect




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So, I'd say that finding that I have an appreciation for what the little guys accomplish, even with some professional help thrown in doesn't mean I'm jealous or hate the people who enjoy a different segment of our hobby............it simply means I like looking at these other cars and talking to their owners and builders better,


So while others enjoy artwork, I prefer to enjoy cars like this.

 

I like em all

no such thing as too nice

 

When I was a kid, I mentioned Earl Shieb to my folks, thinking Dad would weigh in with some history. I was so surprised when it was my mom that let out a groan, lamenting "oh you mean the guys that rolled our windows down and filled the car with blankets?".

 

They can be! I like to drive mine, it has a few battle scars that get touched up once and a while. I'm too dangerous in my garage to have one of those beautiful paint job$. I can appreciate those cars/trucks that have them!
CLICK: Swap O Rama | Famoso Dragstrip

 

I learned to paint in the 70s. Lacquer ruled and the use of masks while painting wasn't really a thing. Painting cars was like a legal high. I learned all the skills I could. We did lace, fades, spider webbing, and they even did murals on the sides of vans. It will be nice to be able to paint at home again.

 

that's too bad it comes off that way, because that's not what it is. I can afford to get a really really nice paint job, but I have no interest in having a really really nice paint job. It seems like a total waste of time and money.

But it's also neat that other people have different priorities than me, so I get to look at their really really nice paint jobs.

 

It does when it’s mentioned over and over
The “why not an award for the little guy”
If someone feels the need to build one of these trophy rides, go after it.
threads about work being too nice? Huh
My sarcastic mind enjoys em though
im glad people do like “too nice”paid the bills for me for a long time.
The most comfortable people I’ve been at shows with are the wealthy/big name builders and the guys driving beaters.
The ones in between generally generated the largest amount of complaining

 

I liked PPG - DELSTAR. It came with a minimum of 2 free RUNS per quart. More depending on the Temperature.

 

Just 2............cheapskates! You'd think with today prices someone would have perfected a runless paint by now. Maybe a magnetic metalflake to hold the paint better.........

 

I am amazed at how anyone can paint a car and not get it scratched up when putting all the pieces back. Must be magic.

 

My '64 Bel Air with 82k orig. miles....people were always asking me when I was going to fix it up...I always replied, "This is as good as it's ever going to get".

 

Nope
Built lots of wrecks. Most parts were painted off the car.
I actually preferred that.
I could pull the chassis and replace structure with the sheet metal in the paint shop. No need to test fit front end parts with the equipment we had. I would fit doors for a side hit and deck for a qtr replacement.
Painter could trim out the structure with the ride on the chassis bench. I’d build it up and it would go straight to alignment then detail.
Super nice clean no tape line repairs.
The custom stuff would get built, panels aligned then just before being busted apart for paint, a 1/8 hole drilled into the hinges for alignment purposes. If shims were used, each shims/shim packs were taped together and labeled.
we often did all the body work assembled and with weatherstripping installed.
That solved a lot of final fitment issues.
The particular car we took to Detroit was painted upside down. A cart was built and the floor and body was painted at one time.
The floor was cut and buffed upside down in that cart.
No tape lines.
Every panel had a hidden alignment hole to speed up fitment and reduce scratch chances.
The key on older cars is proper fitment during the build. Cleaver alignment tricks and documenting things like shims or whatever voodoo was used to get it to fit before painting

 

I like a finished painted car because it pleases me. I like straight panels and I know it takes some filler or skim coat and long sanding blocks. When our car showed paint bubbling in spots after 5 year of the PO paint job I knew what to do and paid to have it done at a local shop I trusted. I’m glad I did and drive our car every weekend. I know every flaw after another 5 years but still pleased with the results.

 

Spot on!! 1,000% agree!

 

Folks, I love a post like this. As a custom painter myself I can truly appreciate all of this - right up to the "OVER THE TOP" incredible paint - I love House of Kolor stuff and all of the amazing stuff you can do with it... THAT SAID, I also love REAL patina. My 1959 Olds 2 door post had real patina. It took 60 years for that old white Dynamic 88 to look like it did. It gathered a crowd at shows and cruises.
So, shiny like almost every other one, survivor car that has aged paint, but is detailed, "Been outside for 50+years" patina or painted to the hilt - the car's paint should match the intended use... Its all part of the theme of what you're building. When the theme is good and execution in good taste - I LOVE it

 

Being jealous or hating a car or a person because of said car is an absolute waste of emotions and energy Accomplishes nothing. I’m happy for the car owner if they’re happy, and appreciate top end cars but personally I like driving and if I had the skills or money to have a top end car I’d drive it - a lot ,probably even put snow tires on it ,after I’m gone someone can fix the rust.

Dan

 

I have that very model sitting right here next to me and just checked the TG and your so right.

 

Exactly Normally I’m not a big custom type guy but Mark your car is gorgeous Love to see people driving their cars
Dan