Paint job on 1980 C3 Corvette.

I am currently working on repairing and restoring the engine of my project 1980 Corvette. then I will replace whatever needs to be improved in the interiors and dash. I am leaving the paint job for last after the hood doesn't need top be opened so often. Here's my question. It is Paint related. I know all of you have some paint related story you have learned from.

The paint is faded in many areas and there are a lot of nicks and wear on the nose of the corvette, so I assume, sanding, filling and priming will be the order of the day before painting. The body is more or less blemish free.

1.) Paint jobs seem to cost the Earth (I had a quote for $7000 from a dealer who seemed a little too eager to sign me up and used the emotional blackmail approach to "restoring my car to its original beauty" approach, I hate that kind of pressure and being talked down to.)

2.) Since the car body is fiberglass, is there any other pre-paint process, or do's and don'ts I should be aware of sooner rather than later ?

3.) If the car is a dark color like grey, will it be necessary to completely sand out the original color, or can I leave the original color underneath.. ? I want the new color to be a very deep metallic blue (on the darker side of blue)

4.) Clear coat gives gloss right ? or am I mistaken ? If I give it one or two coats of the metallic blue and 2 coats of Clear coat, is that more gloss ? What about an Enamel finish, is that needed ? how effective is it really against light brushings (example if bushes rubbed the side of the car, or someone's wedding ring or some jewellery made minor scratches in it. A friend of mine wearing levis once leaned against my '99 passat and the little rivets on the jeans pocket left tiny scratches.. nearly gave me a coronary...)

5.) Would anyone recommend the volume paint shops ? example
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? Anyone had any experience with them ? Or would it be a case of "I get what I pay for" ? I just heard of them, so I'm asking...

6.) Do paint shops cover up the emblems, chrome bits, lights etc on the car before spraying ? or do they remove them completely before the spray to get the paint on the insides evenly ?

haha, i realize there are way too many questions, but I am dead set on my vette being a heart stopper when it is out on the road with me piloting it. Problem is my budget leaves me just about $800 per month to spend on the car, so I'm trying to get the most value. I am seriously considering going to one of the "ricer" paint shops in my area (lots of oriental teens where I live.. close to stanford). Ricer cars seem to have nice paint jobs done on them sometimes.

Thank's in advance for all the help, and a very Happy and Successful New Year to you all !

Reply to
E_Tar
Loading thread data ...

=20=20Hello=20E_Tar,

=20=20I'm=20working=20on=20an=2082=20restoration.=20=20I've=20had=20the=20repaint=20and=20mechanical done=20at=20roughly=20the=20same=20time.=20=20Both=20were=20done=20by=20shops=20in=20Tampa.=20=20My mechanic=20was=20on=20the=20assembly=20line=20that=20built=20my=20car=20and=20not=20he=20has=20his own=20shop.=20=20We're=20taking=20the=20time=20to=20do=20it=20right.

=20=20My=20body=20had=20a=20fair=20amount=20of=20nicks=20on=20the=20nose,=20a=20few=20cracks=20near=20the rear=20license=20plate,=20and=20some=20other=20minor=20areas=20that=20needed=20filled=20in. I'm=20making=20a=20daily=20driver,=20so=20it=20won't=20be=20show=20quality.=20=20My=20paint=20shop stripped=20the=20car=20bare,=20fixed=20the=20damaged=20areas,=20applied=20four=20layers=20of silver/blue=20enamel=20paint,=20and=20three=20layers=20of=20clear=20coat.=20=20All=20emblems and=20metal=20were=20removed.=20=20It=20was=20down=20to=20the=20frame=20and=20body.=20=20I=20also=20 had=20to=20replace=20all=20the=20rubber=20around=20the=20windows.=20=20A=20rubber=20kit=20was $250=20and=20the=20rework/paint=20job=20was=20$3000.=20=20The=20paint=20shop=20is=20in=20the=20class of=20being=20a=20collision=20center=20and=20wanting=20to=20add=20restorations/customizations to=20their=20business.

=20=20IMHO,=20do=20not=20use=20Maaco=20for=20anything=20you=20want=20to=20last.=20=20They=20are=20okay for=20touching=20up=20some=20things.=20=20You=20will=20be=20able=20to=20notice=20where=20the=20work was=20done=20and=20it=20may=20be=20noticable=20from=20a=20distance=20in=20a=20few=20years.=20=20I=20 prefer=20to=20find=20a=20local=20shop=20that=20does=20quality=20work.=20=20Most=20will=20show=20you examples=20of=20their=20work=20or=20allow=20you=20to=20talk=20to=20customers=20around=20the=20shop. We=20have=20lots=20of=20Ricer=20groups=20here.=20=20They=20are=20on=20the=20expensive=20side=20but they=20do=20provide=20custom=20work=20that=20isn't=20usually=20available=20elsewhere. We=20also=20have=20lots=20of=20Corvette-only=20shops=20that=20are=20extremely=20expensive. For=20a=20large=20sum,=20they=20will=20look=20at=20your=20car,=20keep=20it=20for=20a=20week=20or two,=20and=20return=20it=20all=20done.=20=20That=20kind=20of=20takes=20the=20fun=20out=20of=20it.

=20=20There=20shouldn't=20be=20much=20of=20a=20problem=20building=20up=20your=20car=20as=20you go.=20=20Restorations=20take=20time.=20=20My=20body=20was=20good=20and=20the=20engine=20ran. No=20the=20engine=20and=20mechanical=20is=20all=20new=20and=20the=20paint=20jobs=20done. I=20may=20elaborate=20on=20the=20paint=20later=20on;=20I=20started=20with=20a=20classy mono-color=20that=20no=20one=20else=20has,=20plus=20some=20inlaid=20detail=20with silver.=20=20The=20interior=20is=20next=20and=20I've=20already=20chosen=20a=20shop=20for that.

=20=20Have=20fun,

=20=20David

Reply to
David

Oh, In answer to my own question about Maaco, I don't think I'll take it to them.... I just typed in Maaco in the search and it seems they don't vlue customer satisfaction as they claim on thei site...

hmm... But I do need as much advice on the other stuff as possible..

Reply to
E_Tar

Volume paint shops are mass-market operations and do work that makes the mass market happy - meaning those who really care about craftsmanship will be sorely dissappointed in their work.

A good paint job involves removing all trim before painting. Masking it off is the sign of a very poor (by our standards) job.

Reply to
Vandervecken

I knew a guy who had his '73 painted at Maaco for something like $500. Except for a small nib in the paint on the rear deck it looked darned good. Not a show car, but for a daily driver it was very respectable.

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen ___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is original posting -- ___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring." -- Ann Hayman Zwinger

Reply to
Barking Rats

If you really want to talk to a guy that knows paint, go to

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Kevin sells a couple videos for DIYers, but he is happy to answer questions even if you're not doing it yourself.

Reply to
larrybud2002

I had a1984 Vette and the clear coat started to peel off. took it to MACCO and for about $800 they refinished the entire Vette including the interior door sills/etc because I changed from Red to Caddy off white..did an excellent beyond belief job..sold the car this year and it still looked factory new..I KNOW no one wants to go to Macco but they will pay some joker in a local custom paint place several grand to get a paint job to be factory original..( yes value was down brcause of the color change..but so what.. it was not worth that much any way.)

Let me tell you..once the car is painted by any one any place it is no longer factory original..it is now restored/repainted..maybe to factory specs...some $5000 -$7000 paint jobs I have seen have been awful....ALSO please note that since you are going to repaint to a metallic color the resale value of the VETTE is now down the tubes..value will be no when near what even a restored Vette would be worth....NOTHING SCREWS up a Vette more than a custom metallic way out paint job.no matter how beautiful it may look...since you are going that route I don't think it matters much who paints it...( they sell spray cans in Walmart )

Reply to
grayfox

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