SS409

I just had my drivers door painted five days ago on my 66 coupe. Base/clear in Trophy blue, like my avatar. My question is I know the paint is soft, how long should I wait before I install the door handle and mirror??? FWIW, the car has been out in the sun for about 5 hours. Thanks.....

DUB

SORRY----LONG RESPONSE

5 hours is a 'drop in a bucket'. in regards to the amount of true time it will take...sorry to let you know this.

A long time. It all depends on the painter and how much material he/she applied when painting the car....and how long he/she allowed the basecoat to flash before applying the clearcoat....also the grade of reducers/thinners for the temperature at the time of spraying....also the type of clear...because NOT all clears are the same.

Fora reference...I have wet-sanded the paint the next day so ti is'open-cut and waiting for buffing....and I will put my infra red heat lamps on these areas for DAYS and DAYS. I heat up the panel for a couple of hours and let it cool...heat it again...and let it cool. I keep doing this until I get sick and tired of it. THEN ...when the paint is cold....I take my thumb nail of fingernail and PRESS HARD for a 5-10 seconds into the clear that will be covered up my the mirror mounting hardware. IF it does not leave a mark...that test is OK...BUT...then I get the door hot by either being the sun or heating it up to a temperature that the paint would get if it were out in the sun. THEN I do the same fingernail test again. If this time it leaves a mark. I wait until the next day and look at the SAME SPOT again. AND IF the mark that my fingernail left the day before is GONE...then I heat the paint up again and again. It has taken me EASILY one month+ to get it to the point of the door handle, lock cylinder and mirror being able to be installed.

ALSO...BE AWARE!!!!!!! That the WORST SPOT on your doors will be the lock cylinders. IF you applied gobs and gobs of gelcoat, primer, filler, paint and clear around the area of where the lock cylinder goes in the door. Make NO MISTAKE that ASSUMING that when you go to clip the lock cylinder in place ...with the correct retainer from the backside of the cylinder as designed....that you CAN DAMAGE your body and PAINT if you DO NOT take the TIME to address the tension level of the clip installation due to ALL of the added materials on the door that were NOT there originally from the factory. IF the tension is too great...you can actually cause the clear to MOOSH out from under the ring that is around your lock cylinder and 'F' you paint job up...or crack the fiberglass.

I often time modify the clip and the lock cylinder to make sure that the correct amount of tension is achieved and I have given the paint enough time to dry.

It is your car and do as you wish...but you have been informed...and I do wish you the best. I know if I painted it for you...it would be quite a while of time that when you would get it back after you saw it painted....and when you stop by...still seeing it all sanded down and ready for buffing and 'wondering why' I have not begun that part of the process...I would show you why....and if you chose to have parts put on it prematurely...you would 'sign off' on any and all problems caused by installing parts BEFORE I say when it is ready...because ultimately I am the one who has to warranty my work.

*** My perspective on this...which I deal with from time to time****
Remember ...so much time is often spent getting it RIGHT...and when it is painted.... many people 'just can not wait' and rush things...and can actually RUIN ALL what was done when they TOOK the TIME in the beginning to get it right.
Like I tell my customers..."You are going to HAVE numerous YEARS of owning a beautiful Corvette if you allow this FINAL process to take place. IF you want me to rush it now....then WHY did you want me to make it so RIGHT in the beginning???...What is the BIG HURRY all of a sudden??? You are aware that I also want you to be out driving your Corvette...and it is taking up space and costing me during the critical final process....BUT I am willing to give it the TIME to make it RIGHT...which is what you wanted".
Knowing what you are going to HAVE when it is completed...should be what keeps you in check....and not bouncing off the walls...waiting in anticipation.

I know EXACTLY how it feels to get to the final processes of a major job...I deal with it often. I want it done and out the door also. This is the time that separates the 'men from the boys'. SETTING a standard and being able to MAINTAIN that standard are two totally different things.

Best of luck...again

DUB

SS409

Thanks Dub, very informative. I'm not in a particular hurry. I did install the vent window and side glass. The only paint contact area I see there is the rubber seal around the vent window and there is a slight gap there as well. I can open the door by pushing on the door latch through the handle hole for now. I didn't have any problem with the lock cylinder when the car was last painted but did with the door handle. The handle does not fit flush with the door skin and actually digs in on the upper portion of the handle when tightened it down. I'm going to try and file down this area until I get an even contact surface. I've seen Overhaulin where they restored a couple of corvettes. One a 57 and another a midyear in a week. How tight are the handles bolts supposed to be and would it be better to use studs and nylon insert hex lock stop nuts?? Finally, are the drying times the same for metal panels as well??

DUB

Paint does not know if it is on steel, plastic, fiberglass, urethane or any other substrate. It has everything to do with the mils of product and id the appropriate amount of time is given between steps to give each process enough time to cure out.

Filing to handle can be dangerous. It can cause the chrome to have a point to start to flake off in time.

I have to write it....but if I noticed that the handle was digging into the panel...I would have spent time in getting the handle fitted to the door by using a thin layer of adhesive.

There are some cases where I use thin washers as shims to back parts away from painted surfaces where contact can cause a problem. It is a balancing act.

As for how tight. I check the assembly manual and go from there.

YES...I would LOVE to see those Corvettes a year after the show aired. Hopefully most people can realize that it is all for TV and NOT reality.

DUB

SS409

Thanks again Dubs.. I like the idea of using washers. I will slip one or two between the handle stud and the door to spread out the load.