kanvasman

I am a pretty good mechanic and have totally built all of my restomod C3. I am just about to get started on body work and part of my ego wants to finish the project up by painting it myself. I have painted before, a long time ago. I had a trucking company and painted all of my tractors and trailers back in the day using acrylic enamel products, along with a number of cars. ( as I said, a long time ago.) They looked pretty good and the paint held up. But we are in a different century now. The last time I painted was when HVLP guns were becoming popular but I never used one. I understand there is a learning curve here both in equipment and materials, and I am quite willing to learn something new, even though this will probably be the last car I paint. But as I said, I have done everything myself on this car except rebuilding the transmission, so I really want to finish it , No pun intended. My thoughts are using one of those portable paint booths for in the garage so I don't ruin everything in it. I also know that the prep is the hard part, and I am willing to do that. With it in my garage, I can take my time and do it right. BTW I am retired so my time is FREE
I know there are a lot of details to be worked out, and it is not going to be a SHOW CAR finish, but is it reasonable for me to expect this to work out? I have an idea of the cost of materials and equipment, although not the exact best things for me, but I am willing to learn all this new stuff. Or is this one of those situations where I am better off paying the man? thanks.

67:72

Go for it! Worst that can happen is it needs to be sanded off and done over. You could buy a large compressor, new gun(s) and shoot it at least 4 times and be equal to the cost of a pro ($10k-$15k).

I have repainted our Honda's scuffed rear bumper (silver) and the roof, hood, and canopy on an old dark blue metallic Toyota truck using base/clear. Other than a couple runs in the clear all worked out just fine and were quite presentable.

There are a number of folks (C1 &C2, C3 forums) who have painted their own cars. @csherman comes to mind as a good resource for advice.

71 Vert LS1

Maybe not for you but on my last nut and bolt project on a 68 C10 a local body shop "let" me do all the filler work block sanding. Then the spray filler block sanding. Then the epoxy primer block sanding. They sprayed the sealer along with the base coat clear coat. I did the color sanding. 1000 grit 1500 grit and then 3000 grit all wet. They did the final cut and buff. Told me I didn't have the skills for the final cut and buff. LOL. The young guys liked to inspect my work and let me know what I was doing wrong. I too was just retired.
The truck was completely disassembled by and reassembled by me.
I had about $7000 in materials and the shops labor but this was 4 years ago and materials have up quite a bit since then.. Really was a great expirience since I had never done any body work in my life.
One thing to consider is if you are going to this yourself. Besides the tools and materials the clear coat and paint have some nasty chemicals so PPE stuff is really important.
Good luck with your build.
Couple of pics of my 68 before and after.

kanvasman

Thanks for the feedback. I will do some more searching and reaching out. And I am aware of the safety stuff. I won't go into how we did things BACK THEN, but in hindsight I am surprised I am still alive! Wore a respirator but that was it. And my beard kept it from being very effective. I hadn't thought about doing the grunt work and having someone actually shoot it. And Mr 71 Vert that is a beautiful looking truck. There is actually a small local shop near me that might go along with that plan. And at today's prices I might be able to explain to my wife that I could paint it 3 or 4 times and still have money left over to go to Maaco. I have been thinking about doing the paint since I started on this about 8 years ago. I was surprised when I showed my wife a picture of one of those blow up paint booths and told her it would fit our garage. She was actually OK with it. Here is where I am now, just starting on fitting the fiberglass bumpers. Inside is all done except the armrests and door handles. It might give you an idea of WHY I feel like I need to do this since I have done all the rest of it. THanks all.

Body is pretty good. C2 side pipes. Color will be Crystal Red w/ cashmere inside to match our C6.

Completely rebuilt 1986 Corvette TPI mated to 200R4 trans

Custom door panels, late C4 seats and custom fitted C4 center console w/ real red carbon fiber.

71 Vert LS1

So just to continue after I completed my C10 project I needed something to do a couple days a week. So at the same body shop that painted my 68 I help a couple days a week. I'm the king of block sanding and color sanding. I can tell no one at the shop is standing in line to block or color sand.
What I didn't say in the above post was as I block sanded the filler and primer. I did that at my shop so I didn't take up real estate at the body shop needed for collision repair. Then I would store the parts at my shop until ready for paint.
My 68 was sprayed with a base coat clear solid color Ford (I know oh the horror) so the parts can be sprayed off the truck. Can't or shouldn't be done with metallic paints. Metallics should be sprayed with all the the parts on the car.
Most shops don't like to paint over old paint. Most shops will not give you any kind of guaranntee paint wise going over old paint.

csherman

My opinon
Let a pro paint it
Materials are EXPENSIVE
We just painted a 57
Just the main body color for 1 gallon was $1,100.00
Just the color
No reducer
No hardener
Let some who really knows how to paint / has a booth / has good guns / has the experience
Just my .02
Chris S

kanvasman

Thank you for your experience. That is why I am asking because this isn’t an easy answer for me. I don’t need that level of workmanship or materials for my project but I also don’t want it to come out like I used a roller on it. I guess I will talk with some local shops here and Ijust recalled I have a neighbor who painted his c3 a few years ago. At the end of the day I have to figure what will be more satisfying to me. And it’s not all about the money. Thank you.

csherman

Go to cruise ins and car shows and NCRS events
Ask around
You will find who to go to and who NOT to go to (last one is more important)
Then go look at shops
Look at the workmanship

kanvasman

I have started getting names and numbers and looking at their work. Fortunately(unfortunately) I have one of the best Corvette shops on the East Coast 15 minutes from me, Jamison's Corvettes. His work is out of my price range but it is beautiful. I need to stick closer to earth. There's a big vette show in Myrtle Beach next month and i plan on heading up there checking things out. I know there is a compromise in my future and my wife keeps telling me that "just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it!". But I really want to. By the time I get done fitting my 2 bumpers maybe the thrill will be gone.

71 Vert LS1

Yeah the cost of materials have gone up is just nuts.
$1000 for a gallon of red BC/CL top line paint is typical.

kanvasman

THAT is what has shocked me the most! WHen people complain about the cost of any paint job, either a top of the line or a budget spray, they need to be educated about the cost of materials, from paint to reducer and everything needed to do the job. IF I go ahead with the thought I certainly will not spill a drop of it.