Hot Rods Is a nice paint job really that important?

My old Chevy was painted in the early 80's and doesn't look all that great but I can drive it anywhere I want and not worry about a door ding or chip. My neighbor is a BC/CC guy and just doesn't understand why I don't put a better paint job on it. He buys late models and fixes them as a hobby and is pretty anal on how his transportation looks. My other neighbor has a beautiful 40 Ford and drives it quite abit. He tells me to just drive mine and not worry about paint Note...the Stude in the avatar is now BC black with no clear. After I painted it I found all kinds of "defects" in my body prep. It's a 30 foot show car At my age (past 75) it's good enough.
My brother in law restored his grandfathers 1946 Jeep to better than it was new, it had been used on the farm and was pretty rough when he started on it. My father in law had abused it as he was growing up We camp together on Memorial Day and Labor Day a few miles from where my in laws farm and usually he brings the Jeep out and gives us all rides. This year his dad asked him if he was bringing it out to the campground and he said "no, people don't respect the paint job". Most of the time it sits in a dirt floor machine shed with a blanket over it.
Having a vehicle that is too nice to drive is like being married to a beautiful woman and only taking her to church I am old but I still remember some of my youth

 

Amen brother.
best analogy yet

 

This is a really great perspective.

 

I prefer shiny paint but primer just screams hot rod to me,I went to the old school.

 

That's the hardest part for me, deciding what color to paint my own car!

 

NO

 

This topic comes up every now and then on the other forums that I'm on, and I always feel compelled to chime in. I appreciate a nice paint job, but I can't have one. I've found that I can't enjoy driving a car that I'm worried about all the time. I also get a ton of joy watching my wife or one of my daughters pulling out of the driveway to go on a cruise in it. I don't have to worry about one of them parking it right next to the cart corral at the grocery store. This past summer I tossed the keys to a kid who had never driven an old car or a convertible and he took it to a cruise night near us. To me, that's how you plant the seed for the younger generation.
And, as crazy as it sounds I like a well built car with patina. It tells a story. As a side, I'm not lazy or broke, I'm no body guy but I could do most of the work to prep my car for paint, and I can afford to have it painted. I just know that as soon as I do some jackass will put a ding in it and I'll be sick about it. I say, Rust and Dust is a Must.

 

Paint should protect the metal...if it needs some help, try a little wax!
Fancy paint jobs are overrated, and can take the fun out of a real HOT ROD!

 

Here in hick town West TX ... we have to do a yearly safety inspection for car registration. Brakes, tires, horn, wipers, glass ... no emissions. Our inspection is done by the local towing company.

Several months ago while getting a car inspected, he had a car in impound. The owner requested he come pick it up and store it.
Owner had paid $3k for a paint job on a perfect running 1969 ford or mercury torino.
Paint jail was requesting extra money to release it.
Was painted a single stage red, with black stripes. They had applied masking tape to early to paint the stripes. when tape was removed the red paint came off with the tape ... A real hack job. The car was now missing the new holley carb it drove in on and would not run now. Paint jail had no idea what happened to it.
A guy really needs to be careful with a cheap $3k paint job.

 

My post needed a picture. So what's important? It's what makes ya happy? I've been happy with paint, rust, and primer. My old coupe has had all three. I gave a body shop $100. back in the 80's to used their paint booth after hours. I painted the 29 coupe yellow. I decided that I liked the attitude of it in back primer better. I think the car tells me what color paint it. So my delivery is Red. My Nomad turquoise, and white. My 31 sedan gloss black, and the 29 flat black.

 

Lol a guy really needs to do his homework on who he's leaving his car with. EVERY car that comes in my shop has a written contract on what work is being done and the agreed on price. Any deposit that is paid or a payment schedule. Myself and the customer have a copy. If the customer calls a month later and says "hey while you have my car can you look at that floorboard that's weak?" It's $40 an hour on top of what was agreed on. It's in the contract. I'm not out to cheat anybody, I help people that can't do it themselves. And a $3000 job in my shop is a minimal bodywork, sand and paint. Check references people. Go to the bodyshop, see how many cars are sitting there, ask how long they've had the cars, ask for the owner's contact info, if the shop won't give it to you, walk away, there's a reason why they won't. No I can't "restore" a car in a week. You'll have to call OVERHAULIN' for that job

 

I like shiny paint, as a kid I painted cars in my parents driveway, some of my race cars and recently painted the front of my Mercury (road rash) do to the high quotes for what I considered a small job, lowest quote $2500. as a best case, most likely more, yes maybe they would have done it better, but IMO it's pretty good, good enough for me. I'm giving thought to a total job, repainting my Mercury satin black as I like that look, with red/white pinstriping and/or the top/roof painted shiny darker red. I like scallops/flames/metal flake, all of it. I've been collecting pictures of different Mercury's for reference, have not decided what I want. I've never paid the big bucks for a super paint job, never will, I've not had the best of luck with pro painters, similar results I can achieve, dirt, sags, overspray, fisheyes and have dealt with paint shop jail. I Have said for years, it must be the paint fumes and all paint jobs if you really look close will have flaws. All my rides are drivers with decent paint, Drivers being the keyword, I use the cars, not "Show cars" Perfection in this hobby was/is not my goal, I do not want something so nice I'm afraid to drive it. To answer your question, No, the paint job is not the whole ball game, IMO enjoy the hobby, be proud of what you have, drive it, Again ENJOY the hobby. Use some common sense with your cars, don't put a 20 K paint on a 5K car, same thing with engine, put a 20K engine in a 5K car, it all goes together hand in hand, BUT that's what great about our sport/hobby, Do whatever trips Your trigger, floats Your boat

 

I've driven enough primered cars in my life I'll take mine with paint, being a paint and body guy for over 40 years has something to do with it also.

 

All my cars have low buck do it yourself type paint jobs with the help of talented friends.
I have picked unique colors that have proved to be timeless.
The cost of the paint seemed extravagant at the time, but it has paid off in longevity.
As I have stated in a previous post my cars are an extention of who I am, they project what I like. Not quite what others have, but still pretty kool! KK

 

I think it all goes hand in hand. Mechanics has to be number one and first. If you have the energy and money after that then make it the best you can. JMO

 

I prefer shiny. Teaching myself how to paint. I have a lot of scrap metal to practice on. I just painted a trash barrel.
It don't have to be perfect for me. I'm just proud I done my own work and if it looks good from 20 feet that's ok.
If you run primer and have the rest of the built right do you worry about getting a flat tire or bent up wheel?
Why worry about a scratch on shiny paint. Stuff happens.
I see a lot of people here posting kids in cars. Most people I see at shows freak out
when kids come by. I let them set in the car. It is just a car. The factories built a ton of them.
I built a new home 3 years ago. Some stuff has already been replaced or needs work. I don't panic at every storm cloud. I refuse to worry over a product made by man that anyone can own.
Life is short ,enjoy it.

 

View attachment 4894269 When I was a kid and built my first 31 ford roadster View attachment 4894262 on a very minor budget. I went to the local department store and bought a large box of 12 oz. flat black primer spray bombs. I painted the car till my finger hurt. My next car was a 55 Chevy and the same thing, painted flat black again until my finger hurt again. So I said when I grow up and have a few bucks I am going to have a shiny car! I did not have a black primer car back then because I wanted to but because I had no means of $ to have it painted. I am happy with my shiny car now I can afford one .

 

Yes it is and I’ll still drive it when I want.

 

I'm simply not going to completely disassemble a car, (like I always do) replace all the rusty metal, re-engineer the chassis and drivetrain, fix the gaps, etc and then shoot primer on it. I see the car as a reflection of the quality of my work. Therefore, if I start the process, I'm gonna finish it with a good paint job.

 

Paint is the finishing touch for me. I get one pretty much finished before I paint it, so it may be a speckled pup for a while. I’ve never had a shop paint one of my projects, I do all the body and paintwork myself. I’m no pro, but I can do pretty decent for cruise in paint. I don’t want a mile deep show car paint job, a simple one or two color done in enamel with an enamel clear coat does fine. Anything more and I’d be scared of scratches and rock chips, simple glossy paint works and I can drive it without worry. I don’t buy high dollar brand name paint, either. I buy paint from places like www.paintforcars.com or TCP Global. It may not last like the high dollar stuff, but it’s still cheaper even if you have to redo it in a few years. Think I paid something like $40 a gallon for the last paint I bought a few years ago.

Not a fan of rust or “as you found it” patina, well kept survivors excepted. Both are neglect to me. A solid coat of one color of primer is fine as long as paint is in the future. Flat black or semi gloss black looks good on some cars, but most need some gloss to look their best.

Lloyd, insurance paid the body shop for the 1.5 foot wide trunk lid and spoiler to be painted when I replaced the broken back glass on my wife’s ot 88 FBird with a used one——-$800! That was both sides, color change. At that rate, it would probably cost $8000 to paint the whole car! So your pricing is very reasonable!

 

I think it depends on what I am going to do with the car and how bad it is when I start on it. There is no doubt cars without nice paint are way more fun to me since I don’t have to worry about them as much. But, if I have to do everything to a car anyway, why not make it nice with a nice paint job? When I was young and painting cars all the time, I rarely considered not having a nice paint job. But, the older I have gotten and the more memories I have, I realize the best memories were in the cool, but not as nice cars. So, I typically lean that way for the ones I keep now since friends and memories are more important to me than polishing on my paint.

I do have to admit that a crappy paint job does cause me to want to make it better. Dealing with that on my daily driver now since the paint job on it was never good and is coming off in areas. That drives me nuts way more than old paint or even surface rust, etc. Bad paint jobs to me are worse than just running something in primer. Maybe that comes from me being a painter and a perfectionist though...

 

in order to avoid the "car guys" that stop and want to have small talk when i am out making an errand or out enjoying my vehicle, i say yes paint in necessary to avoid those conversations that start out, "nice truck, what color are you gonna paint it?", or "nice rat rod"

 

Oh absolutely! You'd shit if I could post pictures of a couple of jobs I've done in the past week and what insurance paid lmao! I just can't prioritize daily driver stuff over the old cars. I always stop and do the impartiality thing, how would I feel if somebody did me this way. Do unto others if you know what im saying. That insurance money is good, but I've never stood back and looked at a new vehicle that I repaired and took pride in it the way I do when I lay down slick single stage on an old hot rod

 

I’m actually pleased that my 40 Coupe doesn’t have pristine paint. It was last painted in it’s original color in 1972. Over the years, even though it’s been well cared for, it’s been driven. Some of the enamel has shrunk over/around the previous leadwork in a few places but still has a nice shine when waxed. I like it much better than if it had super glossy paint.....I wouldn’t accept a new glossy $15000 paint job on this car even if it was given to me.....seriously

 

Next time you need paint holler at me.
I know a guy.

 

Don't get me wrong guys, I love making money, but it's more of a pride thing. I'm proud of what I'm able to do. The firehouse pays my bills, the bodyshop satisfies my need to create and funds my extracurricular activities

 

My dad painted this thing for me, and it was PERFECT.

And then I drove it, and now it's less perfect. I wouldn't have it any other way. My dad still gets a big smile when he sees it, so I must not have screwed it up too bad yet.




The comment above about some cars being ruined with shiny paint is absolutely correct. It all depends on the car and the vibe. Some cars look best kinda rough.

 

Will be a while yet. I gotta get it put back together first! Focusing on getting everything paid off right now so I can semi retire next year debt free....