Was wondering about this. I have started working on the body of my 51 project. When I got it it was painted and I mean painted. Some hack came in and sprayed it all...chrome parts too. Needless to say as the paint goes away the primer comes in, thats when it came up. Why does the truck or any vehicle (older of course) for that matter look so cool when its primered ? I know its technically unfinished but it still rocks. Id rather have primer than the crappy paint thats on it now. Just wondering?
I always like putting primer on something because usually the stage before is a mishmash of putty/old paint/steel and the primer evens it all out and you can see what the car really looks like.
Primer is cool because it keeps the expensive paint from peeling off the body. I think part of the appeal of primer's look is that in your mind you can finish the car any color scheme you want to. That let's the potential of the car come to the forefront. It's anticipation that makes it exciting. Just like a beautiful woman in something skimpy, it's what you see in your mind's eye that makes the experience what it is. Primer is a negligee for your car.
A lot of the rods you see with so called primer is actually paint with a flattener or a satin paint. My 51' is a base coat without a clear coat. Primer does not seal metal and allows moisture to attack the metal. I like the satin look because; 1. Easy to take care of... 2. The "bling" doesn't detract from the overall look of the rod....
Why is the librarian look with hair-up and glasses so hot? Unrealized potential is often more exciting something played out.
I have always thought of the primer stage as the test run part of building a car. Car is all one color finally and you feel real good about taking it out and beating on it to find all the things that need to be fixed or change before putting a $5000 paint job on the car. And I also think primer is only cool on a hand crafted car. It would look like shit on a $60,000 gold chain car.
Because at Barris' Custom shop there was a long wait for paint. So a lot of their customers would drive around in their cars waiting for paint, and tell everyone they were waiting for their turn. Most people did not have the luxury of having multiple cars back then, and need to get around. Most of the primered cars never saw the shop at all but it was cool to tell people they were waiting on the shop for their turn. And of course what Phat56 said.
As far as the old rods go, I've always seen primer as a declaration of priorities--go not show. It's the mechanical aspect that is important, and not the pretty stuff. Also, it's a great dig/point of rebellion to those Riddler-bes w/ chromed and polished everything. David Johansen of the New York Dolls used to sing "I don't want something too fussy or neat/I just want something I can drive down your street." Personally, it's really appealing to me because I've spent too much time around Mopar restorers who want everything to be perfect and shiny and oem. Besides all of that being beyond me monetarily, my head just doesn't work that way. Y'all are a much more fun group to hang around FWIW, Joe
I think sometimes it makes a car look cartoony, and that somehow makes it look neat? I totally understand what you are saying, there is something about a primered car that looks cool. BUT I think it has to have clean glass, tires and nice chrome. Or else its just a junker.
On late-30s to mid-50s cars, you can really tell more of the overall shape of the car. The harsh reflections don't get in the way. This puts a special appeal on customs. But on earlier cars leaning towards more "hot rod" than "custom", Daddiojoe got it right IMO. It says going faster is more important than looking good.
Isn't it a statement to the world;you went to a shop and bought a car.............whatever?Check out what I,m driving,I got to work on it with my own hands to keep it on the road,it looks different to everyone else.s ride.Ithangyou.
It looks good if you are after a certain look on some cars, but most of the time is just says "I'm not finished" to me. Primer for me is like watching Van Gogh paint, watching the progress is cool but the finished piece is a masterpiece. Of course this is JMHO. To some folks the primer is the masterpiece.
In the '50's primer was all most of us could afford. And then it was spot primer on those sections that were being worked on. There wasn't any statement being made.
When I was a kid in high school, my '40 Ford Tudor Delux was in primer for several years. (no money) Primer could be sprayed on in your back yard with a vacume cleaner attachment. And the "runs" didn't show so badly!! (just had to be careful which way the wind was blowing ) Finally, when I could afford a "Finish Paint Job", it started to look even better!
Why I think primer is kool? Ya don't have to worry about a $$$$$$ paint job from getting f--ked up!!!!! KNUX!
It makes it look like I'm getting something done. After all the labor of body work......a coat of primer is kind of a milestone even if there is a shitload more bodywork to do.
When you only got the hood emblem removed and the holes filled and you had more work planned, you were in the primer stage of building your custom. I remember showing one of my models with primer spots on it to some older guys (probably 17) and they all thought it was cool. Lots of custom work was done in auto shop classes and in body shops as the owner could aford it. Kinda pay as you go. Solid primer generally ment you were getting close to being ready to start paint prep.
primer isn't cool anymore, didn't you get the memo? I love it, though...I think the less cool it gets, the more I love it. unless the cool kids don't love it, in which case, I hate it. But then I guess it would be not mainstream anymore then, if the cool kids don't like it anymore...so maybe it IS cool again...???? F$#%@^& this...I'm going out to the garage and actually build something...cool or not...
Primer is cool? Dang! I just put 6 coats of acrylic laquer on my Plymouth. Now I'll hafta go sand it all off again....
They made the story up because they didn't have the bucks to actually have the car painted but would have if they had the money. They guy who puts 25K into his car has the money but wants to appear like he doesn't, in many cases. Or, just like another thread, he is following the trends. Not unlike pastels in the 80's. Pastels were big in the 50's. Not the trend now so we poo poo it. We salivate over some of the cars built back in the day and I wonder how many say "Gee, Barris should have left that one in primer"?
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