Hot Rods Is a nice paint job really that important?

Cool.
Just let me know. I might can help.
A local supplier sometimes gets damaged cans or has materials not picked up by customers.
They can also mix ya up acrylic enamels probably as cheap as ordering the stuff, comes in handy when you run out or need touch up.

 

Paint will let you see the car.

 

It is to me, just as nice as I can spray myself because I can't afford to pay someone else to do it for me! I have painted a few cars but haven't painted one in close to 30 years and I have never used a HVLP gravity feed gun, so that will be a learning experience for me when I get to it.

 

If ya can use a siphon, an HVLP will be a breeze.
The pattern is generally smaller but ya make more passes.
And overlap around 75%

 

I probably have a different perspective then most here. I come from a dirt track background. Back then the track rules stated that the cars had to look presentable from up in the stands.. At our local track, the stands were 50' or more away from the track, it didn't take much to look good from the stands. My limitations are a bit tighter then the track rules were, to me an acceptable finish should look good from 10' to 20' away. That fits well, I build driver hot rods that get driven 6,000 - 10,000 miles a year.

I've spent most of my life fixing rusted metal on cars. Rust and extreme patina drive me crazy on my stuff. What others do with their cars is their business.

I can do body work, I know how to do it, and I can do pretty well at it, for a short time. Two months of body work is really pushing the limit for me, then it HAS to be painted. I discovered the cheap oil based paint from our local farm store holds up really well (with the no care I give it) for 3 - 4 year before it starts looking bad. When its new, it has a great shine, but dulls as it gets 3 years old. By then, I can sand it, do another round of body work, and paint it again. I'm good for another 3 - 4 years. Repeat. I've been doing this since the late 1980s.

In recent years, things have changed. The quality of the "farm" paint has gone down the drain, its lucky to look good for a couple years these days. When it was time to redo the coupe last winter, I actually bought real automotive paint, and then I had my buddy (a body shop guy) paint the coupe, we swapped out some work. The paint looks much better then my body work, but I don't intend on doing either on this car again. Looks great from 10' away!

In my early years I had a couple of those really nice paint jobs. They were way more work then I was prepared to give them, and I really drove them hard. I discovered way back then that perfect paint and me were not compatible, but I still liked shinny paint, probably where that 10' rule came from.

To answer the question, a decent paint job is important, but a really nice paint job is not. Give me a reliable driver that is safe to drive a lot, and looks OK doing it. Gene

 

I'm like gene, paint is good, but not neccesary, I drive lotsa miles, most hiway, I'm proud of the chips and oops on the windshield, they're the mark of a well used car. BUT, I don't like the bolted together, use anything I could find, isn't it cool look, cause its not cool. Primer is good, as long as its not permanent, rust is shitty looking and tells me that you don't give a shit about the car, a quick look under it usually shows leaks as well. I love a very well crafted but yet to be painted car or bike, out for its proven runs, ironing out the bugs.

 

That is how a made a living, restoring and painting other peoples cars. Second place at Pebble Beach was the best I ever did. I'd much rather look at my own car in finished paint than a rebuilt engine in a stand with all that time & money tied up under a large black trash bag. You might as well look at something nice.

Bob

 

Is a nice paint job really that important? IMO It’s a personal choice with no right or wrong answer, myself I like my cars strait and shiny.

 

To me the level your taking with your build should dictate how far you go with the paint.
If your doing a complete rebuild then go all out with paint and interior. I plan on having my car for many years and with new paint and interior with proper maintenance they will hold up for many years to come.
That leaves me with money and time to put into performance parts. Your ride is never finished.

 

I aim for respectable...

I had no intentions of repainting the Fargo when I started putting it together a couple years ago, this spring I finally admitted I couldn’t do it. It’s mostly shiny now


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

IF your interpretation of "nice" paint job is a paint job to the best of my ability......then yes, that's the goal. For me paying big $$$ to someone else for a high end (major car show winner style paint) is worthless. I could use that money for another build or parts and I drive them, so chips, dents, road rash is to be expected.

Also, I'm not above getting bodywork close. Missing a little ding or dent here or there or even not making an A fender symmetrical with the other side and then shooting some paint on it leaving minor orange peel. The paint is there to keep it from going downhill again, I don't participate in car shows, I drive my cars almost daily...shit is going to happen.

I used to get into the mindset that it needs to be PERFECT, all I ended up doing is spinning my wheels, going over stuff multiple times and nothing got done (except me getting burned out on the car). There's a fine line between pushing yourself to improve your skill set (which is good) and pushing too much to the point of flaming out.

 

Is a nice paint job really that important? Well, yes and no.

I think I've told this before, but I was fully intending to finish mine and paint it shiny yellow (street rod style). Then I saw one painted black and yellow that I liked. I got the black (basecoat) on and I ran out of time.

I had to go on the road for the summer and when I got back I saw some boo-boos that needed fixing. I said (tongue in cheek), "I'll fix it when I get a 100,000 miles of her!" Well, that 100,000 miles came and went and it still needs fixin'.

I truly enjoy driving that car and it's become a job just to keep gas, oil and water in it. Maybe one day, I'll fix those boo-boos, along with the new ones that I've earned.

 

To me a finish paint job indicates that all of the mechanical work has been completed, bumper to bumper. In my younger days when paint was not so expensive and I work part time in a body shop I painted all of my cars and took care of my buddies. But now with paint being so expensive you really need to know what you are doing or else you will be spending a lot of money trying to learn how to spray. Prep work was the most important thing for a good paint job and I had my best paint jobs when completed with DuPont Acrylic Lacquer.

 

YES, the operative word is NICE, that connotes a lot of different variations but it's still PAINTED.

 

Ten footer is fine with me........if ya get a chip..oh well

 

I have OCD and ADD. Everything has to be perfect.....but not for very long.

 

Purpose built can sum it up.
Creating a contender in the show car circuit, competing at the drag strip, local car show/club events, daily driver, etc. budget, skills, purpose dictates the build.
Shiny paint, primer..your choice, I for one can appreciate either, depending on the car.
Bottom line, stay true to yourself..what puts that smile on your face, when you take that second glance at it while walking away?

 

Paint will show up imperfection in body work. But it also does a good job of hiding buckets of bondo. Some folks cant see past the pretty paint.

Me personally, I've had shiny and nice, I've had well used 40 year old paint, and primer. I believe it depends on the car and the use. I've had more fun with vehicles before the shiny paint than after. My motto is....FLAT IS WHERE ITS AT!...but that has to do with ride height not paint.

 

It's only PERFECT once, right!

 

I am a firm believer in the KISS method of building hot rods. HRP

 

I finally painted my truck myself and it looks like I did it myself. It does look better than it did and hopefully in the spring I'll attempt to improve it. I like to sit behind the wheel and pretend it runs better!!

 

My old sedan certainly is not neglected simply because I would rather drive a old car that doesn't look like it was built recently, the car shows it's age and has scratches and faded paint, the overused word "patina" describes my car but I prefer "Old Paint".

This car also has the original top insert material, I have spent a lot of time keeping it in presentable shape, I know that sometime in my lifetime I may have to replace it but intil that time it will remain, that's part of the character of the car as are the running boards, they are original also.

I keep top dressing on the insert on a regular basis and also keep the running boards clean and looking as good as possible, my old beater is driven rain or shine, hot or cold.

I am often ask when are you going to paint it? My standard reply is when you pay for it! HRP

 

When I started this thread it was not my intent to pit anyone against each other, we all have different view point's on how to build hot rods & customs and that's what makes the Hamb the best hot rod & custom site on the internet. HRP

 

I am saying I don't like shiny paint or that I don't have respect for the amount of time and skill it takes to get the metal perfect for show quality is amazing. However I think many people with limited budgets have been talked into focusing on body and paint by magazines and T.V. shows, instead of taking that money and spreading out over the whole build and having the best over all car they can even that means some primer spots or driver quality paint.

If some one has the time, skill, and budget to have a car with mile deep paint, a rebuilt chassis, and a high horse power by all means go for it.

 

What I look for quality, weather it is flat, shiny, satin doesn't matter. After I painted my first car which was black so it had to be perfect my mentor said to me you better learn this s*** it's your hobby. I like to think of myself as a preservationist that I'm keeping this car alive for future generations can enjoy it. As for the cost of paint generally speaking your getting ripped off. There are just so many different resin manufacturers and a lot of these paints come from the same spicket. When a company gets $800 a gallon you are paying for the name, and all the people that it goes through before it gets to you. I feel so much better now I've got this off my chest.

 

Paint is important to me, but I'm an old fart and we usually like painted cars. Is it important to be show quality? Not to me, but it is important to be shiny. Not that I don't appreciate a nice satin paint job, but it's just not what I want. I usually drive my builds for one season as is, with original paint or primer. But once the bugs are all worked out I want to have them painted a gloss paint color.
I had a number of people tell me I "ruined" my Austin gasser when I got it painted. They said it looked cool, and like a survivor when it was in it's original paint. I just thought it looked run down, and pitiful myself. I like it painted a lot more.

 

Nice paint yes...........drop-dead gorgeous paint...........not so much and here's why.
I have buds and know other car guys that went "all-the-way" with perfect gaps...paint that looked 2 foot thick....super interior........the works.
AND THEN......they were afraid to drive it anywhere but a car show in perfect weather with NO gravel no interstate driving. Every one of them regreted going that far with the process.
Now most of them keep it covered up in their garage and let their friends come touch it on special occasions or roll it out a few times a year to wipe and wax it. While they drive around in their old pick up or use the wifes SUV to go anywhere.
Most of them have told me they wish they had gone the "nice-driver" route.
ME..........I'm too lazy to 'keep-up' a really nice "classic" show stopper.
6sally6

 

I shot 14 coats of black lacquer on my bike this year. I like nice paint.
But it would have stopped @ black epoxy primer if I had not had the lacquer.

As mush as I like a good paint job for me it depends on the vehicle and my budget. I really want a deep maroon car, but I am sure that even though I do have the patience to shoot one that color I may not the the budget so epoxy primer may be it for me for a while. I don't mind one that is a little rough around the edges.

 

Perfection is overrated! HRP