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Technical How Old Were You When You Painted Your First Car?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BJR, Feb 22, 2026.

  1. I was 16 years old when I did my first complete custom pain job on my 1968 Chevy pick up.
    Vic
     
  2. Lil 32
    Joined: Aug 12, 2018
    Posts: 249

    Lil 32
    Member

    I was 21 y/o
    took 7 years to restore my 1929 Chev 4 door sedan
    car won Best Vintage Car at 1977 Chev Nationals here in Aussie
    IMG_1539.JPG
     
    dana barlow, Jimmy, BJR and 2 others like this.
  3. juan motime
    Joined: Sep 14, 2017
    Posts: 80

    juan motime
    Member

    I think about 19. A little before that,I was custom painting motorcycles. I haven't painted anything since 1975.
     
  4. sidewayzz69
    Joined: Aug 9, 2020
    Posts: 448

    sidewayzz69
    Member

    13 or 14. Can't remember exactly.
     
  5. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 8,185

    A Boner
    Member

    Does an Electrolux primer job count…16.
     
  6. stammc
    Joined: Feb 17, 2026
    Posts: 1

    stammc

    I was about 17 when I painted my first car a tired old driver that deserved better than what I gave it

    Shot it in a buddy’s garage with borrowed equipment, learned the hard way about prep, runs, and sanding… lots of sanding. It wasn’t perfect, but seeing it all one color for the first time felt pretty good.

    Been hooked ever since.
     
  7. When I read this I laugh. I painted my Dad's then black Lincoln with Standard Brands black lacquer. Under a tree in front of the house by the horse corral. Yup 8 coats of black Standard Brands lacquer. Did a wet sand between each coat. Used a Sears air compressor and a generic touchup gun. Was that slow. Actually turned out rather well.

    After that using the same compressor and small touchup gun painted a 56 VW with grey Standard Brands lacquer with a polyester green dye. Had to keep shaking the gun with a marble in it. Sold both cars to happy customers. Sure miss Standard Brands for Bondo, sand paper and paint.
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2026
  8. Do you mean on the vacuum cleaner, one of those accesories ? Yup my Brother and I did that on a 1946 ford truck. Wiped the paint off the window gl*** with gas on a rag. We had FUN then ! Age 13.
     
  9. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 9,911

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    I sprayed hoods, or fenders when I was in high school, but never attempted a whole car until about 4 years ago. So I was 72 when I painted my first whole car. The '39 Chev in my avatar..
     
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  10. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,489

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.

    14,,,Mom's ELECTOLUX,had a spray gun ***.*, I used on an old Crosley in the backyard gr***,no wind, two bugs got in low paint... Came out better then I thought it would!,Not super ,but kind of OK,only 3 runs..;
    Almost a year later,I got a used yardsale aircompresser an a real spray gun $15. Needed a new fan belt,redo the bad cracked end of old air hose { So a little shorter }=Good to go :D
     
  11. SDS
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,087

    SDS
    Member

    My Grandfather used to talk about "Powder Puff Paint". You applied this stuff with a powder puff. he painted his car in the street in front of his house with it.

    s-l400.png
     
  12. I shaved my 40 Chevy 4 dr sedan's trunk with Soilo and painted a primer spot on it when I was 12 or 13.
     
  13. Paladin1962
    Joined: Mar 10, 2025
    Posts: 267

    Paladin1962

    Brush painted a 52 Plymouth in 2007; worst job; took it off with razor blades.
    Spray bombed a few Falcons over the years
    First actual spray gun job was a '63 1/2 Galaxie hardtop I changed to Wimbledon White from blue spots in 2021
    I'm 63 now and still hate painting
     
  14. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 8,671

    Special Ed
    Member

  15. ronnieroadster
    Joined: Sep 9, 2004
    Posts: 1,204

    ronnieroadster
    Member

    First paint job age 25 did it in our one car garage. Still have the car owned it 54 years so far its the Deuce roadster pictured in my avatar.
    Ronnieroadster
     
  16. OK so we mentioned "Electrolux" vacuum cleaner spray guns for painting and spraying bug killer on plants. We mentioned paint brushes and powder puffs ( popular now for home interior wall painting ) BUT we have not mentioned the good old Black Flag hand pump fly sprayers. I did it once as a joke because of a story from my Dad. In Fullerton, Calif., affter WW2 a couple of brothers from Oklahoma, moved to Calif because of the weather and job oppurtunities. Being broke needed money. A guy in town told them he would pay them $5 if they could paint his car, he supplied the paint. "Well shure we can do that !". So they went to Fullerton Hardware and purchased a Black Flag hand pump sprayer, filled up the metal can and proceeded to paint the car. Dad said it was actually not all that bad at about 30 feed. Car owner was happy.
    [​IMG]
     
    LCGarage, SS327, guthriesmith and 2 others like this.
  17. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,675

    31Apickup
    Member

    Painted Schwinn stingray clone when I was about 8, dozens of model cars thru the teen years. First car paint job was when I was 17/18 which was a 68 Jeepster Commando convertible.
     
  18. 409 Bob
    Joined: Aug 20, 2008
    Posts: 104

    409 Bob
    Member

    DSC00598.JPG How about a live picture? 1968, 17 yrs old. Single cylinder, no regulator. Craftsman pot.
    We called it the Red Bomb. Mom's '56 not covered.
    DSC00598.JPG
     
  19. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 16,354

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I was a teen, old enough to drive but still in school. The church had a early 70's Econoline shorty, window van that needed freshening. Donated paint (green and white), turned out pretty nice really, used a siphon cup and cheap single stage obviously. I wanted to put Cragars and wide ovals on it, but my father (Elder at church) vetoed that plan as he thought the funds were best used elsewhere. If I remember correctly someone stole the van anyway. Probably put mags on it.
     
    LCGarage, guthriesmith, SS327 and 3 others like this.
  20. Mike Goble
    Joined: Aug 30, 2025
    Posts: 20

    Mike Goble

    At the rate I'm going I will be about 79 when I paint my first car.
     

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