Hot Rods To Paint Or Not To Paint? That is the question.

I would not repaint it from what I can see in your pictures. I like clean, yet not perfect cars, and that's what I see. My opinion is, if you do repaint it, it will look a little bit better, at a lot more cost/aggravation to match the improvement. If it were mine, I would only paint it to change the color, so the next 22 years has a different "look" from the past 22

 

If it was YOUR $2000....walk on it wearing anything you damn well please

 

Drive, smile, be happy (and know that many of us envy you).

 

Just a quick little story I'll share with you guys.
I've own a 66 corvette and for the last 10 years, she has been my driver in all but the worst New Jersey weather. The paint job was good but not perfect. One day I decided to repaint the car and do some restoration work to spruce her up a little. A year and a half later ther car is complete all but for a new rag top and I started to drive it again. But wait, I can't take it THERE something may happen to it, I can't drive it THERE it's too far and I may get stone chips. The bottom line here is I took a good driver and turned it into a car I don't enjoy as much as I used to. I have tried to not be this way but it is hard. Luckily I have a 34 Ford that is not as nice and that has taken the place as my driver. But even though the corvette is still in my garage, I miss her. End of story the 34 will stay just the way it is.
Alan

 

While its true that there is less stress in driving a car with a not so perfect paint job, I can never get myself to overlook the dings and scratches. Everyone tells me I'm way too picky. If you can live with the flaws then drive the car and have a ball but if your like me then ahh ..........Well, I cant tell you what to do.

 

Since you're asking, I think Deuce Roadster is totally correct. It's nice not having to worry about every little stone chip or scratch. Just be sure to do what makes YOU happy.

 

like many have said, do what will make you happy and still have a car you will drive with out worrying. from the pictures it looks good as is.

 

Ron ,

Thats a beautiful car and a wonderful ride to enjoy.

No offence ,but to me I would not touch the car's paint ,

I love black on a car ,

BLACK AND SHINY IS BETTER.

Do you want to spit shine it all the time ,

will it make YOU happier....

I Hope you enjoy it for another twenty two............

 

Do what u gotta do, just please leave that bad boy black. Nothing is finer on a straight car than black.

 

First, fix the windshield leak, that will rot away your entire car. Then, have someone with sharpie or something mark all the spots you can see while sitting in the driver's seat. Fix those, leave the rest, and go put some miles on 'er!

 

I love the worn in feel of an old paint job

 

Ron....since your roadster is in London waiting for the Detroit show....you have nothing more to do right now than to get at the '39...take all winter to prepare it and get Shaun to paint it....what more do you need....no more BS....just get 'er done!!

 

Put some ghost flames on it.

 

run it

 

The car looks so much better in the photos than it does in the flesh. I hate driving it looking so sad so I purchased the paint stripper on Saturday. Thanks for your input guys, I do appreciate your comments !!!!

 

Leave it alone and drive it. I've read and heard too many horror stories about paint jobs like price rip offs and two year paint jobs. Removing the old lacquer and painting would be super expensive.

 

Well, there is no going back on it now..lol. I'm going to try it get it all stripped by the end of Dec. (of this year)
Ron

 

So you've already found out that paint stripper doesn't work as well on lacquer as it does on enamel?

 

What a great car. It will even greater with fresh paint.

 

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it but you might be able to spot or panel paint the problem areas and make it work. A talented painter can work wonders on cleaning up old paint jobs.

I would try that first if it's really bothering you. If it doesn't work and you have to paint the whole car your really no worse off, other than a few hundred lighter in the wallet.

 

You are right on that one ! A little warm up with a heat gun and a stiff back razor blade in a holder is working great !!!
Ron

 

Too late, but...my 36 is in base coat black with no top coat, has been for 16 years, I wanted to clean it up, nobody else wanted me to, seems I'm the only one sees the damage, everyone else thinks the patina is cool. That's usually the case.

 

Some people obsess to much. Its a car, back in the '50s or '60s if an owner had decided it needed painted, the job would likely have been done over a weekend and proudly driven for years after.
Wash it, tape it off, scuff it up, fix any major boo-boo's, and shoot a new topcoat and you can drive and enjoy it for another couple of decades.
Or you can take it to a pro shop, spend 30k plus and keep it safely parked in your garage until you croak.

I can recall when me and my buds would paint our rides with a gallon of Rustolium and a couple of brushes. It was a great time, and we had fun!

Anyway its good to see that you are taking on the job yourself, do your best, but try not to obsess too much, you'll enjoy the results a lot more.


.

 

A talented painter could not legally spray lacquer in Canada.

 

I know that the newer paint used is a ton easier to take care of! If thats what your thinking of then resquirt the car and keep driving her like you been

 

Wow, it took two and a half years just to strip the trunk? Hopefully you have her back on the road in her new dress sooner than that.

 

Ya , that is a long time ! It was not a priority while I was building the roadster...
Ron

 

like you said,its to late now,but i would have left it alone

 

If you're using the razor blade, make sure you take it back to bare metal (any old body work will have to be redone). Leaving the original primers will make for an uneven surface for the next paint job. I don't think there is any grilled openings on that car (like in front of the windshield on 60's/70's cars) so you'll save yourself that education, but if you've punched any louvers you can kiss your fingerprints goodbye. I would suggest working one panel at a time, and primering it as you go to prevent surface rust. Obviously if you do that, you need to work from the top down to prevent stripper from destroying the new primer.

 

First time in almost a year for the 39 fired up and taken for a spin out of the garage and back. It almost looks like it should have a number on the door... Getting closer....