Painting a vette
- Thread starter Rbm
- Start date
Whitesnake
Newbie
Yeah…that guy painted a vette once. Lol
Rbm
Professional amateur
Car is complete and running...not driving tho...the old paint job is showing its age..looking at it I see some waves that could be old work or natural moving of gaps and flexing...I don't do many cars for friends but might make an exception for this one..just curious what I would be getting into...I have no problem turning it down..I'm not in the business.
Did extensive body work and painted a 68 and 72 Corvette plus studied paint and body work for Corvettes for a long time.
I suggest doing all the body work and paint with the body on the frame shimmed and bolted down as final.
Never once heard of warping or twisting in direct sun and causing body work/new paint problems. Most everything moves with heat but auto paint and the fiberglass fillers have some allowable flex. I like and use vette panel adhesive as body filler. My speculation is someone painted the Corvette on a body cart and then put the body on the frame and then had problems. I have never painted a metal body car but as I understand it painting a metal body car and a fiberglass Corvette is very different. Lots of how tos on the internet. A good one is "an old man's guide to painting a Corvette" on one of the Corvette forums. Hope this helps and post a photo. Oh some use aircraft Chem strippers with success. However that is too risky for me. I heat gun razor blade old paint off, and hand sand with 80grit and avoid body creases until last
I suggest doing all the body work and paint with the body on the frame shimmed and bolted down as final.
Never once heard of warping or twisting in direct sun and causing body work/new paint problems. Most everything moves with heat but auto paint and the fiberglass fillers have some allowable flex. I like and use vette panel adhesive as body filler. My speculation is someone painted the Corvette on a body cart and then put the body on the frame and then had problems. I have never painted a metal body car but as I understand it painting a metal body car and a fiberglass Corvette is very different. Lots of how tos on the internet. A good one is "an old man's guide to painting a Corvette" on one of the Corvette forums. Hope this helps and post a photo. Oh some use aircraft Chem strippers with success. However that is too risky for me. I heat gun razor blade old paint off, and hand sand with 80grit and avoid body creases until last
Last edited:
Dean Jenkins
Promoted Users
Lost your "backyard hack" credentials awhile back . . .
ksungela
Member
You never know what's underneath the paint on any car. Sounds like the car needs to be stripped first. If the body is undamaged then its strong enough to paint on a cart like Don did. That's how I do mine. Any repairs or new panels should sit in the hot sun a few weeks to fully cure, then you should be good to proceed with the painting process.
My list of "friends" grew when people found out I paint cars. Be careful.
My list of "friends" grew when people found out I paint cars. Be careful.
dhutton01
Backyard Hack
Rbm
Professional amateur
This one is not going frame off..just a nice driver..my friend contract states that when I'm thru, it's yours...warts and all...I would strip it, level it, gap it as best I could...paint and send...cut and buff on him if he wants it..it gets my best effort, but only once. Thx guys for the insite...good to hear from you Shine
Big Dave
Promoted Users
Right?
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Friends don't expect friends to work for slave wages. Nowadays when it comes to this I have no friends.
Rbm
Professional amateur
I'm only considering this because I never done a corvette..even in my old age,I still like challenges. If they are silly enough to let me learn on their dime, I might try..no slave wages here tho..they gonna pay if they wanna see the monkey dance. Totally agree with friend conclusion tho...Friends don't expect friends to work for slave wages. Nowadays when it comes to this I have no friends.