Fireball

Thanks for all the positive comments gentlemen! Pekka, the plan is to use a "pro" pinstriper, but where to find one in my area is the question. I have the equipment but not the skill. Joe, not too much debris, some minor here and there, but nothing what a good buff would not take care off. You see the thin plastics on the walls? That stuff does a great job not only protecting areas but also sucking all the dust etc. in it. It is just so static that everything sticks to it. I also vacuumed floors before every spray, and kept them wet during painting. The visible spray pattern is the biggest flaw, but I laid down three thick layers on it so there should be material to wetsand it into perfection. I really need to get the puppy outside and see it from distance and every angle.

Consider it done. I'll let it settle for month or two and do the final wetsand and buff later. Colour and garage painting turned out quite ok, with some pinstriping it'll be just nice when finished. I have to admit I was a bit worried at start if it'll be too much "lollipop" in just one colour, this particular seafoam, but no. Luckily it looks good to my eye. Some may disagree though, but hey that's their problem SO WHAT DOES THE JURY SAY? It would be nice to hear some opinions and ideas, no worries if this doesn't fit to your taste, just let me know, I like feedback.

This is getting exciting. Rear fenders, the last section just got primered, ready for final three coats of acryl in three hours and the whole car is done It'll be hard time waiting up until tomorrow to get to see the whole car in new colour and see the big picture. Eeeeeasy now... BTW Tim, the finish smoothened whole lot better with reducing 20% instead of instructed 10%, and lowering the nozzle pressure far below recommended. Amazing how all the brands work differently out of the same gun and guy.

Tim the gun is a true HVLP as far as I know, although it's some five-six years old and not the newest tech. But I believe you just found my issue with that reducer speed. That and one or two sizes smaller nozzle would do miracles in my case, I believe.

Joe, yes this time I'm using single stage acrylic enamel. My first time with this German brand Mipa. Tim that is true, and I also heard that my HVLP gun is not the best alternative for shooting acryls but I have to live with it now

Sprayed the roof today, and can't say I'm satisfied about my work. To my eye the spray pattern is too visible, the paint should flatten more. That's usually the reason of too thick mixture, but I have already reduced twice the recommended amount, and changing the gun pressure doesn't help either. The surface is not orange peel, but kinda wavy. Well it's only lots of wetsand and polish ahead which I would do anyway.

This is not a catastrophy yet, I sprayed two bigger areas today and still like the colour. So I think I'll stick with it. My phones camera obviously doesn't tell the exact truth of the colour, it's more green than in the pics

Pics don't tell the difference, but it sounds real good now, the most important thing is that you like it Joe. Keep up the good work sir!

Tim do you have an V8 Tiger?

If they add the black by weight, and you have the original formula then yes. Other option is scanning the already done surface and let the computer do the job. I once spot repaired an '63 Impala metallic red, then they mixed the colour by scanning the gas filler lid since I had no clue of the origin, I was my mouth open how close it came out. You did the right thing Joe starting all over if the tone feels mmmh and maybe

uuh busy day. I painted the car, setup an show and collected the prizes. Here she is:D Naah, some helpful fellow over HAMB photoshopped it for me to ease the decision whether I should paint the roof in different tone or not. I'm keeping it in one colour. I did shoot the doorjambs and under trunk lid and hood, tomorrow it's time for hood and trunk from the showside

Makes me smile that Joe and I chose the same colour at the same time wihout it popping out in discussions earlier. So it has to be great!

Perfecto, thanks guys. All the examples shown make me feel secure with my decision. Especially that '40 Ford by Bob which is so close as it ever gets. Waiting to see Joes pics, now to garage and start spraying.

It only needs a slight wipe of that bondo, not that thick. A painter by profession gave that trick and it worked for me. At first glance i thought it was water, kinda fisheye, but it must have been some stubborn grease or silicone that build itself through the base

I've seen those combos norman, and it really looks awesome. But I'm not sure how it would look over the 3-window top. Maybe it's time for some photoshopping, anyone? Wide whites are there, visor is there, and the tuck'n'roll is coming. All black.

hkestes I liked it too, but since I'm such a continuous change type of guy I wanted something different. I felt it boring to overspray twice with same color. And with all new drivetrain and upholstery, a new color will perhaps make it feel like totally new car. There's nothing left of the old build, byy-hyy. You nailed it with the weather, nights here are already reaching chilly temps, today I had to turn on the heater in garage.

Yeah Ed, if my car was stock in appearance, I would have painted with original color also. But with the customized look an custom colour wouldn't hurt. That (too much for me) widens the applicable stuff... Gloss or satin? Metallic, pearl, candy or pure color? Light or dark? Some pattern of flames, scallops or without? Two tone maybe? And then the bodywork, do it right or paint it white:p I would have loved black also but do not trust my prep skills enough. Doing straight surfaces ain't that bad, but these curvy big a**es on these kinda scare me. Light colours forgive more.

Joe I feel your pain with bubbles, struggled once with same issue. Nothing else eventually helped but to go deep, light bondo and new coat of sealer. Nothing else worked, I still wonder what caused it, but all the way to metal it went and bondo kept it finally. That PPG rule is good to keep in mind, the clear will not melt the base correctly after 24h, that's why the new coat is needed. At least they told me so. I've heard horror stories the clear flaking out when there has been too much time in between the rounds.

You guys who have painted, or are about to, do you find it easy to select the colour? I'm always struggling big time with that, there's just too many options to choose from. Henry had it easier with model T. My bodywork is done or at least I think so. I have painted couple of cars, but this time after so massive sheetmetal job I decided to let a pro shoot my car. He promised to come by my garage tomorrow and give an estimate. That tomorrow took 5 weeks to come, and yesterday he showed up. He said prep is fine, he could do it, but the car doesn't fit into his booth. There I just lost over a month for nothing. That point I had the color chosen, after changing it like five times though. Well, since I'm well aware how much the real painters cost especially when they don't really want the job, I decided to once again to do it myself. Obviously it ment again that the colour needed to be changed once more. I doubt three layer pearl would have succeeded in my garage. I gave myself three hours to decide the new looks. I asked wifes opinion, she wanted mint green. i asked my four year old son and he said green with green flames, ok some kind of green you'll get, but what tone actually. Surfed the net, and then I remembered one build that had a huge influence on my hobby as a kid, Bob Hirohatas Mercury, now that looks good. Zap, it's seafoam green as they call it. This morning I ran into paint supply store before I start doubting my choice, and bought the paint. I will this time shoot it panel by panel, trying to minimize the time I have to spend in fumes, and it also helps with dust and particles problem when I'm not moving around there so long. I bought single stage acrylic enamel. Cheap, easy to spray, good to wetsand and polish for the final touch. Hopefully tomorrow I can start with doorposts and underhood, -lid etc. The best part according to my family is that the remaining money is used to get us all to Disneyworld this winter. Daddy gets to see the NHRA Gatornationals that happen to be at the same time, what a coinsidence:D Does anybody else like the seafoam green, or am I alone with that? I think it'll nicely serve those bubbly lines of my business coupe.

No worries Thomba, California is THE place for any of us carnuts, I'm sure you'll find plenty to do there

I only tried to be funny, no need for put-down or anything. Don't be so vulnerable my intention was not to be rude, if I hurt your feelings then I'm sorry, really sorry. And yes, I'd still love to see pics of that event

What a blast it would be to participate. But. I bet the local police has the Adams family recidence in favourites in their GPS addresses, (that darn Tim again racing his Mopars:p)

No pics???? this thread is worthless

I love that gasser!

Some helpful calendars for you http://www.hotrodhappenings.com/calendar.html http://www.good-guys.com/events/eventsList.aspx?year=2009 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/calendar.php http://www.streetrodding.com/index.cfm?f=events.main And finally the best of 'em all for SoCal happenings http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html