How Old Is your Paintjob?

[55 Fargo]

Hey all, I painted my car at home last spring, with acrylic enamel paint, it looks nice and shiny, it is of course stored indoors.

Because most of us do not drive our Old Mopars everyday for 10s of thousands of miles per year, and we generally keep them inside, and looked after, the paintjobs should last a fair while, even if it is only good old enamel paint.

I still have to try and wetsand some runs and such, then maybe polish car with buffer and Mequires, but she is still nice and shiny, albeit the flaws some runs, dirt etc, a little orange peel too.

So just wondering how old some of the members paintjobs are on there rides............Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred my Dads convert got a special award in Oconomowoc WI from the CA region for best paint at the meet. That was in the summer of 2009 and his car was painted in the mid 90s. It was finished and on the road in 96.

[55 Fargo]

Yes a paintjob should and can last a fair bit , if the car is stored out of the elements and is looked after.

I eventually want to re-paint my car, as the home job is not the greatest, but will look after all other items first, as the paint is acceptable for now........Fred

[JIPJOBXX]

Mine is about six years old and I had it painted at Maco! It cost about 600 dollars and I supplied the paint. Lots of prep and I think it looks pretty good for a low end paint shop! I would suggest if your going to have your car painted that you really do a good job of rust preventive work on the lower parts of the doors. I have a problem in this area as it has bubbled up under the door area. In order to fix this problem you haft to remove the interior door panel and really clean up that area. But for now I'm just going to sand down that particular area and repaint it. I really do not want to remove my original panels as I know that can be a pain in the butt and its a whole lot simpler just to clean up the outside and repaint once in awhile.

[55 Fargo]

Not looking to paint my car for a while yet, never had any rust issues on my doors..........Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred your car looks great. Do a little sanding and buffing and you should be good for 10years or more. I'm still hoping to get my car painted before the wedding but it will be tough.

[james curl]

I bought mine in '86 and it had a recent paint job. Mine sits outside and has for the last seven years. When it is polished it is still passable.

[1940plymouth]

My youngest son painted my car ten years ago this coming May with Rustoleum Teal. It was one of his first paint jobs. The paint has held up reasonably well, but the car isn't babied either, as it sits outside most of the summer months, but inside all winter.

[P-12 Tommy]

This yellow paint job was done back in the 70's as I was told. I need to fix a few spots when I get the money. I did wet sand with 1600 grit and buff it a little and it has a better shine. BTW....I don't even know what the original color was.

Tom

[40phil41]

Hi Fred,

My '41 Dodge was painted with acrylic enamel in 1985 and in my opinion still looks very good. Waxing every second year and keeping it clean and indoors has helped. Only now is starting to dull just a bit.

Phil

[P-12 Tommy]

Wow!! It still looks good Phil!!

[Don Coatney]

Paint was on my car when I bought it. I forget how many years ago that was.

[55 Fargo]

Paint was on my car when I bought it. I forget how many years ago that was.

Always liked the color of your car Don, is it still as shiny as in the pic you posted.....Fred

[JIPJOBXX]

I think because my car was a northwest car and probably was outside most of it history and that is why the rust on the bottom of the doors. Also when I first got it all the drain holes on the bottom were either plugged up with sand or rust. Remember my car was a family car and they used it everyday come rain or sun shine. 220,000 miles show up on the OD and so its been well used. Edited January 8, 2010 by JIPJOBXX
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[Don Coatney]

Always liked the color of your car Don, is it still as shiny as in the pic you posted.....Fred

Hard enamel paint. Still very shiney. Problem is with chipping of which I have doctored most of.

[greg g]

well some of mine is 10 years old and the rest is going on 8. I had removed the fenders, hood, trunklid and other shamm sheet metal, and had them done, then the body was done and the rest put back on. Looked pretty good last year after about 300 miles through the rain.

[JerseyHarold]

I had a '52 Cranbrook painted by Maaco in 1986, then sold the car a couple of years later. It showed-up on eBay last year, and the paint still looked very good in the pictures.

[RobertKB]

Original '53 paint on my Plymouth. Sad to say, I had to move it out of the garage to get at a flathead I sold and while putting it back in, it slipped on some snow ruts and I bruised the driver's side tearing off the trim on the front door and scraping the paint in a few places but not down to the primer. I also put one slight crease in the back door just a couple inches back from the front edge. My body man who painted my '38 Chrysler and is doing my '48 Dodge says he can repair the trim and massage the paint keeping most of the original. I have not got pictures of the damage as it bother me too much to look at it. This is my favourite car! Minor problem compared to what can happen in life and I know it will be fixed by spring but annoying all the same.

[1940plymouth]

RobertKB,

That is too bad, the darn snow will do things like that. My Father had a '65 Ford Wagon that he bought new, in the winter of '66 my foot slipped off the clutch and I bent the driver's side front door even with the front fender. Needless to say, my Father wasn't a happy camper.

Bob

[55 Fargo]

Robert, sorry to hear about the mishap with 53, 1953 was a good year BTW, my parents got married that year.

That paint looks incredible for that age, how does it look so good after all of those years.......WOW

[Reg Evans]

I painted Old Yeller about 12 years ago with acrylic enamel. It still looks as good as the day I painted it. It's garaged most of the time though and it's a light color.

I think the coupe was painted clear over base nearly 20 years ago. Still shiny too.

[48P15Annie]

Most of Miss Annie's paint is original. When the sun visor was painted and put on a couple years ago, a few imperfections(stone chips and what not) were repaired at the same time(front left fender and door). And the front valance was repainted. Also, portions of the rear fenders were redone in the 1980's. The original owner had turn signals(from a 1950's Pontiac, I believe, I would have to go through the paperwork) installed underneath the taillights. The owner at the time in the mid 80's, had them removed, the holes patched and painted, and had the turn signals incorporated into the taillights.

So in a nutshell...the car has never been repainted.

[48P15Annie]

Mine is about six years old and I had it painted at Maco! It cost about 600 dollars and I supplied the paint. Lots of prep and I think it looks pretty good for a low end paint shop! I would suggest if your going to have your car painted that you really do a good job of rust preventive work on the lower parts of the doors. I have a problem in this area as it has bubbled up under the door area. In order to fix this problem you haft to remove the interior door panel and really clean up that area. But for now I'm just going to sand down that particular area and repaint it. I really do not want to remove my original panels as I know that can be a pain in the butt and its a whole lot simpler just to clean up the outside and repaint once in awhile.

I have a big picture from a calendar of a 42 Plymouth with all of the chrome painted light gray. My grandpa told me what it was about/for, but sadly, I don't remember. I'll post a picture of it...pretty neat.

[greg g]

chrome was needed for WWII defense production so manufacturers did without. they were know as blackout cars. But production did not last long into 42 so there aren't may around.

[48P15Annie]

Thanks, Calvin!

42 Dodge in the picture, yes?