63 Paint Job
I have most of the mechanicals out of the way now and will be having some minor fiberglass work done along with a new paint job. Before I contract anyone to paint the car I need to know the correct paint to specify. The color is Fireside Red and car and hardtop will be done. Is there a specific type/brand of paint that should be used to protect the value of the car and where do you get it?
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John,
It really depends on your goals with the car. If you want the paint correct and intend to have it judged, then you will want to consider lacquer paint. Check the trim tag for the correct color. I'm not familiar with fireside red but if the car was originally red, then it would have been Riverside Red.
If you just want nice paint and are not as concerned about originality and judging points, then you may want to consider a modern BC/CC finish which will be much more durable. It all just depends on what you want to achieve with the car.
DonLast edited by Donald T.; July 28, 2009, 07:01 PM. -
Re: 63 Paint Job
I would still go with the BC/CC even if you are going for Top Flight, however ask your local NCRS Chapter who does Flight paint. The new paint judging rules will let a BC/CC get all your credits, but it must be done right! Ask to look at a few which have been done as such, you may not like them and chose to loose some points to obtain a paint job that you like. Perhaps somebody knowledgeable on the paint will chime in (I just don't know enough)Comment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
Thanks for the input, Alan. I will wait to hear from a few other folks before I make any decisions. At least at this time I don't plan on going for awards but, as I said, I do want to protect the value as much as I can and wouldn't mind the extra expense to go that route. Sounds like a lacquer paint job could be expensive.Comment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John
I am just going through this and actually painted the car prior to doing any homework regarding point value and judging (always bask asswards that's my motto). What I think IMHO you really need to decide is how concerned are you with the judging aspect versus making it look as nice (Shinny) as possible. You see it appears that for originality and scoring it needs to be shall we say less perfect with a less than maximum gloss as would be natural for a 40 something year old Lacquer job. The rules have begun to allow use of NON lacquer material However it needs to still be finished in a way that mimics old style lacquer. Now from a strictly performance perspective modern urethane paints are far superior to anything ever produced in the past. The gloss retention is better, the rock chip resistance is much better, the UV protection is better, the crack resistance is better, every aspect is better. Another point that one must consider is that while the NCRS strives to reproduce or maintain these cars in a "Like Delivered" condition for purpose of saving the history of the car, the general public in the street and at typical car shows care more about shinny! As for value that would depend on which type of person you sell it to and whether or not they prefer "correct" or fewer rock chips and fading. Personally being simple minded I have always liked shinny objects. One more point is that depending on where you live you may not find a shop even willing to shoot lacquer. Its being taken out of production due to EPA rules and in California fines for shops even having it on their shelves if caught START at 10K and go up from their.
Best Regards
KennyComment
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Tom Hendricks
Proud Member NCRS #23758
NCM Founding Member # 1143
Corvette Department Manager and
Specialist for 27 years at BUDS Chevrolet.Comment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John:
I'm still many months away from painting my car, but I've decided to go with BC/CC because of the durability and the ease in working with it. There was a thread a couple of weeks ago that finally pushed me off the fence. You should find that thread, I think it was titled "How much does it cost", but don't hold me to that. I still intend to have the car judged, just for the experience if for nothing else. I may do only a limited amount of buffing before it's judged, but I'm still thinking this through.
PaulComment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
Thanks, everyone, for the input. At the moment I think that I will opt for the BC/CC route based on the fact that this car will be a driver(might as well get some use out of it in my last years on this earth, or else my estate will). Even if I do attempt a few shows they would be for the fun of it and I would prefer to have a "shiny" car with good durability for the road. That being said, I now need to know if there is a certain brand of Riverside Red that should be specified for the job. I was quoted a price of around $3500 for the glass work and BC/CC paint(car and hardtop) by local one-man paint shop. This is a pretty rural small town in northern NY. Previous quotes have been in the $6000+ range so $3500 seems low. I also have not seen any of this person's finished work. I need to talk with a few more shops before I decide on one.Comment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John,
I'm not the most experienced guy on this subject, but that price would scare me. How much experience does the painter have with fiberglass bodies. The bulk of the cost of a paint job is in the preparation, and if the surface isn't prepared properly, you could experience problems in the future (which would make the initial price a very expensive 'bargain'). Is the painter planning on stripping the old paint? There can be lots of hidden surprises which will not be apparent unless the body is taken down to bare fiberglass. Also be very clear about the materials that he plans to use to repair any damage. You don't want an outline of the repair to migrate to the surface in the future. By all means, check out some of his other Vette work and if you can, talk with the customers. In the Philadelphia area, a quality BC/CC, with proper stripping and minor glass work would be in the $12K(+) range. And depending on what you find under the old paint, the "+" can become a significant factor.
If you opt for BC/CC and think that you (or a future owner) may ever have the car judged, try to talk the painter into leaving some orange peel in the finish - not an easy argument to present, as most painters take a lot of pride in the quality of their finished work, and orange peel usually doesn't rest well with them. Also see if he'll add a dulling agent when painting the door jambs and sills, as these were unbuffed lacquer from the factory.
Good luck!
JeffComment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John
I have to tell you at the price you were quoted either he is simply not doing a good job and not using quality paint or you must be throwing in a child as partial payment that your not mentioning. I have done some paint work in my past and I can tell you that the car I am finishing now cost 12K to paint and I had already striped it and prepped the body. In fairness I used a 3 stage system but I would be suspect of any price lower than 10K. Do yourself a favor and find someone VERY experienced with corvettes as they really are unique and require a special touch and meticiouse preparation.Comment
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Re: 63 Paint Job
John - PLEASE talk to people in your local NCRS Chapter!
All the comments given here are very valid. You can pay short money and then pay again to get it done right. If a great job is a little more money it becomes less expensive to get it done right the first time (assuming the job results bother you).Comment
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