BC/CC Paint

[Mike M.]

I have read with interest many posts from this forum concerning the painting of these older Corvettes (mine is a very original '65 that I just purchased). I do a bit of restoration work on some old cars and do my own painting. This car has most of it's original paint. It has had some sort of slight damage in the driver's door as that color (car is Goldenrod Yellow) is slightly different than the rest of the car. The car also has scratches and small dings from 45 years of use. It has been touched up here and there with a small 'Scratch n Fix' brush. It is nice enough but could stand to be repainted.
Lacqure paint would be the best to paint the car with for originality. Base coat/clear coat would be perhaps more long lived, plus easier for me to get, apply, etc. My question is this: I see that the door jambs and hood surround have a much flatter sheen than the rest of the car, and I guess the NCRS judges want that look for originality. I use a 'flattenner' in the clear coat sometimes (this especailly on dash board and interior items). I suppose this might work to flatten the shine in the jambs on this car? Any one ever done that?
I am going to get the car judged (Nov) before I do anything to it.

[Mike M.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

I have read with interest many posts from this forum concerning the painting of these older Corvettes (mine is a very original '65 that I just purchased). I do a bit of restoration work on some old cars and do my own painting. This car has most of it's original paint. It has had some sort of slight damage in the driver's door as that color (car is Goldenrod Yellow) is slightly different than the rest of the car. The car also has scratches and small dings from 45 years of use. It has been touched up here and there with a small 'Scratch n Fix' brush. It is nice enough but could stand to be repainted.
Lacqure paint would be the best to paint the car with for originality. Base coat/clear coat would be perhaps more long lived, plus easier for me to get, apply, etc. My question is this: I see that the door jambs and hood surround have a much flatter sheen than the rest of the car, and I guess the NCRS judges want that look for originality. I use a 'flattenner' in the clear coat sometimes (this especailly on dash board and interior items). I suppose this might work to flatten the shine in the jambs on this car? Any one ever done that?
I am going to get the car judged (Nov) before I do anything to it.

Here are a few photos showing the car and the jambs hopefully showing the difference in sheen.

[Bill C.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Mike ..

are your intentions to just enjoy and drive the car?
If so - I wouldn't even mess with the paint.
It looks great from the photos!

My 2 cents - drive and enjoy - Me personally, I match the door with PPG lacquer (can buy it from CA) and have fun...

The alternative -- spending a BUNCH of $$$$ to do a full restoration.
It's like a bag of Dorito chips, no way you eat just one and put the bag back away.. LOL

Paint leads to interior, then the engine them the frame.... 40K later...

[Dick W.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Solid colors such as yours is very easy to work with. We used single stage on most cars, flattening the hood ledges, jambs, door frames, etc to eggshell. We used all PPG products for the last few years, and used DX 685 as the flattener

[Mike M.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Mike ..

are your intentions to just enjoy and drive the car?
If so - I wouldn't even mess with the paint.
It looks great from the photos!

My 2 cents - drive and enjoy - Me personally, I match the door with PPG lacquer (can buy it from CA) and have fun...

The alternative -- spending a BUNCH of $$$$ to do a full restoration.
It's like a bag of Dorito chips, no way you eat just one and put the bag back away.. LOL

Paint leads to interior, then the engine them the frame.... 40K later...

Bill: You are very likely correct. Most folks that look at the car say to leave it alone and I may well do that. I do want to pull the engine and trans and detail all of that (the engine is original but was rebuilt back years ago). The interior needs no help but I likely will pull it out and put Dynamat under the carpet, in the doors, etc. I am going to add a/c to this car before next summer also. Thanks for your thoughts.
Mike

[Patrick B.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Bill: Do you have contact info on the supplier in CA of lacquer paint? I haven't been able to find it on the internet.

[Bill C.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

The company is called == AutoColorLibrary

www.autocolorlibrary.com

The website moves really slow - maybe they are having internet issues still.

But at the top of the page is a telephone number. I call them Monday AM.
It still loooks as if you can get PPG acquer from them.

Hope this can help you out..
Bill

[Patrick B.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Thanks Bill

[Rob M.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Here are a few photos showing the car and the jambs hopefully showing the difference in sheen.

Mike,

You said that you are planning on having the car judged in November to see how it does "as is", correct? I think that's a great idea by the way. If so, I would do nothing to it until you get some good opinions from the judges. Who knows, you may have a Bowtie car on your hands

It looks great from the pics that you posted and as many have said before, "it's only original once." With that said, it doesn't mean you can't still drive it and enjoy it.

Congrats on a great purchase

[Mike M.]

Re: BC/CC Paint

Mike,

You said that you are planning on having the car judged in November to see how it does "as is", correct? I think that's a great idea by the way. If so, I would do nothing to it until you get some good opinions from the judges. Who knows, you may have a Bowtie car on your hands

It looks great from the pics that you posted and as many have said before, "it's only original once." With that said, it doesn't mean you can't still drive it and enjoy it.

Congrats on a great purchase

Rob: Thanks for the comments. I do plan to leave it "as is" until at least Nov. I'll clean it up a bit more. The car was bought new out of Lew Williams' Chev in Hollywood Ca back in July 1965. The first owner, a teacher in Burbank owned it up until 1988. Her mechanic Tom Sparks bought the car and owned it up until the time I bought it from a caretaker of the car in 7/11. Tom Sparks was well known in SCal as an early hot-rodder and for providing vehicles to the movie industry. He was featured before his death on a segment of Barry McGuires 'Car Crazy'. This car is very original 81k black tag CA car, down to it's 4 original T3 headlights. It is a 327/300, PG car with p/s, p/w, orig knock-offs, all orig glass, interior and most of it's paint. A great driver, it needs very little except some cleaning up and detailing. It is not perfect and has the wrong water pump and an alternator that looks to be too early (1964) and likely some other things as well. But overall a special car that folks really are attracted to. I feel fortunenate to have been able to purchase it. I think the caretaker let me have it because I promised to keep it original.
Mike