How do you protect new paint during restoration?

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Trevor B

Trevor B

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The 1971 Duster is coming back from body shop with new paint later this week and will need good protection during the (probably very) long rebuild process.

What is the best way to keep it safe in the garage? Towels? Moving blankets? Some kind of plastic wrap?

I have a really good cover but the inside is not really that clean after years of being outdoors, tire rubber on quarters, etc.

Thanks in advance!
 
I would talk to the body shop your picking it up from. Get professional advice not keyboard gossip. I can tell you that if you picked it up from me. I would tell you no cover at all or only very light breathable material. Fresh paint still has solvents that need to escape and depending on the product and the cure cycle can still be soft. Then during assembly of parts and panels. You can use tape to protect edges but it has to be removed. You can't leave it on for long.
 
Blind Squirrel said:
I would talk to the body shop your picking it up from. Get professional advice not keyboard gossip. I can tell you that if you picked it up from me. I would tell you no cover at all or only very light breathable material. Fresh paint still has solvents that need to escape and depending on the product and the cure cycle can still be soft. Then during assembly of parts and panels. You can use tape to protect edges but it has to be removed. You can't leave it on for long.
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Yep paint is soft for some time even tape will distort it
 
Agree with all so far . tape (remove right away), blankets , moving blankets and cotton car covers . If you have pro s work on your car tell them flat out that your car is finished and you won't pay them if they damage it in ANY way . Don't be afraid to tell people to keep their hands OFF . use tape on your tools , too
 
You just need to be careful. I had the same concerns when a really nice GM car I had painted was in need of assembly. It worked out fine and never had a glitch. But I had lots of room to work around it also....

JW
 
...and when the time comes to use tape to protect edges and so forth, get the automotive refinishing tape from an auto body supplier or even a quality blue painters tape for easy removal later. Don't use the common crap found at hardware stores.
 
I let mine get dusty and just blew it off with some air occasionally. Was always worried about putting, or rubbing in scratches. Did not cover for the first 8 months after picking it up. Any tape spent a short time applied and quality stuff. Amazing how dirty they get while re-assembly happens regardless of how well you prepped the parts to be re-installed.
 
I wouldn't put any kind of cover on it for at least a couple months, when I have had to reassemble a car after paint, I prefer to do everything myself, that way if anything does get damaged, I can only blame myself.
 
Mine was cured out. I taped all the edges with bodyshop tape and no one else touched the car but me. After assembly I cut and buffed it.
 
Also if you are putting tape on anything denature it on your clothes before sticking it on. It will pick up your lint and not be so difficult to remove. Fresh paint can bleed solvent for 90 or so afterwards so leaving it out and open is the best idea. No wax either.
 
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