rookie paint job

-
1967cuda

1967cuda

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
Hi all,

The biggest concern about my '67 Barracuda right now is stopping the rust = new paint job. I have yet to take it to a body shop for an estimate; I'm afraid to, but may resort to that.

There is rust mostly under my vinyl top, especially near the windshield. I will definitely need help with that, as I'm predicting some sheet metal welding.

The car has been re-painted, (though to the original color). I can tell because there are some dings and scratches where the re-paint has chipped off, and the original paint underneath is exposed, (I can also tell because the driver-front fender has been replaced, and is a different color under the top coat).

If I were to tackle this job myself, would I want to sand off as much of the top coat as I could? How many layers of paint is too many?

Thanks!

Thomas:read2:
 
I would want to take it down to bare metal. Without doing that, how will you know what's there? You wouldn't want to put the expense of a paint job on it only to have it start bubbling up in a year or two. Also, your new paint may not be compatable with what's under it. Last, I think three paint jobs would have it too thick.
Got a trade or technical school near you? You might check them out to see if they have an auto collision repair course. You might could take a few classes and do the work yourself.
C
 
clhyer said:
I would want to take it down to bare metal. Without doing that, how will you know what's there? You wouldn't want to put the expense of a paint job on it only to have it start bubbling up in a year or two. Also, your new paint may not be compatable with what's under it. Last, I think three paint jobs would have it too thick.
Got a trade or technical school near you? You might check them out to see if they have an auto collision repair course. You might could take a few classes and do the work yourself.
C
Click to expand...
Great advice; there is a community college nearby, and I know they have auto body courses. And I hadn't thought of what may be lurking unseen under all that paint. Thanks!

What about replacing the vinyl? What kind of a mess would that be?

I'm still not sure about keeping the color/vinyl original, or......?
 
Great advice; there is a community college nearby, and I know they have auto body courses. And I hadn't thought of what may be lurking unseen under all that paint. Thanks!

What about replacing the vinyl? What kind of a mess would that be?

I'm still not sure about keeping the color/vinyl original, or......?

What about replacing the vinyl? The mess is in getting it off and cleaning up where it was, and you've got to do that to stop the cancer under it. As for keeping it's originality, that's a personal choice. What are your plans for the car, is it a "rare" original or 1 of a million brown "gold dusters"? If it is something "in between", a lot of people keep all of the original parts in the event that down the road they or someone wants it original.

I would like to see a pic of your '67 Cuda. My son & I restored a '67 Firebird, one that I had owned since I was a kid. I took auto body classes at a local tech school and did the body work there. To make it even better, the state paid all my tuition and books through Hope grants, even though I am & was working full time. I went to night classes four nights a week for four years! Yes, I could have done it a lot quicker, but I enjoyed the schooling and learned something every night.
C
 
clhyer said:
Great advice; there is a community college nearby, and I know they have auto body courses. And I hadn't thought of what may be lurking unseen under all that paint. Thanks!

What about replacing the vinyl? What kind of a mess would that be?

I'm still not sure about keeping the color/vinyl original, or......?

What about replacing the vinyl? The mess is in getting it off and cleaning up where it was, and you've got to do that to stop the cancer under it. As for keeping it's originality, that's a personal choice. What are your plans for the car, is it a "rare" original or 1 of a million brown "gold dusters"? If it is something "in between", a lot of people keep all of the original parts in the event that down the road they or someone wants it original.

I would like to see a pic of your '67 Cuda. My son & I restored a '67 Firebird, one that I had owned since I was a kid. I took auto body classes at a local tech school and did the body work there. To make it even better, the state paid all my tuition and books through Hope grants, even though I am & was working full time. I went to night classes four nights a week for four years! Yes, I could have done it a lot quicker, but I enjoyed the schooling and learned something every night.
C
Click to expand...
I hope I never get rid of her. I had a '66 Barracuda about 16 years ago, (I was 19), and I didn't treat her right. I cringe to think that I might still have it, had I tried harder. I got frustrated and deshoveled when I ruined the body by trying to bondo the dings and dents myself, having never done it, and with no help but for some scattered advice: within a couple weeks, rust started growing from under the dozens of bondo/primer spots. I gave up, and got rid of it. So now I've got my second chance! I like the '67 better, anyways. I have some pictures on my gallery:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/vbpicgallery.php?do=hall&u=9679
Thomas
 
As for the vinly top, I have one on mine too and will base my decsion on replacing it largely on how bad the roof is. If it doesn't need much work I won't put a new one on, if it's an unholy mess under there I may replace it after getting it as good as reasonably possible.
 
Thanks for the link. That is a beauty. Were it me, I would want to keep it stock, or at least keep it so that it could be put back into stock form if wanted.
As for the body work, check out the community college. See if they allow you to work on your car, if they have a complete shop and paint booth, what other type classes you might have to take - or might want to take, what they might be working on now, if they discourage hobbists or actually like to have a hobbist who is actually interested in the subject, etc. Do they have day classes only, or do they offer evening classes, how many days/nights a week is required, cost, etc.
C
 
WOW great link thanks for that I have been doin body work for a few years myself and I still learned stuff from them. Once again thanks
 
Everyone has or knows someone who has a horror story dealing with body work. If you haven't followed this thread it is worth looking at: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=60748

To me, that is another reason to take body classes if they are available. Actually doing the work under the eyes of a professional. I spent a full quarter working on a rear quarterpanel. It was frustrating as hell, but I was sure happy with the end result. I am sure that I would not have been able to do that if I were working alone in my shop. Also, the school had state of the art tools and equip. to work with.

I am doing the Duster at home in my shop. I don't think I would have had the confidence or skills to replace the tailpanel without having taken those classes. Take advantage of the opportunity!
C
 
Both the Demon and the 73 4-door had vinyl tops with rust under them. Both turned out to have much more substantial damage than originally suspected. This is going to hurt, but IMO to know where to start, the vinyl has to come off. In the case of the Demon the windshield header was rusted, so the entire roof got replaced. Not a job for a rookie. The 73, I re-skinned the roof as a rookie. In both cases, the windshield and backlight had to come out (2-3 man job).

I have painted engine compartments and trunks. From that experience, I know that I don't have any business painting an entire car. The Demon is currently in a buddy's shop for paint.

I needed to turn the 73 quick, so I sprung for MAACO's Supreme service. I paid $499 plus tax for primer and a single stage clearcoat in the original color. There was a problem with runs at the back of the driver's door and some fisheye at top of the fender on the driver's side near the C-pilar. I did the body work (missed a few in the process).

The car went back to MAACO where the paint problems were fixed properly. For what I wanted the speed of the turn-around, it was a fair deal. Before I selected the shop, I looked at some of their other jobs to make sure their painter was better than I am.

IMG_5606s.JPG


IMG_5607s.JPG
 
clhyer said:
Thanks for the link. That is a beauty. Were it me, I would want to keep it stock, or at least keep it so that it could be put back into stock form if wanted.
As for the body work, check out the community college. See if they allow you to work on your car, if they have a complete shop and paint booth, what other type classes you might have to take - or might want to take, what they might be working on now, if they discourage hobbists or actually like to have a hobbist who is actually interested in the subject, etc. Do they have day classes only, or do they offer evening classes, how many days/nights a week is required, cost, etc.
C
Click to expand...
There are three community colleges in the Portland area, and one of them (Clackamas CC) is amicable to hobbists, I've been told. The one closest to my house is more profession-oriented, but has evening classes. I figure I'd rather pay a few hundred dollars to educate myself and do the work myself than pay several thousand to have it done.
 
1967 Cuda..........
As you stated.."I got frustrated and deshoveled when I ruined the body by trying to bondo the dings and dents myself, having never done it, and with no help but for some scattered advice: within a couple weeks, rust started growing from under the dozens of bondo/primer spots."

Don't beat yourself up!!! Primer is not a top coat and will absorb water.

My son has painted 2 of his girlfriend's cars in the driveway and they came out great. He was somewhat self-taught and really studied and read a lot of books on the subject.
One body shop owner took him under his wings when he realized that he could paint better with a spray can than some guys could with a gun.
The only problem now is that he works only on stuff that he wants to do.
No production style scuff it, shoot it and hurry on the the next one and see how many shortcuts you can get by with deals.
 
yellowdartdave said:
1967 Cuda..........
As you stated.."I got frustrated and deshoveled when I ruined the body by trying to bondo the dings and dents myself, having never done it, and with no help but for some scattered advice: within a couple weeks, rust started growing from under the dozens of bondo/primer spots."

Don't beat yourself up!!! Primer is not a top coat and will absorb water.

My son has painted 2 of his girlfriend's cars in the driveway and they came out great. He was somewhat self-taught and really studied and read a lot of books on the subject.
One body shop owner took him under his wings when he realized that he could paint better with a spray can than some guys could with a gun.
The only problem now is that he works only on stuff that he wants to do.
No production style scuff it, shoot it and hurry on the the next one and see how many shortcuts you can get by with deals.
Click to expand...
I don't beat myself up for it now, but I did back then! I have since learned what you said, that primer will absorb water. Also, I've been told that you should apply mineral spirits or alcohol to the bare metal before applying bondo to eliminate any water residue, which I failed to do as well.
 
I'm going through the same thing right now. 70 Duster, that I bought new, got divorced, gave to wife, she had a cheap paint job done, just because of 1 fender dented. Re-married her, got the car back; so I know the history of it.
I'm using a palm sander with 100 grit, to cut off the 2nd coat and the primer; leaving the factory coat(it stuck, didn't it)
As far as bare metal, go to local auto paint store and get material, or go to local hardware and buy ospho (phosphoric acid) and treat bare metal. before any bondo.
Then prime/seal with Dupont. From the local store. Those people sell to pro's, they know what you need.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top