Practically Classics Forum

I'm a few weeks away from painting my first car now, a 67 GT6 mk1, and I'm really looking forward to it. The thing is, I really don't want to end up with a car that looks like its freshly out of the paintshop. Nothing that shouts "look at me, I'm gleaming". I'm not looking for a million dollar paint job, not interested in showing, but I do want the paint to have the "look" of a well maintained forty year old paint job. Is it just down to choosing a more subtle colour perhaps? Wedgewood blue instead of signal red, for example.

Should I use different materials? Maybe the mopping and polishing will achieve what I am looking for, I just don't know. I guess now is the time to decide though... Any advice greatly appreciated.

So far, the car has been blasted and coated in a grey epoxy primer - plus all the new welding done, with red oxide covering the repairs for now.

Is this even possible?

Guy

are you painting it yourself? be aware of isocyanate paint they can be nasty.. pics might help.. my brother had a gt6 in metallic blue it loked rather nice..

2-pack paints can often give that overly shiny "marmalade" look, I think that if you do it in cellulose and then flat and polish by hand it'll look about right - and after a year or so it'll have mellowed in even more.

I don't think the colour will actually make much difference.

isnt getting hold of cellulose is diffcult now?

Most paint suppliers still have it in rattle cans

I'm thinking of having a go at mine with rattle cans one panel at a time. Is this feasable?

Can't afford a pro respray and don't have/can't afford proper spraying kit. and don't have any indoor space to do it in either!! I can do one panel at a time as and when I can afford the paint and when the weather is good enough. It won't be off the road too much either.

I know it won't be purfect, but will keep it looking reasonable until I retire and can do a proper full resto job wont it? (20 years yet! )

I have never sprayed a car before and really have no idea on how to go about it really.

Can anyone recomend a good website that gives a step by step guide?

I've done my rear wings and tailgate with rattle cans. Metalic with lacquer over it. other than a dry patch (it was too hot when I painted) they look OK. much better after going over them with some cutting compound 3 months later.

I've done some panels with rattle cans and they don't look too bad. However, the thought of spraying a car with them does seem to be a bit too much hassle for me - especially as things like roofs, boots and bonnets are awkward to deal with as the cans prefer to be upright when spraying.

I've had little choice with the last two cars - I haven't the facilities needed for 2-pak and celly isn't an option. The first one (silver Golf) must have been good - it fooled the insurance assessor when he looked at after the sump was damaged! The current Golf has had scrapes and rust dealt with and, certainly on the sills, there's no way you could say it was done with aerosol without checking the paint formulation! The worst part is getting the clear on without runs or sags!!

However, I think I'd be saving a fiver a week (or a month!) for a few years and buy a proper sprayer. The "cheap" HVLP ones that appear on shopping channels can give as good a job as a "proper" compressor and airline-spray gun setup. The main advantage of the compressor-airline system is that you can use it for other stuff - if you can put up with the noise!

Having said all that, there's nothing wrong with a good quality synthetic paint and a brush. I fooled some professional bodyshop blokes with the Maxi that I painted with a brush! However, that was from about twenty yards - once they got closer, they could tell the difference!

I fear reading about spraying doesn't help much - trial and error is the best way of learning (unless you go to an evening class or have a friend who will start you off). Try respraying the washing machine or freezer. I would suggest the dishwasher but I suspect Mrs Fatbloke wouldn't like her other half covered in Triumph red paint!

If you buy good quality aerosols then you will be able to achieve a good finish. I ended up with a really nice job in my engine bay and I used aerosols.

If you are doing 1 panel at a time then the most important thing will be to ensure you can get the exact same paint mixed every time, assuming you won't buy enough aerosols for the whole car in one go.

I guess off the shelf colours might be less of a problem but anything bespoke may give troubles - I speak from experience!

Mine come from paints4u.co.uk. I have just ordered another £120 worth of them (I have 4 doors to paint) and the colour has always been a perfect match