donnie1956

Getting ready to start stripping mine. Thinking about going with a gray color to complement the red interior. Maybe the new C7 cyber gray.

minitech

Don't forget to paint the four small bumpers black again. Repaints always look best with them black like stock.

Douglas Brown

Thanks, it's been a long road.

Douglas Brown

That I like, I'll be looking for the photos.

20mercury

Looks super and congratulations on a great job!

(I bookmarked your post as I need to do this job one day too)

Douglas Brown

Final sanding before third coat is applied..



Working on rear end

C3 4ME

Ill be looking forward to the final pictures here. Great progress so far!

Douglas Brown

Ok.... After some sanding and more sanding, finally I got it to look about right, it is a little light, but any heaver and it would turn color.




after 2 coats, waiting for third, it looks good......I will be glad to get the plastic sheets down and open up the garage again.

540 vette

How much time did you wait between spraying the clear onto the basecoat. Some basecoats have a 24 hour window before you have to put another coat of color on.

Douglas Brown

I waited 24 hr's before staring clear, it also required 5 min wait between 1st & 2nd...but 24 hr ...light sand w/800 grit.for 3rd.
Products used....Evercoat Feather fill, Medallion NO Sand primer, Wanda Base coat, Medallion European clear coat. I found the instructions simple to follow.
Although It said I did not have to wait between coats & applications, I preferred to wait before moving from one application to another just to be sure it was coming out OK.

Douglas Brown

As you can see in the above photo lot of orange peal. Once I sanded it down for the final third coat,, the temps dropped....We will not have those warm days for awhile we are mid60's to low 70's.....When it was 105 - 120 this summer I had to put the paint I the refrig.
to keep it cool enough to apply.....Now I have to heat up the garage and put the clear coat in the house to warm it up...I did not know this part of it, but I should thought of it...Now that third coat looks worse than my first attempt....Re-sand and start again.

Douglas Brown

During the re-sand I found that the repair on the rear had not covered as well as I wanted, so I re-did it. this the result, now I can prep for the final coat.
I had to put heat lamps on the area and wrap the paint in a heating blanket to get the right temps. I applied two coats of clear.

Douglas Brown

After fighting with the clear coat several times it won, I resorted to getting a painter for help. Big difference in job quality.

Douglas Brown

I am told, I can leave it this way just buff it or use 1500 grit and buff it out for a deeper shine. I will post results as I attach other items.

Douglas Brown

OK..some advice please..when installing a carpet how do you get to lay down?? or will it just fall into place, I thought using some steam would help??? do you glue it down in places

speedreed8

it looks good to me, i just pushed it in at all the corners and edges best i could and then put the car out in the sun, the heat will make it conform to the body, it will eventually lay down and flatten out. i didnt use any glue.... on my 79

Aumie

Beautiful color! I plan on painting mine C7 Atomic Orange. Next time you might try fogging a light coat over the whole car to even the colors out after assembly before clear. For me seems to work very well with the high solids colors. Very nice first paint job tho. Your "paint booth" looks just like mine

Douglas Brown

Thanks for the advice

sweeet76

Not trying to derail your thread but I was beginning to wonder when we would see the finished product. I knew you were having trouble with the heat of the day causing different patterns.
I am now very happy to see a beautiful re painted C3 like no others. I know your'e proud of the final products, as well you should be. Its one of the finest looking C3's I have seen. Keep up the great work and good luck with the finished product and keep us posted.
Bill

High Altitude Vette

Douglas,
What an adventure you have had! As someone who started custom painting 10 years before this car was built..I can honestly say I feel your pain
First time and you picked one of the hardest colors, you did well.
If you are going to resand and buff wait until you have everything else done that you are going to work on.
Gary