croaker

How common are the body seams showing in the paint? Correcting this is pretty much commonplace in a Corvette standard paint job?

porchdog

not worth the gamble to not redo them .

DUB

YEP...it is common that they can show up in some kind of way. If you strip the paint and DO NOT address the bonding seams correctly....then....do not be surprised that they may show up in time.

If you don't strip the paint and choose to prime the car with a polyester primer...they can still show up in time.

On all of the all-over's I do...the seams are a MUST! Because I RARELY paint a pre-82 Corvette 'all-over' without stripping the paint.

DUB

croaker

Address as in?

DUB

Grinding, filling, shaping, etc.

What year are you asking about???

DUB

croaker

1973

DUB

Not a problem (so-to-speak)....these seams can be ground down...tapered/beveled and filled.

DUB

grumman41

My answer is a little different. I think a lot of the "pros" in my area would only slightly grind the body seams and then fill. I didn't want to take a chance with 45 year old under my new filler. I'm guessing it would add a considerable amount to the paint cost to have all seams completly ground and filled.

I'm probably much slower but It takes me about 8 hours per seam (5 seams plus 2 at rear roof) mutiply 56x $90.00 and you can see why most shops don't do it.

Good luck with your project,
Kevin

croaker

Not my project yet. Considering a car which seams are showing mainly on the fenders front and back. Probably would be 8k for a paint job then. A lot of money for a driver.

porchdog

the cost of a paint job is set by market like everything else. calling a car a driver does not make it any less work. if it is a driver just leave it be and drive it . same goes with year model. just because a car has less value does not make it any less work . i do not consider a cars value or year model , i work by the hour .

chucksingh

Does anyone have pictures of repairing body seams please or an old thread as I cant find one.

zwede

This was the first round of doing the seams. We replaced the rear clip so we glassed the seams before bonding the clip on. There are still some screws at this point. After it was bonded on the screws were removed, the seams partially ground out, and glassed again. The last picture shows the end result, right before primer.

You don't have to use resin & mat. DUB has a filler he's had success with, and will save time.

DUB

The photos above are GREAT. A lot of work went into this process. And no doubt the end result looks very good in the photos of the car when completed.....SO...I am NOT knocking it at all. Just not the way I do it...that's all.

I can write that when I am dong re-working seams....there is no distinctive line of where the edges of the panels come together due to the Vette Panel Adhesive I use is covering them and filling in the dished out seam...and the VPA...is about 4" wide if not more.

I will post a photo of what it will look like when completed...but not the entire process due to those photos are being used in a book I am working on at a 'snails pace'.

DUB

zwede

Thanks, Dub. Yes, doing the seams this way is a lot of work and we went way OCD on it. I have no doubt your method gives equal results and is much faster.

Here's a pic of the final result.

chucksingh

First thank you all, Dub could you do a before during then finished picture please.

chucksingh

Great Job

Dt86

dmaxx3500

now that's a seam

Mr D.

Full body paint is one of those things I haven't done yet and am not afraid to do. I have all the tools and equipment required and maybe someday will jump into that pool, was the plan on the last car but ended up sending it out (never again).

One thing I have experienced in doing frame off restorations is the paint job is a budget killer.