http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/PaintTechPaper2.doc

Along with the info you have gotten in this post you may find this very useful

 

That file will come in real handy! Thanks rayluka

 

I think what you were looking for on the front bumper is that YES...paint it on he car, or in the orientation that it will sit on the car. Especially if you are painting any metallics, pearls, or other effects paint, you need to paint all panels in the same orientation as they would sit on the car. i.e. doors should not be removed and painted flat. I think you should definitely go for it, especially if you've got the time...the one thing I can't seem to get enough of.

 

Thanks Wolf. Good to know! I am getting to be pretty sure I mght actually try this. Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I have to wait a month until I get my daughter's first car purchase out of the way. She turns 16 on 7/9, and I'm throwing a bunch of money into my 2000 Cherokee Sport. That will be her primary mode of getting around. Not to shabby. My first was a '66 mustang with no brakes, and wouldn't start. But that's what auto shop was for. After all the Jeep updating is over I will start the Paint project.
I will be sure to post as I go so I can get advise.

 

I have been drooling over this more than once, but I don't think that the problem is keeping out dust and bugs in a makeshift booth. As far as i've been told when spraying there will always be overspray. This will have a chance of drying while in the air and when it drops, it gets on your freshly painted surface and create a dustlike effect. A professional booth blows in air from the top and sucks at the bottom to have the overspray drop into the paint before it is dry.

Maybe a slow hardener will have the same effect. Not sure.

 

Wish I lived near someone that is ready to tackle this as I would like to try it but dont have the ***** to just jump in alone.

 

Ya Ray, it would be nice to have a compadre' in this venture. But all I now is Lawyers and Cops. But two have told me that they would be happy to help drink my beer and supervise .
What is the best paint to use for an excellent driver quality finish. Urethane, or Acrylic? If I use an acrylic paint, can I use a Urethane Clear coat? Does it matter?
If possible, I would like some folks to chime in on their base paint and clear coat selections. I would really like to return it to it's original GM 945 code color, but that is "Blue Green." I think it is actually a Dark....Blue Green, and the only example of Blue Green I have seen so far is just plain Bad! Looks like a light teal !!!! I am debating now on an Elkhart Green, or going way off base and going with Sebring Silver. My fantasy (big time!!!) car is a 63' split in Sebring Silver. Just have always liked that color.
If anyone knows a link where I can see what "Dark Blue Green" looks like, that would help.

 

I have a professional paint booth and dust/contaminates still find its way inside. Its an older one but still pretty decent. The key is in the prep and body work before you paint.

If anyone is near Nashville TN you are more than welcome to come use my booth and guns free of charge if you want to try to tackle your own project.

 

I'm glad I saw this thread tonight.
I was talking to Ron-R a couple of weeks ago about this same subject and was picking his brain about the way he did his car and found out a lot about the DIY paint jobs and determend that it my pay off to DIY instead of going to a shop.
Keep in mind I'm working out in my head how to build a safe and workable paint booth in my garage.
Looking for a explosion proof fan or fans to move the air.
If the paint jobs for a corvette cost from 2000 to 8000 to paint a vette at a shop and these are just prices I've heard people say they paid to get there cars painted, then to me thats a lot of money and for me if it's going to cost me more for paint then the car somethings wrong with this picture.
I'm not sure at this point but I would think a person could get a hell of a painting set up to paint a car and or cars for 1500 to 2500 dollars, maybe more if one spent more money on high dollar paint for there car.
My point is I feel I can get my car painted for under 4000 if I did it myself maybe a lot less, and if I screw up the paint, oh darn looks like I'll have to do it again.
One thing I do know is I cant stand overspray and it will take me forever to prep a car to keep from getting overspray on anything.

 

I am in the same leaky boat you are right now, GPGG70. I have got the clearance form the wife to isolate the west side of the garage for my prep, paint, and pray booth. I share your concerns. Overspray and bugs, dust bunnies, and other creatures is at the top of my list. I am going to visit a few shops in the next few days to get some advice...hopefully. I don't see why they would be negative, but maybe if I'm not giving them business they may not be so inclned to help.
I am under the impression that a fan in front of the work area is as important as the vent fans going out the back, garage door. My thought now is to use the rear entrance door to my garage (standard 36"x72") and screen it off in a temporary fashion with some screen from the hardware store. Should keep out the bugs, and give proper venitlation with a few fans. The rear of the paint shop will be the main garage door up about 24" and again screened and tarped off other than the exit hole for venting. That is as far as I've got right now. After I get done talking to a few paint shops, I'll be back.

 

I was thinking about buying an older paint booth that someone tries to get rid off and install it in my barn. But you know the neighbours, getting permits to make the barn higher so that it will fit etc etc.

 

I did go back into the archives the other day and found some pics on this subject and some good info.
I need to go to the paint and body section and read thru that section for about a week. LOL.
I'll re-read your post again and get back with you on your set up.
I'm installing a new ws/w pump and have the firewall ripped apart.
My back is killing me so I came into check out the forum to get a rest.
Think about this.
What ever you use to vent the room with, door, or open garage door or window think on how to incorporate a set of furnace filters to filter the air, whether suction or discharge air.
I think it is important of course for the incoming air to be filtered for the paint, but also I'm very concerned about the discharge air.
I dont want my neighbors coming over and kicking my *** for over spraying there cars out in there drive way.

 

Michigan Vette Guy,

All good advise above, but look in your area for a place that will rent you a place to spray. Here in Ontario, there are places that can be rented by the hour or day to repair or paint cars, check your phone directory. Good Luck

 

GPGG70....thanks for keeping an interest with this

Glass Act...That is a good idea. The closest guy to me was my best price (4500..not bad.) and I have a feeling he's not going to be happey with me if I refuse his service. Just a feeling I got by the way he was selling me on how much he was taking off on all the prep. Very well may be. And the $4500 is tempting. But it's like I read earlier from GGPG70, when he stated that if you screw up a bit on your first attempt, do it over. Probably still be under the other guys price.
But none-the-less, do ya'll feel $4500 is a good price. ARRGGHHH!!! I hate ths crap. Just when I'm convinced I was all Gung Ho, the guy calls me from the body shop and tells me $4500. Not $7000 like I was expecting. Oh well, I think I'm sticking to my guns. This is my first Vette. And although I don't want to screw it up, I think it would be a prideful thing as well to do it myself. Still.....nah....

 

I never thought about seeing if anyone would rent out a spray booth.
Great idea.
I'm like you michigan vette guy, I would like to have a shop paint my car when it comes time to paint it say a year from now or more, but I'm very hard headed and I dont like the fact that my car Could be at a shop for a long lenght of time and the guys messing with it.
Now about 15 years ago I had this paint shop about 30 miles away paint my old 77 grand prix that I had fixed up for my daughter when she was in high school and the outfit did a very goood BC/CC dark blue and cant remember the cost but thinking around 2200.00 back then but like I said it was a very good paint job.
I'm going to call this guy tomorrow if I can remember to call and see if he would or could give me a estimation on painting my 70 that would be fully striped and no glass work to do other then prep/prime & paint.
I know this guy's work and would trust him to do the car.
The flip side to this is if I get this 70 vert I've been looking at and it needs a paint job as well then this is why I'm leaning towards painting the cars my self. I can justify spending the money on all the equipment to paint two cars but not sure about only one car.
The paint booth rental is a fine idea. Got to find one.

 

First of all, let me say I am not a professional painter but I have painted a few cars and I have a few things that either worked for me or I would do differently next time.

For a spray booth I just used my garage and covered everything with tarps and hosed out the garage to eliminate as much dust as possible. I have two attic fans above the garage to extract hot air. I turned them on and left the trap door to the attic open. I put a screen over the "people door" and it seemed to give good ventilation and keep out the bugs.

Metallic paints are much more difficult to apply the correct amount and get a consistent metallic finish. Non metallic colors are much easier.

I think I prefer a base and clear coat.

I have painted bumpers on and off the car. What I think I would try next time is to have the bumper loosely connected to the car so that the paint would get between the seams. After the paint dried, I would tighten the bumper. This reduces the chance of scratching the new paint job while mounting the bumper. And you don't have the paint filling the gap that should be there.

I would probably try to paint the fenders, bumpers, hood, t-tops and doors separately because it is hard to keep a wet edge on the paint when you try to do the whole car at once.

Lastly, a friend of mine who painted professionally for several years told me to apply just enough paint to make it look wet and not a drop more to avoid runs.

I hope this helps.

 

I have to make up my mind about paint on mine also.



I used to paint cars back when I was in High School, but that was over 20 years ago. I like the idea of doing it all myself, but I have a family member who has been painting cars all of his life and has offered to paint mine.

Only problem is, he is in Texas I am in Florida. 750 miles. I guess I have to ask myself if I want to be able to say I did it all myself, and hope for the best, or take it to someone who really knows what they are doing??????

I smell a trip to Texas in my future.

Grant