Need some advice
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 549
Likes: 25
From: Charleston SC
Need some advice
I know this a vette forum, yadda yadda. But I am wanting to paint my 72 Firebird Formula my self to cut down on costs and also to say that I did it. I have a neighbor that is willing to help out with body work, prep work, guns, garage space (he has an actual shop built). This will cost me a lot of beers to "pay" him, but he loves old cars and working on old cars so its fun for him. I am going to paint it the same color as my Vette, Daytona Sunset Orange Metallic. Now to the advice I need.
After getting the car panels straight after block sanding. Should I paint the panels off the car or on the car? I have heard both ways. I am looking at PPG products. What additives/sealers do I need to get as well? The 72 Firebird has the rubberized endura nose. How many coats of primer do you normally apply and how many coats of color before the clear? How many coats of clear? I am not afraid to 2000 grit wet sand clear. I have done it on my vette to remove orange peel. Now that was scary since it was the first time I did it and I was doing it to my new baby.
Or should I just give up and send it to a painter after getting the body straight?
After getting the car panels straight after block sanding. Should I paint the panels off the car or on the car? I have heard both ways. I am looking at PPG products. What additives/sealers do I need to get as well? The 72 Firebird has the rubberized endura nose. How many coats of primer do you normally apply and how many coats of color before the clear? How many coats of clear? I am not afraid to 2000 grit wet sand clear. I have done it on my vette to remove orange peel. Now that was scary since it was the first time I did it and I was doing it to my new baby.
Or should I just give up and send it to a painter after getting the body straight?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
If it's your first paint job I'd think twice about metallic. They are much harder to get right. Is there any way you would be happy with a non-metallic?
If you insist on metallic, try to practice first on a junk panel. And I would probably do the entire car assembled. The results are not quite as good as doing it disassembled, but you have a better chance of having the panels match.
If you insist on metallic, try to practice first on a junk panel. And I would probably do the entire car assembled. The results are not quite as good as doing it disassembled, but you have a better chance of having the panels match.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
I worked at a Pontiac dealer back then and the Formula hood was always my favorite.
Your planning will begin once the car is disassembled and the body is stripped. Don't give up, have fun with it. I would rather weld steel than glue plastic. I've built 3 early second gen Camaro's as well as first gens, so I am very familiar with these cars from the floor pan up. I don't know how deep you plan to get into the car or what condition it is in, so hopefully you won't find much rust.
Everyone is afraid of spraying metallics, but don't let it bother you. as long as you have a good quality color gun and you follow the basic rules of spraying you'll be fine.
As far as how much of the car is assembled when you paint color, depends on the level of detail and quality you want to achieve. If you want all the jams to be detailed and clean, I would paint it with the doors, deck, hood, front bumper and front valance off the car.
You will prep the car with the front fenders and doors on so that you can get everything aligned after you change the subframe mounts. Then you can remove the doors for color. If you need to replace sheetmetal, raise the car by the axles and don't disturb it until you are done welding. A lot of prep will go into your hood and front bumper. Is the hood warped on the sides?
Your planning will begin once the car is disassembled and the body is stripped. Don't give up, have fun with it. I would rather weld steel than glue plastic. I've built 3 early second gen Camaro's as well as first gens, so I am very familiar with these cars from the floor pan up. I don't know how deep you plan to get into the car or what condition it is in, so hopefully you won't find much rust.
Everyone is afraid of spraying metallics, but don't let it bother you. as long as you have a good quality color gun and you follow the basic rules of spraying you'll be fine.
As far as how much of the car is assembled when you paint color, depends on the level of detail and quality you want to achieve. If you want all the jams to be detailed and clean, I would paint it with the doors, deck, hood, front bumper and front valance off the car.
You will prep the car with the front fenders and doors on so that you can get everything aligned after you change the subframe mounts. Then you can remove the doors for color. If you need to replace sheetmetal, raise the car by the axles and don't disturb it until you are done welding. A lot of prep will go into your hood and front bumper. Is the hood warped on the sides?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 549
Likes: 25
From: Charleston SC
I worked at a Pontiac dealer back then and the Formula hood was always my favorite.
Your planning will begin once the car is disassembled and the body is stripped. Don't give up, have fun with it. I would rather weld steel than glue plastic. I've built 3 early second gen Camaro's as well as first gens, so I am very familiar with these cars from the floor pan up. I don't know how deep you plan to get into the car or what condition it is in, so hopefully you won't find much rust.
Everyone is afraid of spraying metallics, but don't let it bother you. as long as you have a good quality color gun and you follow the basic rules of spraying you'll be fine.
As far as how much of the car is assembled when you paint color, depends on the level of detail and quality you want to achieve. If you want all the jams to be detailed and clean, I would paint it with the doors, deck, hood, front bumper and front valance off the car.
You will prep the car with the front fenders and doors on so that you can get everything aligned after you change the subframe mounts. Then you can remove the doors for color. If you need to replace sheetmetal, raise the car by the axles and don't disturb it until you are done welding. A lot of prep will go into your hood and front bumper. Is the hood warped on the sides?
Your planning will begin once the car is disassembled and the body is stripped. Don't give up, have fun with it. I would rather weld steel than glue plastic. I've built 3 early second gen Camaro's as well as first gens, so I am very familiar with these cars from the floor pan up. I don't know how deep you plan to get into the car or what condition it is in, so hopefully you won't find much rust.
Everyone is afraid of spraying metallics, but don't let it bother you. as long as you have a good quality color gun and you follow the basic rules of spraying you'll be fine.
As far as how much of the car is assembled when you paint color, depends on the level of detail and quality you want to achieve. If you want all the jams to be detailed and clean, I would paint it with the doors, deck, hood, front bumper and front valance off the car.
You will prep the car with the front fenders and doors on so that you can get everything aligned after you change the subframe mounts. Then you can remove the doors for color. If you need to replace sheetmetal, raise the car by the axles and don't disturb it until you are done welding. A lot of prep will go into your hood and front bumper. Is the hood warped on the sides?
It also has the 4x4 mod since the old iron 400/400 setup was about 1500 lbs and the LS1/4l60e is about 750 lbs. Need to get some lowering springs. The hood I honestly do not know if it is warped or just not aligned properly. It sticks up higher at both top points of the wheels. But both fenders do not line up with the doors and the doors do not line up with the 1/4's. The hood is not original to the car. I will probably disassemble the car. I want the door jambs, floor pans, etc to match and I have already had the interior out about 8 times in 6 months, so stripping the interior out is not a big deal. I am not looking for a show winning paint job or I would just take it to a painter. I am looking to make this a about an 7-8 out of 10 and be able to say that I sprayed the car. I am kind of tired of having other people spray my cars.
