Painting details...

[ban617]

   Nice work as always... What products are you using for the suede like a factory mix or custom ? Also are you using the 3m Shutz for the undercoating?

Thanks

[firstgenaddict]

The undercoating sound deadener is a custom mix concoction I went MAD SCIENTIST to figure out 10 years ago and it is sprayed out of an old applicator/GUN (which mixes internally) which I found in a storage room at our plant 10 years ago.
I came up with the undercoating mix a number of years ago when needing something which would build like the factory applied stuff  - I was trying to blend together new and old on a survivor in which I sectioned in partial outer wheel houses. 

[BULLITT65]

The time and effort paid off James. You work looks spot on.

[Sauron327]

It's the stupid 2 part beige automix seam sealer...
I was talked into coming into the 2000's and hounded to stop using "old technology". 



PROBLEM is it doesn't look like the original and it doesn't tool ANYWHERE CLOSE to how the original stuff tools.
I only left it there because it is better RE weather sealing, and because it is covered by trim.  everwhere it's visible I removed it and went with 3m fast & firm beige....
-

SEM 1K seam sealer will tool correctly and leave brushstrokes like the original product. It can also be smoothed out with W&G remover. It's better than the outdated 3M Fast & Firm. The problem with some 2K sealers is they lay down smooth like your Automix picture. A higher viscosity 2K sealer will produce a better result. Some like 3M 1K Ultrapro but I've never tried it. 3M also makes a brushable seam sealer which is designed to leave tooling marks to replicate a factory appearance. I've used it. I apply sealer right before paint as most are paintable immediately.  If it is out of the window then it has to be scuffed.

[firstgenaddict]

I keep hearing how fast and firm is outdated...
HOWEVER I cannot stand anything else  I have tried and the 3M F&F actually looks like the stuff I dig out of the seams.  Finding a different product at this point is not worth the time I have wasted in switching products and having to redo it.
I prefer 3M - Evercoat - Chroma products even at double a competitor's price, labor is WAY more than products so saving 50% on a product is not worth it if my labor increases by 15 minutes.   

FWIW
Until 3M stops making Fast & Firm Beige I will not use ANYTHING ELSE -

Maybe If I were turning and burning insurance jobs for throughput or had worked in a shop which did insurance work I would have a different mindset however I have never price shopped paint supplies as the way I see it saving 5% -10% total on a job is not worth the potential headaches caused by ONE MINOR ISSUE, which will not only eat profits on that one job...it will eat the profits of 5 other jobs as well.

[janobyte]

Opinions obviously vary, but you just hit it spot on underneath. Doesn't looked "over worked". Orange is a color that just works under there. Ashgold would have looked like some kind of mess.(mine,lol) I'm one who's tipping my hat to your work.

Had a buddy in the AirForce from your neck of the woods, his dad had a beautiful pearl 55 chevy pu. This was in the mid 80's. Some nice machines were rolling around. Lots of talent down there. Also visited an early Impala grave yard.

[Sauron327]

James, I've been dedicated to classic work for the past 15 years but was in the collision industry also. I'm no longer banging out collision work, nor will i bash it. I've been involved in the business since 1984, bought my first '68 in 1982 and rebuilt it on a dirt driveway. I acquire knowledge from many, including those in collision and classic car restoration. I call my reps to try new products and sprayguns, which they will do on the house.  Also ask other pros for updates, and speak to numerous people in the business for product info and performance; which opens entirely new business opportunities.

Collision industry has changed dramatically. High strength steels have come into play. Welding and panel adhesive applications must be correct. I-CAR standards must be met. This is not like the 70's and 80's. 

[firstgenaddict]

Some shots of the body, in the booth and then some after the first pass with the polisher on the door and quarter...

[firstgenaddict]

Polishing out the paint... I love flat paint and reflections.

[chevyzl1]

waooooh 
wonderful works. 

[x77-69z28]

Keep up the great work James!

Buddy

[BULLITT65]

Sorry for the dumb question, but does anyone shoot lacquer now a days or is everything with current urethane enamel, or waterborne?
I ask because if a guy has a lacquer original paint car, are there guys that shoot lacquer and are able to blend it in, or is that a huge can of worms?

[bcmiller]

It's the stupid 2 part beige automix seam sealer...
I was talked into coming into the 2000's and hounded to stop using "old technology". 



PROBLEM is it doesn't look like the original and it doesn't tool ANYWHERE CLOSE to how the original stuff tools.
I only left it there because it is better RE weather sealing, and because it is covered by trim.  everwhere it's visible I removed it and went with 3m fast & firm beige....
-

SEM 1K seam sealer will tool correctly and leave brushstrokes like the original product. It can also be smoothed out with W&G remover. It's better than the outdated 3M Fast & Firm. The problem with some 2K sealers is they lay down smooth like your Automix picture. A higher viscosity 2K sealer will produce a better result. Some like 3M 1K Ultrapro but I've never tried it. 3M also makes a brushable seam sealer which is designed to leave tooling marks to replicate a factory appearance. I've used it. I apply sealer right before paint as most are paintable immediately.  If it is out of the window then it has to be scuffed.

I used the brushable 3M seamsealer on my Chevelle and it looked great.

[firstgenaddict]

Sorry for the dumb question, but does anyone shoot lacquer now a days or is everything with current urethane enamel, or waterborne?
I ask because if a guy has a lacquer original paint car, are there guys that shoot lacquer and are able to blend it in, or is that a huge can of worms?

I still shoot an entire car in lacquer if someone wants it and will touch and blend lacquer all day long...

HOWEVER...
For NCRS judged cars I and many others replicate the look of lacquer with BC CC.
To replicate lacquer there are a number of things which must be done including adding 15-20% flattener to the clear coat  -  I
I send off samples to the national NCRS paint judges and have the sprayouts approved for color, metallic content, as well as application and surface texture. Typically there are at least 2 sets of samples sent off... in order to minimize the number of fedex's I usually scan an original sample or use the corresponding year's dealer album and scan the large sample... if it is metallic - reduce the metallic content by 20-30% and spray out samples.

[BULLITT65]

Good info. I wasn't sure on availability of materials for lacquer, or how often it was still used. Are cars judged the same by NCRS regardless of material, just how they present?