Finally decided i may try to paint my 72 myself. But, i have some questions. What is a good paint to use? Primer? Air settings? What is the order to do things. Like after i shoot the color, do i have to sand, or what? Any helps in getting the best finish would be great. Just not sure of buffing and sanding and stuff. I have used paiunt guns before, but only for touch up. thanks all.

terry

Terry,

If you haven't already done so, read the late Skip Cain's Restoration Series on bodywork and paint.
http://www.chevelles.com/shop/index.shtml

Also, check out this BBS, lots of good info and people.
http://www.autobodystore.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?index


I used all PPG products (BC/CC) on my El Camino and really liked them. A little expensive, but worth it in the end.

Remember to always follow the spec sheet for the paint you decide to use. It should give you all the info you need.

Good Luck,
Jim Endrud http://members.home.net/jimmy4/afteraccident.jpg

That's alot of info to cover in one post, but here's the BASIC steps.
Bodywork
Prime all bare metal with a self etching primer or use an etching solution and prime. Either method for bare metal is OK.
Apply primer/filler - Urethane 2 part primer
Block sand smooth
repeat primer and block sand again until perfect.
At this point , you may want to use a sealer coat before applying the paint. Depends on color/paint/manufacturer.
If you are painting a base coat/ clear coat system, you apply the color first, then the clear. No Sanding, no nothing in between hte color and the clear.
If you are painting a straight color, such as white, black, red, orange without mettalic or pearls, go with a single stage paint. That means no clear coat, just a two-part urethane paint.
The best thing for you to do is find a local body shop supply/paint store. Ask the salesman about the products they offer. It's best to stick with one manufacturer such as PPG, Dupont, Martin Senour. They all have tech sheets for thier products. Read them thouroghly and ask questions. It may be confusing at times. Get as much study-type material as you can and read read read.

I know it is alot to cover, but i thought i'd give it a try. Your advice really helped alot. At least now i have a good order of tings to do. Wil be painting Hugger Orange, so i hope it will be fairly straightforward.

thanks

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That's a great color for a first -time paint job. I happen to like it too! Use a single stage urethane. Put three good coats on and you'll be able to sand & buff that orange to a slick mirror finish! Just take your time and have patience. And, remember that a good paint job is 90% preparation. The more time and effort you spend on getting the body smooooottttthhhhh, the better it will look in the end.

Terry:
Len Stuart's site: www.autobodystore.com (http://www.autobodystore.com) has already been mentioned as an excellent info source for DIYer's, but I'd also like to recommend you take a look at Kevin Tetz' site at www.paintucation.com (http://www.paintucation.com) primarily because Kev has a series of VCR tapes that are killer info for both the novice & pro. Both guys are professionals and their respective forums are great!
We've shown Kevin's tapes at swapmeets and they always draw a crowd because they are so informative and instructive as well. They are well worth the price of admission!
HTH
WK Irish

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See ya' on the net at www.zerorust.com (http://www.zerorust.com)

Hey Irish.
The videos were impressive...how does one get the prices?

When I restore the old stuff single stage urathane is a great start.After stipping and repairing and sealing the car,3 coats of that stuff(use good paint and sealers)will work miracles. If your bodywork has small waves or is questionable you can block sand out the imperfections and then use bc/cc to put a KILLER finish on it.
Best thing to do is go to the library........yes the library and check out some books on body and paintwork(and who knows some of those bookworm babes I have found at the library are alot of fun sometimes)and go after it.If youre a first timer be patient it most likely wont be perfect the first time.But practice makes perfect.