[1966_L78]

Looking for suggestions, advice, and pitfalls of doing a frame off...

Not sure of the proper order:
do rough body work (thankfully, no full panel replacement needed, but maybe a trunk pan side).

Should I;

A)
1)Media blast the car,
2)pull the body off the frame,
3)restore the chassis
4) reinstall the fresh chassis, wrapped in plastic.
5)do the body work, and paint
6) reassemble

OR

B)
1) Media Blast the car,
2) do the body work
3) paint
4) remove the chassis, restore and reinstall
5) reassemble

OR

C) something other?

 

[don lemek]

If you are not doing any panel replacement I would remove the body and then blast it so you can get to all the hard to get places above the frame and rocker area that the frame covers, and blast the frame by itself, if it is a convertible I would finish everything on the underside and wrap it in plastic and put it on the frame, do body work and paint the car all apart doors, fenders, ect, off. A cp you can do it all off the frame, just make a dolly.

 

[BlueSS454]

If you are not doing any panel replacement I would remove the body and then blast it so you can get to all the hard to get places above the frame and rocker area that the frame covers, and blast the frame by itself, if it is a convertible I would finish everything on the underside and wrap it in plastic and put it on the frame, do body work and paint the car all apart doors, fenders, ect, off. A cp you can do it all off the frame, just make a dolly.

The doors and deck lid should be painted on the car as it was from the factory. This will ensure the bolts for the door hinges and deck lid are painted as they should be. It will also keep the paint free from getting damaged while adjusting the doors. The whole car should be assembled prior to any bodywork so you can have the shims marked and ready to go for reassembly. It's much less stressful bolting on the painted fenders and hood as opposed to screwing around with lining up painted parts.

I did the metal work first then pulled the body off the frame and had everything media blasted. I did the chassis and wrapped it in plastic. I did most of the bodywork while the cab section was on the rotisserie as well as finished the bottom. Once I had the bodywork roughed in and 3 coats of high build primer on, I dropped it back on the frame and started blocking. I've had to reprime it a few times after putting the body back on the frame but everything was covered up as to not get primer overspray on the frame or bottom of the car. The car will be getting painted on the frame with the doors and deck lid installed. The fenders, hood and small parts will be painted separately then reassembled.

 

[don lemek]

Back when the cars were lacquer you can get away with painting it with the doors on and the trunk in place, but with basecoat clearcoat you will end up with a paint line or overspray line because you will need to have the doors closed and the trunk closed and you can't just open it up and spray the jambs and inside the trunk with out masking it all off, then the tape line. I would paint it apart, paint your bolts and after if you chip any bolts air brush any small chips. If you are just building a nice driver, keep the doors and trunk on it will be fine.

 

[BlueSS454]

Back when the cars were lacquer you can get away with painting it with the doors on and the trunk in place, but with basecoat clearcoat you will end up with a paint line or overspray line because you will need to have the doors closed and the trunk closed and you can't just open it up and spray the jambs and inside the trunk with out masking it all off, then the tape line. I would paint it apart, paint your bolts and after if you chip any bolts air brush any small chips. If you are just building a nice driver, keep the doors and trunk on it will be fine.

I beg to differ. Why can't you open the doors and deck lid? (that is a rhetorical question). I've done it, it's really not that difficult, especially when the car is a bare rolling shell. No over spray, no tape lines. You open the doors and deck lid, shoot the jambs, close them, paint the rest of the car, repeat. The base will blend on to itself as will the clear.

 

[cgocifer]

My doors and removable panels (hood, trunk, etc.), were worked off the car, primered, reassembled, sanded, removed, painted, reassembled, wet sanded, and buffed. Body removed from frame, undercoated, the frame worked and finished, then the body went back on the frame for final assembly.

 

[kblock108]

I removed the body from the frame and had each blasted by itself. The frame was powdercoated. I had the doors and fenders painted, then installed...which could have been installed, with far less stress. I would pull the body before blasting, so you can at least get the under carriage and under coat it...

 

[don lemek]

So tell me what you do, you paint the whole car (cowl back) with the trunk and doors open or closed? Then, with the paint still wet you open or close the doors and trunk and paint the jams and inside the trunk and hinges? No matter how you do that you will over spray the finish on the body? You can't do that with todays paint and still get a good job. With every thing off but the hinges, you back tape the door and trunk openings and paint and clear everything, doors and fenders must be hung on stands and the hood and trunk flat like on the car, the only way to get a good job.

 

[BlueSS454]

So tell me what you do, you paint the whole car (cowl back) with the trunk and doors open or closed? Then, with the paint still wet you open or close the doors and trunk and paint the jams and inside the trunk and hinges? No matter how you do that you will over spray the finish on the body? You can't do that with todays paint and still get a good job. With every thing off but the hinges, you back tape the door and trunk openings and paint and clear everything, doors and fenders must be hung on stands and the hood and trunk flat like on the car, the only way to get a good job.

Yes, open the doors and deck lid while it's wet. What's so hard about that? There is plenty of time to do it this way, the flash time is 15 minutes and it will blend right into itself, it takes 5 minutes to go around the car. Shoot the jambs with the doors and deck lid open, then close them, then do the rest of the car. Repeat for the clear coat. No tape lines, no other worries. My convertible is getting shot with the doors and deck lid on, front clip off.

 

[Bill Rose]

There's obviously several different ways to paint a car.. Doors off/on, deck lid on/off, fenders and hood on/off. It really depends on how much room you have in the booth how the car is masked off, if it's on a rotisserie or the frame.....etc...

My latest is and El Camino, so it's a little different than a coupe. As far as the doors being on the car, I had the doors on but they couldn't be opened. I painted the black roof, jambs and the bed, a few days earlier, then masked them off completely, and painted the shell with the doors closed. But I used round door jamb tape. This system does't leave a heavy tape line. The tape looks like rope. You stick it on and close the door. There is a slight line, but it's easily sanded/buffed off during the color sanding process.

I had the nose off, but sitting in front of the car, so the whole outside of the car was painted at the same time.

I did my Chevelle like Tom described. Both ways work, but I prefer the way I did the El Camino, just because it's a little less to do on paint day. I'm not a pro painter, so whatever I can do to make it easier, is an advantage.

Here's a couple shots from "paint day"

Sealer

Me, in my paint suit!!

Doors taped closed

 

[71malibu400]

There's obviously several different ways to paint a car.. Doors off/on, deck lid on/off, fenders and hood on/off. It really depends on how much room you have in the booth how the car is masked off, if it's on a rotisserie or the frame.....etc...

My latest is and El Camino, so it's a little different than a coupe. As far as the doors being on the car, I had the doors on but they couldn't be opened. I painted the black roof, jambs and the bed, a few days earlier, then masked them off completely, and painted the shell with the doors closed. But I used round door jamb tape. This system does't leave a heavy tape line. The tape looks like rope. You stick it on and close the door. There is a slight line, but it's easily sanded/buffed off during the color sanding process.

Looks great Bill...my Malibu 400 was done the opposite way and other then some socket marks needing touch up on the deck lid came out just as good so yes both ways work. A few pix of mine the day it arrived back home.
IMAG0818.jpg
IMAG0821.jpg
IMAG0820.jpg

 

[Dave Birdwell]

So tell me what you do, you paint the whole car (cowl back) with the trunk and doors open or closed? Then, with the paint still wet you open or close the doors and trunk and paint the jams and inside the trunk and hinges? No matter how you do that you will over spray the finish on the body? You can't do that with todays paint and still get a good job. With every thing off but the hinges, you back tape the door and trunk openings and paint and clear everything, doors and fenders must be hung on stands and the hood and trunk flat like on the car, the only way to get a good job.

You're wrong. TOm is right, we're gonna hose it with the doors and trunk on just like factory, and the jambs will be as nice as the rest of the car. You just gotta know how to paint... :yes: I just did one this way a few months ago, and will have another ready to shoot in a few weeks.

 

[Cameano]

I'm going to have to try the Tom 'n Dave method with the El Camino, seems like it should work just fine. I jambed and taped the Firebird, and didn't like dealing with the tape lines afterwards. I might jamb the door bottoms and fronts first before assembling them, though, as it'll be more complete, and easier to get at them while they're off. Then just scuff and go over them one more time while they're installed. Soon.

 

[71malibu400]

I'm going to have to try the Tom 'n Dave method with the El Camino, seems like it should work just fine. I jambed and taped the Firebird, and didn't like dealing with the tape lines afterwards. I might jamb the door bottoms and fronts first before assembling them, though, as it'll be more complete, and easier to get at them while they're off. Then just scuff and go over them one more time while they're installed. Soon.

Your're still building that Elky Darren? :thumbsup:

 

[Alan F]

I...will have another ready to shoot in a few weeks.

Can you share who the lucky party is?

 

[Dave Birdwell]

Can you share who the lucky party is?

Yours is in the queue, Alan.... I just put up some pics, I have about all the body lines worked out. Except the trunk, still some work to do there. Plus, I believe we discussed painting yours completely disassembled.:thumbsup: Solid colors are just as easy to paint in several pieces than with the doors and trunk on. The main reason I've went to doing them with the doors and trunk on, other than thats the way they were done at the factory, is to make it easy to get the metallics to lay the same way and not have to be concerned with a color match problem. :yes:

 

[chevelle hunter]

There's obviously several different ways to paint a car.. Doors off/on, deck lid on/off, fenders and hood on/off. It really depends on how much room you have in the booth how the car is masked off, if it's on a rotisserie or the frame.....etc...

My latest is and El Camino, so it's a little different than a coupe. As far as the doors being on the car, I had the doors on but they couldn't be opened. I painted the black roof, jambs and the bed, a few days earlier, then masked them off completely, and painted the shell with the doors closed. But I used round door jamb tape. This system does't leave a heavy tape line. The tape looks like rope. You stick it on and close the door. There is a slight line, but it's easily sanded/buffed off during the color sanding process.

I had the nose off, but sitting in front of the car, so the whole outside of the car was painted at the same time.

I did my Chevelle like Tom described. Both ways work, but I prefer the way I did the El Camino, just because it's a little less to do on paint day. I'm not a pro painter, so whatever I can do to make it easier, is an advantage.

Here's a couple shots from "paint day"

Sealer

Me, in my paint suit!!

Doors taped closed

Nice Job Bill. I do mine like yours except i prefer to do with the doors open or sometimes with the doors off then when i put it back together i just paint the bolts instead of touch up.this is to me the best way with no lines,it's harder but worth it.

 

[Alan F]

Yours is in the queue, Alan....

I know...just hoping. I'll look at the pics. Thanks!