Off goes my baby...

[xray]

It's been a year since commencing the teardown of my 1972 Z, #81167, and it's finally off to body and paint. Finally found a good shop nearby that didn't flinch at the project and quoted me a reasonable price! Said it would take about 9 weeks to do, so I'm budgeting 12weeks....

Here are some pics as it leaves home for a 3-month spa treatment...Wish me luck and send some good vibes for a smooth unevetful paint job and satisfying result!

Steve

[alissa280z]

Keep us updated on the project with some pics! I am still in the tear down process (since feb) and can't wait until her body work and paint are ready to be done. Yours is looking good so far.

[Arne]

What color will she be?

[xray]

It's going back to the original 112 lime yellow. It'll be a single stage paint on the interior, undercarriage and engine bay, with a basecoat/clearcoat applied to the exterior.

(fingers crossed) If it turns out well, I'll be pimping the shop mercilessly! I may even put a sticker in the quarter window.....

I'm nervous about it turning into a horror show like some other folks have experienced. Delays, body guy loses interest and the project gets neglected and left in the corner for weeks on end...He seems pretty enthusiastic, as he's an import car guy exclusively, and since I am a referral from other satisfied clients I hope he'll treat me well. Only time will tell, of course!

Getting my good luck mojo in gear,

Steve

[whew41]

Steve,

Good luck with your project I am sure she will be nice when you are done...

Jim

[Jackhammer]

I wish you the absolute best of luck. I have just submitted pictures of my Z's second paint job in a year. The first one started developing issues with the body filler curing under the paint and basically shrinking and I could not live with it. This was caused by pushing the process to fast (my fault)...not letting the body work and primer cure and then applying the base and clear. After about 3 months I was not happy at all. My now X son in law and I did the first paint job ...pics in my gallery. We did it on my two week vacation last summer and when we finished ...I was very pleased with the results. Sometime there after the curing issues started appearing. So my now X son in law was not a viable option for the fix. So I had to seek a shop that was going to fix the problem and came with some good recommendations. Found one and after 3 months of being in paint jail...all I need to have now is for it to be cut and buffed. Thank the Lord...now I can get on with putting the rest of it together and maybe drive it before I am old enough for the nursing home.

So once again.... "I wish you the very best"....I also hope for your sake you are not a picky, anal, a$$ like me. I also hope your paint guy stays enthused and excited. Make sure you take pics.

Jack

[xray]

Jackhammer,

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm a bit too picky also, but know that rushing a good paint job is a pretty quick way to mess it up (no offense intended, I just know I'm impatient with that kind of stuff. "Cure for 3 days? Mmm, I think 36 hours should be fine..."). I've saved a bunch of smaller projects for while the chassis is at body/paint (seats, engine, transmission, U-joints, wipers, etc.) which should occupy my attention and distract me from the time it takes to do the job right. Now that the garage is empty, I might even get the floor coated...

Steve

[Jackhammer]

Steve,

No offense taken... I knew some of the risks by pushing the process. Pushing the process was more out of necessity than by my impatience. At the time my daughter and son in law were living in West Virginia (we live in Texas). The plan was to combine a visit/vacation for my wife and daughter so they went to D.C and other places while he and I busted our butts on the project. Bottom line was I spent $1200.00 on paint/supplies and would have had to spend money on some kind of vacation for my wife anyway...no getting around that one. So I thought I was going to get a high end paint job on the cheap. It started out being that.....until the curing issues started showing up. Most guys would have cut and buffed and went on... so I am told by my current paint guy.. But not me....I have to be a perfectionist that wants it right. It has been blocked back down, based, graphics re-done and cleared. This go around is close to $5000. My paint guy shows me jobs when I start bitching about the situation they have charged $12,000 for and mine looks as good. So I guess I am supposed to be grateful. :hurt:

I hope yours turns out less stressful and it is a "show winner".

Do you still find yourself going out to the garage only to remember the car isn't there? I did.... and I actually enjoyed it in a way. I know my wife did.

Jack

[xray]

Do you still find yourself going out to the garage only to remember the car isn't there? I did.... and I actually enjoyed it in a way. I know my wife did.

Jack

I actually just got in from my garage, there's a strange feeling of emptiness there....:disappoin

[theianmonster]

I have the same feeling, but then I opened garage and the bastard is covered in spot putty in my driveway, haha.

[gogriz91]

It's been a year since commencing the teardown of my 1972 Z, #81167, and it's finally off to body and paint. Finally found a good shop nearby that didn't flinch at the project and quoted me a reasonable price! Said it would take about 9 weeks to do, so I'm budgeting 12weeks....

Here are some pics as it leaves home for a 3-month spa treatment...Wish me luck and send some good vibes for a smooth unevetful paint job and satisfying result!

Steve

To be nosy, since I can think of no other way to ask, were your floor pans replaced and what is the paint and body going to do...and how much did it cost? I'm planning on painting my car next summer if I get promoted and want some idea of what I can expect to pay for floor pans, frame rails, rocker panels and paint.

[xray]

Gogriz:

Not a nosy question at all. I had to replace my floorpans after some hard analysis and considering multiple additional expert opinions. Bought them from Charlie Osborne at Zedd Findings, installed by a welder friend who cut me a break on labor, but still ended up being around $900. Did not need the rockers replaced yet, although that might change...Frame rails were fine.

I initially budgeted 10k for body and paint. Estimates are for 6.5-8k, and this guy is a little higher than the average. I'll end up about 15% over budget, which is not too bad when restoring cars. The car is to be stripped, dents/creases fixed, then layer of epoxy primer. Waves/irregualrities are to be filled with standard filler for smaller areas, a fiberglass-based filler (Fiber tech by Evercoat, I think) for larger areas as the regular fillers may crack if applied in too thick a coat. Then (as I'm told) primer, sand, smooth and paint as I mentioned above.

Biggest problem for my vehicle (aside from the understood hidden rust monsters) is the roof. Lots of waves and irregularities. All body shops asked if I could get a new roof--I had no idea it was that bad! After discussion, icluding risks of malalignment of doors, windows etc. it was decided to go with as much metal bumping as possible, then smooth out with filler. I'm OK with that--I've found more problems with poor application of fillers than bad quality product--and I think the end result will be satisfying.

After all, the shop's been around for 20 years and the dude offers a lifetime guarantee against cracking/fading/peeling etc. I'll take the risk that he may go out of business the day after he finishes my project.....

So I guess body and paint are kind of like the speakers in your home theater. Don't skimp on quality, or else your system will sound/look crappy.

Steve