Whether amateur or pro, few collector-car restorers paint their own vehicles. Paint is so important to the overall visual impact of the car that it's usually better left to the pros. Here we'll show you the proper way to prepare a collector car for a show-quality paint job, detailing the materials used and providing some hints on how the pros do such a good job.
The first rule of thumb for a trouble-free paint job is to use the same brand of paint and paint products throughout the entire process. Never mix brands or your paint might literally fall off the surface of the vehicle.
Most automotive paint manufacturers have color-matching tables and computers that quickly match old colors to today's new high-tech paints. Consult the manufacturer one-on-one for each exact painting situation because conditions are never the same from car to car—let the experts call the match. Since we are using a metallic paint (1970 GM Lucerne Blue), we must use a basecoat/clearcoat urethane combination. For non-metallic finishes, a single-stage urethane paint may be used.
Author: Jim McGowan
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