If the body work is that bad and it gets painted blk., its going to stick out like a sore thumb. People 50 feet away will be able to wave at it.

Thats why we say, 'If it aint right, make it white'. Any dark color will show up the prep work.

Now, if your dead against white, but its your only alternative, put a pearl over it to jazz it up a bit, its easy and not that much more $ cost.

 

What about silver?

 

There are a zillion colors that would forgiving for a bad body, why stick to white?

Check out this thread ( CLICK HERE ) for some ideas.

 

Yeah, I read that. It basically says that white=forgiving, cool looking black=you better have a perfect body. Everthing else in in between. Seriously, what color looks cool on a 1968 Camaro that is forgiving? I hate white. Would rather drive around with primer on the car than paint it white. Is there any way (aside from selling my soul) to get the car to look reasonably decent in black? Maybe more coats of primer?)
The guy said it had three colors underneath.
Thanks guys.
Ryan

 

Ryan, it is very hard to say what YOUR car may need to get it into black shape. All I know is this, if your shop is giving your advice not to paint it black, listen to them.

I have seen many cars over the years get painted colors they shouldn't have. Like I say in the begining of the "Basics", you can't paint it a color just because you LIKE it.

We just did a mid sixties Chevy short bed fleet side at the shop. I almost got sick when I saw the color he had chosen. This truck was pretty cool, lowered, had a "cowl induction" looking fiberglass hood, it was really pretty cool. It was not very straight though. Some bright yellow or something like that, this thing would have been a knockout. His choice, dark charcoal gray!

The thing looked like ever loving crap! Wavy, boooooring

color. It was a total ZERO.

On your car, I would think silver, or a solid red or orange. I know, red and orange are over done, because they work, that is why.

If you were to shoot it silver with white SS stripes, that would look very nice I think. It would sure hide a multitude of sin.

 

Either that or spring for some body work. Ya might not see your car for a few months, but it'll be straighter. Some of the body work he found might be ready to fall off for all you know and\or might not ever look right.
I'll be in the same boat as you Ryan, but I refuse to paint it white as well. Maybe a dark silver. Either that or I spend the mega-time and bucks to make it straight enough for a dark plum\burgandy. Candy-apple? BLACK?!
I'll decide on a color when the bodywork is done.

 

Yeah guys I know I need to spend the money to get real body work done. However, I am a poor college student, and I simply can't afford it. I just wanted the car to not look like total crap, something with which I can actually embarrass the hell out of the z3's around here.
So I am thinking silver. Silver with white SS stripes does seem very inviting. Red really works as well?
Allright, guys, thanks for the input.
What is a "wave" anyway?

 

A wave is bad body work. Where a straight line reflects wavy cause your body work isn't straight. Go to any parking lot and look at the reflections of trees in the different color paints. In black or dark colors you can see every branch in great detail. Go to a white car and you can't hardly see the tree at all. Thats why you shouldn't paint a wavy car dark colors.

 

Silver is somewhat forgiving. Try to get the guy to block the quarters out to make it look halfway decent. Tell him your going to take it to shows and tell everyone where it was painted.

 

Ryan, renegotiate with him for body work. If you both decided that he was going to strip the car and then paint it, wouldn't body work be part of that $1800?

A poor college student, huh? Wanna see my bills brother?

 

I have to ask is the labor free?? If not to strip and paint a car for $1800.............. I have to wonder what it would look like even if it was white. Not very good I suspect.

 

Dude, You are a collage student, you have your whole life ahead of you. Paint the car Silver w/ SS stripes like the man said and be the most popular guy on campus until you graduate, and get a great job, and when you have the cash you can do the correct ground up resto and save yet another piece of history in the form of a classic mustle car. good luck

 

The man did do some body work, just no sheet metal work. Am I paying too much? Cause I might just say forget it and take it somewhere else.

 

Too much! Heck, that is darn near FREE. If he does even an "ok" job, you got a deal.

 

Sweet. Someone said renegotiate, or something. That makes me feel better, even though value is subjective. I talked to him today. He said the car would not look good silver either. Nor red. He said my choices were Yellow or White if the car is to look good. Should I believe him? I hate yellow and white!

 

Also, what is meant by "block out the quarters?"
He is priming the car today and tomorrow. I am going to see it probably saturday. If the prime looks allright, is it safe to say the top coat will? Can I tell?
Ryan

 

When you block out something, be it a door, fender or 1/4 panel, you use a straight, hard faced(longer the better)sanding board or a flat stick with a coarse grit sand paper. If you use a soft faced anything(or your hand)to sand with, all it does basically is glide over any imperfections.

BTW, $1800.00 to get your car done, is a steal. Thee big question is what its going to look like when its done and how hard is it going to be to get him to fix something you dont like.

 

Where do you guys live? Cause in Miami there are about 10,000 paint shops. Most people were quoting a strip and sand at a grand, but "they had to see the car". This guy came recommended, and when he saw it, said "1800". I said - "done".
But like I said, he is now saying that silver will look bad too. I wonder is there a scale?
Like white and yellow on the left for hiding, and black and dark blue for showing, but what is it in between? Where does silver fall?
Thanks for all of your opinions, guys.
Ryan

 

It sounds like he's not willing to compromise, or just wants to paint your car and get it out of his shop.
I would seriously think about having the body gone over and then being able to pick a color you'll be happier with.

If you just want someone to shoot paint on it and don't care what it looks like, go to MAACO. You'll be in and out in 3 days for $300. If you plan to wait and have the body completely gone-over and a real nice paint job done a few years from now, why sweat what it looks like now?

If you want a certain color and you want it to look good from 10 feet away for years to come, start saving your pennies and look for another shop to do the work. You'll get what you want!

 

Silver is a forgiving color cause silver in itself has no pigment in it. If you have access to the car, get yourself a paper towel and instead of running your bare hand across the body, put the towel on your hand and then 'feel' the car with it. If its wavy, you will be able to pick up any imperfection with the towel method.

Its like HwyStarJoe said, sounds like he's looking for a quick buck. To give you an idea, I wouldnt touch it for anything less than 5k. MartinSr said it the best, its almost free for crying out loud.

 

Yeah, I tried calling those bs respray shops. Most wouldn't touch it.
I would yank the car now, but he already primed it. Where do you guys work out of? Like I said, 10,000 shops in Miami. Maybe it's a market thing?
But he tells me silver will look like crap. Have any of you guys heard of this - silver looking like crap?

 

Yeah, I'm getting what I think is a good deal, and I am paying 3K JUST FOR THE PAINT JOB (not for the priming/etc). That is a steal.

 

I know of no shops within many many miles of here that would strip and paint a car for less than about eight to ten thousand dollars.

 

Hey Brian, EVERYTHING costs more 'over there'.

68SoBe,

Are the body panels in really bad shape? Are they covered with Bondo and filler? Are they dented, or were they replaced very poorly? Why is he saying that even a light color will look so bad?
Did he do ANY filling and sanding of the panels after he stripped them? Or did he just sand off the paint and spray primer?

We need pictures! Preferably BEFORE he paints it. If the body is in that bad of shape where even white or silver would look bad, it must be in pretty bad condition.


But I guess for $1800, at least you'll have new paint on it. Then you can save up a few thousand bucks and have the body done from scratch in a few years.

 

Yeah the shop actually did do some work with filling and such. He is priming it, and he will call me then. I will then go in and see the car, upon which time I will take pictures, and send them to you guys. Yes there was a lot of bondo and filler on the car. But is it safe to assume that it will look allright if the primer looks allright? I'll show you guys soon.
Ryan