and the spot paint), or lacquer.
Now, if you’re dealing with older paint that’s spent any time in the sun, it’s going to be faded to some extent. Reds and lighter colors are especially susceptible. So even if you carefully saved some of the original paint, it’s probably not going to match anymore. On the other hand, if the paint is new, but you didn’t paint it, and you don’t have any of the exact same paint that was used, don’t expect new paint to match just because you ordered the same color code that’s on the car. Nearly all automotive paint is mixed by the can, as it is ordered. Some minor differences usually show in the shade of the color, the cast of the metallic, or the intensity of the pearl, from one new can of paint to another. This doesn’t matter if you’re painting a whole car, and it usually doesn’t matter if you’re painting a whole panel—the colors are close enough that you can’t tell.
As I say in the text, the best thing about trying to restore old paint (factory or otherwise) is that, if you rub through it, you can then repaint it. We show how elsewhere in this book. But for 12-year-old paint that had never been waxed or spent a night in a garage, this one really came back to life with a little rubbing and waxing. No new paint job needed here.
If the old paint is perceptibly faded, or you’re trying to blend spot paint in the middle of a panel, you need the paint “color-matched.” Experts—and these are few—can do it by eye. Many shops these days have electronic equipment (spectrometers or spectrographs) to do it. Neither method is perfect.
Ultimately, it depends on how picky—and perceptive—you are. I notice mis-matched paint jobs all the time, usually on cars with metallic or pearl paints repaired at collision shops. The owners apparently don’t notice or don’t care. Probably both.
Then there are the super-picky. A friend won’t finish his beautiful silver metallic ’54 Chevy because the paint shop messed something up and had to repaint the front fenders. They’ve redone them three times now, and he still sees a slight difference in the hue. Silver is about the hardest color to match, and this one has pearl in it, which is worse. Just adding a second or third coat, especially of a light color, changes its shade slightly. So will painting it over different colors of primer. Spot painting, or partial repainting—even with the same paint you started with—is hardly ever going to be perfect or seamless, especially to a very picky eye. If you’re that type of person, I’d suggest you sand down the whole car, coat it evenly with an opaque sealer close in shade to the final color, then respray the entire car, preferably all at the same time, and definitely with the same number of coats on each part. Remember, it’s your car, you’re the only one you really have to please, and you’re doing all the work yourself. How perfect do you want it?
Once you have touch-up paint for the car, use it straight from the can (unthinned), with a small brush, to fill-in any small chips, scratches, or nicks that don’t require spraying. For any car you paint, save a little extra for this sort of touch-up.
The Stages of Paint
We keep talking about different processes that apply to different “stages” or levels of paint jobs, so we should run down a quick list of them here. Automotive paint jobs vary vastly from whatever a one-day “in-and-out” special costs these days, to a 5-figure (at least) professional show finish. We even start with an option that doesn’t require any painting at all. The one-day special might include some quickie bodywork, but it doesn’t include any vehicle disassembly, or (usually) any rub out. We assume that nearly all paint jobs done today, even at home, use two-part (and possibly two-stage) hardened (i.e., catalyzed) paint—of whatever specific variety is available when you read this—that can be color-sanded and rubbed out, and also dries to a high gloss that doesn’t necessitate a rub out.
Since most of the stages employ basically the same kinds of paints and spraying processes, the differences lie primarily in the amount of prep work done, the lengths to which the vehicle is disassembled before paint, and whether the finish is color-sanded and rubbed out. To be honest, most people on the street can’t see the differences between these stages of paint jobs, though they vary enormously either in cost or (your) labor to do them. And we’ve already talked about putting a $5,000 paint job on a $500 car. It’s all up to you. This book assumes you’re going to do the work yourself (in most cases), and that you know the differences in these stages of paint jobs. You should select the level of job that (1) befits the car you’re planning to paint, (2) matches your level of expectation and commitment, and (3) you will be satisfied with, and can be proud of when it’s done…and for a good while afterwards.
1: The No-Paint Buff-Out. Also known as the “Save-a-Paint Job,” we’ve already covered this in this chapter. It requires no actual painting, and therefore no special equipment (or talent), other than possibly a power buffer (but this is optional). The only cost is for polishing products, which is minimal. The investment is your muscle power and elbow grease. Of course this stage assumes paint that is old and faded, but still stable and savable. An extension of this step, shown in our later example, would include spot painting or touch-up, but this requires some painting equipment and ability.
2: The Scuff-and-Squirt. Also known as the “Sand-and-Shoot” or the “Mask-and-Spray,” this can be done at least three ways. In choosing one of these methods, you are assuming that the body is in good shape and the existing paint, even if it’s peeling or discolored, is basically stable. In the first, most basic, case, this means masking everything on the car, sanding the paint smooth, then shooting a new coat of the same color over the exterior, leaving the doors, hood, and trunk shut. This also works with our later example of spraying a pearl coat over a similar-shade existing, plain color. The second step involves removing as much trim as possible before sanding and spraying, with a further option of sanding, masking, and painting the doorjambs and under the hood and trunk. This, of course, requires masking off the whole interior, engine, and so on. The third step of this stage is similar—you remove trim and (probably) sand the car yourself—but then take it to your local one-day paint shop to let them mask and spray it. These latter two steps would allow a color change, if you want.
3: Bodywork and Paint. This is obviously for cars that have some dings and dents. We’re not covering major bodywork here; you can have a shop do that and leave repaired spots in primer. Or you can do minor work yourself, where needed, as shown in the next chapter. After applying primer, block-sand these areas, along with existing paint. Or, maybe what this car needs is a full coat of high-fill primer over a good preliminary sanding, some spot putty in places, and then a good block-sanding, a little more primer, and then new paint. Since you’re not stripping off all old paint, a good sealer is strongly recommended before the final color coat.
4: Strip and Paint. We cover several levels of stripping in this chapter, but for this paint stage we’re talking about either hand stripping the body at home, or having it media blasted, primarily on the outside surfaces. Going further, it could include stripping doorjambs (even removing door glass and other door internals), and maybe under the hood and trunk. But it wouldn’t include removing the windshield, back glass, interior (other than possibly door panels), or other major components, such as the engine.
5: Gut It. Okay, we’re getting serious. Get all the glass out. Remove all body rubber (window moldings, weather strip, etc.). Assuming you’re going to have the car reupholstered, rip the entire interior out—but talk to your upholsterer first. There may be things you need to note or to save, especially if this is an older or unusual vehicle. (If not, carefully remove everything
