SSSEXXX Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 I'm looking for sone good info and tips on having my car painted and straightened out. Any good stories, tips, or shops in SoCal I should know about?? Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Its all in the prep work. And it sucks. Basically make the car smooth, and when you think you are done, look again. When it is time to squirt it, dont rush keep coats light, no need for runs. And I just realized I broke 3000 posts!!! WOOHOO!!! Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Prestige Too in Torrance does very good work. They are an authorized repair and paint shop for most insurance companies, so have been checked out. My son is an auto mechanic and looked them over. He says you could eat off the floor in their paint shop, it's that clean. Quote Link to comment
SSSEXXX Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Thanks for the comments fellas... will check out Prestige Too while I'm up there picking up my WPC treated engine parts!! :) Quote Link to comment
blue72 Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 If you're thinking of doing it yourself, read up on it as much as you can. You'll need some equipment too. For the prep work you'll need all different lengths (and shapes) of sanding boards, various grits of sandpaper, metal working tools to pound out the dents, a welder as well as cutting and grinding tools to repair rust, body fill putty (AKA Bondo, but there are better brands), masking materials, etching primer (for any places you go down to bare metal, high build primer and glazing putty. Okay, you may not need the cutting, grinding and welding tools if your car already has a decent paint job on it now, but knowing 40+ year old Datsuns, most need at least some help in that department. Then, for final paint you'll of course need a gun, a compressor that can handle the load (as well as the electrical wiring of a gauge necessary to feed your compressor's motor) air hoses, inline oil/water filters, a pressure regulator, the spray gun(s), a respirator or supplied air system (seriously, most of today's paint hardeners contain isocynates, something you don't ever want to mess with) and of course, a place to paint the car. It is still a lot of work. I painted my Z myself and all told it took me months (hundreds of hours) of prep work to get it straight (less than 1/8" thick body filler all over) and ready for paint. After the basic straightening and prep work then it's time to go over (sand) the car a few more times by hand. Apply guide coat, sand down guide coat, tap down high spots and fill in low spots with glazing putty, repeat, repeat. The actual spraying I had done in two days. I assure you that it is a lot of work. Pretty rewarding to have a shiny car in the end though. Quote Link to comment
SSSEXXX Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 I am pretty sure that I will not be painting the car on my own. The cost of the equipment, time to research, and my level of expertise are all prohibitive, but I do think it is important to know how it should be done. I am scared of shops that do not or have not worked on a Datsun before. This isn't going to be a show car and I will drive it, but I do want something with a good finish. How pricey are frame off restorations if I take the entire car apart on my own? Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 PM the510keeper. He does amazing work, and is always taking 510s down to a shell, fixing, painting, and putting back together. I think he would be your best bet for a datsun friendly job like that. Quote Link to comment
Shagy Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 I have a good shop in Walnut...its by the 60 and 57 freeway....east of LA. Idesign, Ask for Mike and tell him AJ sent you. PM the510keeper. He does amazing work, and is always taking 510s down to a shell, fixing, painting, and putting back together. I think he would be your best bet for a datsun friendly job like that. Thought he was done with the cars though? Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 I have a good shop in Walnut...its by the 60 and 57 freeway....east of LA. Idesign, Ask for Mike and tell him AJ sent you. Thought he was done with the cars though? He's done with cars? Thats what he does for a living, don't see why he would quit. I know he has a house painting business on the side that he was questioning. He's got a few painting projects going on right now that's recently updated. But don't know, haven't talked to him in a while so that could be true? Quote Link to comment
Shagy Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 James, chime in here... I'm just going off what I was told a few months ago...."...finish up the few projects I have @ home and then concentrate on the house painting." Trust me...i wish he wasnt haning up the car painting, he'd have my wagon right now =) Quote Link to comment
SSSEXXX Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 $4k to paint all of exterior, engine bay, trunk and interior? Include minor rust fixing and body straightening. Thoughts??? go..... Three step paint. Primer, paint, and clear. Also need color suggestions. As much as I love the OEM orange and green I may be going white with a slight pearl. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 James, chime in here... I'm just going off what I was told a few months ago...."...finish up the few projects I have @ home and then concentrate on the house painting." Trust me...i wish he wasnt haning up the car painting, he'd have my wagon right now =) You are correct. I pm'd him. He has a handful of cars left to finish. Then he is renting out his shop and painting houses again. Bummer Quote Link to comment
collision and customs Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 I've been it the collision repair/ custom industry since 1987. I'm not going to talk myself up. Just know that you get what you pay for. Do'nt expect much if you drop your car off at a shop like Maico. Since you're in cali someone like Chip Foose would be the way to go. But lets be realistic he would want somewhere around $20,000. Ideally If you could find someone like me that does side work in the shop behind their house with years of experiance you might be able to find a good deal but you might not get you car back in a timley manor due to all the quick repairs that comes his way. Those quick repairs pay bills and buy toys and push restos back farther and farther. There are alot of horor stories out there, so talk to your friends to find the best fit for your project and shop around. Quote Link to comment
SSSEXXX Posted October 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Great info! Thank you. Truth be told, timing is really not a concern. I would actually welcome it being somewhere else for a while. I could use the time to work on some other projects. Ideally I would love to learn it, but I know I have way too much on my plate. If I could get someone like you to do it I would be elated. Better to have someone take their time, do it right, and get see the passion in the result. The last thing anyone should do is go cheap on a project that means a lot to them. You'll never be happy. Quote Link to comment
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