A classic car is a thing of beauty. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the process for painting classic cars is nuanced and intricate. Yet, there’s nothing worse than spending significant time, energy, and money restoring the body and mechanics of a classic car, only to have a lackluster paint job ruin the entire project. With that in mind, today we’re going to explain everything you need to know about classic car paint jobs. From prep tips, to applying the perfect racing stripe, we’ve got you covered here:
How to Prep a Car for a Paint Job
Tempting though it might be to simply grab a few cans of spray paint and get cracking, this is a terrible idea for several reasons. Not only will it take forever to paint a car with spray paint, it will also look pretty rough and the paint job won’t last. Prepping a classic car for a fresh coat of paint is all about removing dirt and grime that can cause inconsistencies –– like fish eyes –– and ensuring that the next coat of paint will have a solid base. In order to set yourself up for success down the line you can start with these steps:
- Apply four-to-five coats of primer and allow to dry for a day
- Wash the car with soap and water
- Remove bolted-on parts like door handles
- Wipe down the car with wax/grease remover
- Sand the car
- Apply another layer of primer (not always necessary)
- Brush the car down again with a rag
For a more detailed look at everything you need to do to prep a muscle car for a new paint job, check out this blog here.
Professional Classic Car Painting Process
Once you’ve primed, cleaned, and sanded your vehicle you’re almost ready to paint it. Almost. The next step of the procedure involves masking your vehicle. Masking may seem like a relatively straightforward step, but it’s easy to miss a few small details and wreck all of your hard work. So always pay close attention to make sure you haven’t missed any spots on your car that need covering. After cleaning the car surface once more with a solvent, it’s time to apply a base coat of paint.
Final Touches
It’s at this stage that you can begin to exercise some creative license. In order to paint stripes into your car, for instance, you’ll first want to allow the base coat to dry. Next, measure out the length and width of your stripes using a flexible tape measure. (Cars have curves, after all!) Measure twice and apply professional painter’s tape. Paint stripes as desired then remove the tape after about twenty minutes. Lastly, you may have to apply a second coat of paint to achieve your desired color. Give your car about a day or two to dry before sanding and buffing –– and boom –– it’s good to go!
Contact the Pros
At Precision Restorations, we have years of experience offering professional classic car paint jobs. So if you’re looking to inject some fresh life into a killer muscle car, contact us here at 1-844-652-1966 or email me directly [email protected]. We’re ready to answer any questions you may have and provide any and all restoration services you require!