Need feedback on what direction to take my Dart

[flyboy01]

I have come to a crossroad in my Dart. The bodywork is done, it needs to be sprayed with sealer and painted now.

Recently I have started work on the engine and drive train. This is the fun stuff, and I can't wait to get it together and running. 

I especially can't wait until I get it to the track, its been at least 8 years since I used to race at Milan Dragway in MI, and I miss it like you can't believe. Recently My buddy has gotten into bracket racing his modified Hemi Ram and a bunch of his friends race also. The best I can do is sit on the sidelines and watch. I need to get back to the track, SOON!



Here is my dilemma, I have put the better part of a year working on the bodywork and restoring my Dart. I have spent many hours sanding and making the body perfect, all in preperation for a perfect black paintjob. But now, I don't care anymore, i just want to drive it. I have re-evaluated my use of this car, its not going to be a show car, it does need to go fast. Not pretty.

I have been considering taking it to a local Maaco to get a Quickie paint job, just so I can get the car on the road again. If I continue to do it myself it could be 2-3 months before I get it painted, but if I take it to a Maaco, I can have it back in a few days. And the car is totally taken apart with no trim on it, so it should be an easy paint job for them, hopefully they can put a little more effort into laying the paint down smooth.

What do you think? Am I crazy? 

Shoul I go for the quickie paint, or stick with it and do the paint right?

[That One Guy]

You've spent a lot of time on this car, paint it yourself so that you know it's done right. You don't want to be kicking yourself in a month or so down the road because it doesn't look as good as you would have liked.
just my 2 cents

[cu440da]

If you've put that much work into it, you should continue to do it right. 3 months isn't that long to finish it.

Take your daily driver racing if you're getting the bug to race.

[mopowers]

I thought you had all the paint.  If that's the case, I think you should just do it and get it over with.   

[rjsjea]

Dont take it to Maaco..........First choice, finish it your self.  Second choice, find a competent shop to spray/buff......if the bodywork is done.  The hard work is done......

[b569rr]

I agree that 3 months is no time. Stick to your original plan. I think you will regret cutting corners with all the work you have done.

Tom

[doug 371]

i'm sure maaco would do a fine job...they'd probably even use your paint if u wanted...there is always some wet sanding and polishing anyway...even if its not a show car

[Jim_Lusk]

Maaco's (and other production shops) shortcomings are generally NOT in laying down paint. It's in the prep work where all the labor is. Go talk to the manager of the local shop and make sure that they'll do things to your satisfaction and go for it.

[flyboy01]

I have the paint, but, I don't have the skill. I have never sprayed a BC/CC before. Its possible that I use the best materials and do a crap job spraying it. I am also getting worn out, I really don't want to do anymore body/paint work, I'm so sick of it. Working on the engine lately has revitalized me, sometimes I wished that I could have bought a finished body. I just need to think about this some more. I might go look in the parking lot at the local Maaco. Still not sure what to do. 

[sunsetdart]

Hey fly............just remember the old adage...............anything worth doing, is worth doing right!!.........DIY

[doug 371]

Maaco's (and other production shops) shortcomings are generally NOT in laying down paint. It's in the prep work where all the labor is. Go talk to the manager of the local shop and make sure that they'll do things to your satisfaction and go for it.

[jackie]

hey fly, if you have the paint, and a place to spray, go ahead and spray the base coat.. if you are satisfied with the look then go ahead and spray the clear.. if not satisfied with the base then stop. then take to someone else to paint it.

[flyboy01]

This weekend I am having a buddy come over and we are going to pull the engine and stirp out the engine bay, I suppose I will clean up the inner fenders and firewall, then tow it down to the spray booth and shoot a coat of epoxy sealer, I will see if that will get me motivated to spray the BC/CC. Right now I just need the weather to cooperate, It needs to be at least 75F and dry on a weekend.

[dangerdawg]

wichever way you go, good luck.

[kzcountry]

Hey fly............just remember the old adage...............anything worth doing, is worth doing right!!.........DIY

You have done it right to this point, stick to it.  You never know what will happen in the future, you may want to use it as a crusier or share it with a kid.  Think it over write it down and you will make the right decison for yourself.

[CudaDon65]

Hey fly, been watching your build from the getgo. Thanks for all the info and pics.. If you paint will you use Dupli-color ?? Good luck fly.

[flyboy01]

No, I have PPG Omni Jet Black w/Matrix Clear. Eastwood Epoxy Primer.

[Jim_Lusk]

Think about it this way. Maaco has a quality paint booth, decent equipment, and a gyu who paints all day, every day. Their body work and masking might be suspect, but the paint jobs that I have seen come out of Maaco and decent. You might be surprised at how well it will come out.

[CudaDon65]

Thats true fly..and you did all the hard work...maybe it would be OK.

[eldubb440]

your car deserves a quality paint job.......this includes a day of sanding and buffing......whoever sprays it should be capable of the sand/buff.......if you dont want to do it yourself, id talk to a reputable shop with a good finish man.....it may cost a little more than a maaco quicky, but well worth it

ive seen cases where one guy sprays it, and another guy starts sanding and cuts thru cuz the painter left spots where the paint was thin.....then they start blaming each other....this is why  its so important to find a qualified individual

a sanded/buffed finish looks 100 times better than just a spray job; and it only takes an extra day

['73Dusta]

My 2 cents.  Years ago I had a 1973 240Z that I wanted to sell.  I had done some body work but like you got tired of it.  I took it down to Macco to get it painted.  I had it painted silver.  When I got it back I was really impressed with the quality of the paint job.  The paint was great some of my body work was not.  The Manager recommend that the body work be done but I was just trying to dump the car.  I would consider going to them again, but with the body work done.

[NYrr496]

I agree with Jim Lusk. As long as you feel the body is straight, you've removed the emblems and you mask the car, they'll probably lay down a nice paint job.

I did a black 80 Trans Am exactly the same way. I prepped the car and had them paint it. Then I reassembled it and buffed it out. car looked perfect.
  One of my friends runs a small one man body shop. He's friends with the local Maaco guy. When the weather is bad or Bill needs a better booth to control the humidity, he rents Maco's booth and also bakes his paint there.

I'll probably paint my engine compartment and undercarriage and then have him do my car at Maaco.

[Duster440]

I can understand how you want to just be done with it so you can enjoy it but - be patient. I think you'll be happier in the end.

[BacktoBasics]

I vote that you prep it, and bring your paint to them.  They can spray paint, but the don't generally want to spend the time in preparation.  IF you bring it to them prepped, and all they have to do is spray it and bake it, it will look nice. 

I would even go so far as to want to meet with the guy painting it.   Talk with him for a few minutes, and make a deal with him.  Offer him a tip.  The better it turns out, the more $$ in his pocket, or grease his palm ahead of time.  If I was stuck spraying cars, smelling fumes, etc, and some guy (an enthusiast) threw me an extra 50-100 (whater you decide) I sure would take the extra time to make it right, perhaps and extra coat of clear, etc.

[73swinger]

I vote that you prep it, and bring your paint to them.  They can spray paint, but the don't generally want to spend the time in preparation.  IF you bring it to them prepped, and all they have to do is spray it and bake it, it will look nice. 

I would even go so far as to want to meet with the guy painting it.   Talk with him for a few minutes, and make a deal with him.  Offer him a tip.  The better it turns out, the more $$ in his pocket, or grease his palm ahead of time.  If I was stuck spraying cars, smelling fumes, etc, and some guy (an enthusiast) threw me an extra 50-100 (whater you decide) I sure would take the extra time to make it right, perhaps and extra coat of clear, etc.

Maybe even see if you can hang out and watch...maybe learn a few things

[68_Val_Sedan]

your car deserves a quality paint job.......this includes a day of sanding and buffing......whoever sprays it should be capable of the sand/buff.......if you dont want to do it yourself, id talk to a reputable shop with a good finish man.....it may cost a little more than a maaco quicky, but well worth it

ive seen cases where one guy sprays it, and another guy starts sanding and cuts thru cuz the painter left spots where the paint was thin.....then they start blaming each other....this is why  its so important to find a qualified individual

a sanded/buffed finish looks 100 times better than just a spray job; and it only takes an extra day

I think eldubb is right here .... you took all the time to do it right so far ... spend the extra bucks to get a high quality paint job.   My next car will be black ... I will do the metal work and the 1st blocking of the primer then it goes to a body shop with a real booth for the final blockiing, spray and buff ...

[B00STED]

Been there done that.. Easiest thing to do is top by a good bodyshop. Talk to the painter of the shop alone and ask him how much for him to come by your place and use your stuff to paint the car.. I bet it won't be as much as Maco would charge...


I have done this many of times... And always got a great pant job...

[75Dart440]

I'd personally drive to your location and paint it myself before I'd let you take it to MAACO!!     I am faced with the removal of a MAACO job on my Dart Sport this spring and summer. They can do good work, but your gonna pay as much as you would at a more competent shop.

[flyboy01]

My biggest problem is that I do not have a place to paint it. I have all the stuff I need except a paint booth. I have been looking for a year and only found one, and its pretty dark and dirty, and I might be better off painting it in the middle of a field while thowing dirt at it on a windy day.

[75Dart440]

What about the garage that the car is in in your signature pic?  Build a temporary paint booth out of either PVC or 2x4 and heavy plastic sheeting.  That's how I painted my brother's jeep in my parent's huge pole barn without getting overspray on the rest of the contents of the building, and it helped keep the dust out of the clear coat.