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Automotive Painting
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If you have a choice, find a good car to fix up that
mainly needs a new paint job. This ’55 Chevy 2-
door has been sitting in my SoCal neighborhood
more than a decade. It even used to be shiny. But
there are no rust bubbles showing anywhere on it, it’
s straight, it’s complete, and the fact it’s a Bel Air
makes it even more desirable. You could strip it to
bare metal to satisfy your curiosity, but all this car
probably needs is a good sanding and new paint—
besides other usual restoration. But, of course, the
owner plans to do that “soon” and won’t sell.
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Why Do YOU Want to Paint this Car?
A car body is very much like a human body. In the first place, unless it’s new or near new, it’s
probably not going to be perfect any more. Secondly, it’s inevitably going to further deteriorate with
age. But there’s bad news and good news.
First the good; relatively speaking, it’s easier to keep your body in good shape than it is to get it
back into that shape once you’ve let it go for a while. Like your own body, your car’s body can be
kept in pretty good shape fairly easily if you care for it. If you house it properly, keep it out of bad
elements as much as possible, and treat it kindly, it will stay in good condition for a long time. The
problem is, unlike our bodies, our cars often come to us from other owners who have not treated
them well over the years. Such cars might have suffered anything from chafed, spotted, or wrinkled
skin, to scrapes, bruises, and scars, or much worse maladies such as sick internal organs or the
dreaded cancer (rust that’s more than skin-deep). In this book we won’t treat any mechanical
problems whatsoever, or matters of couture (interior/upholstery). We discuss minor to even
moderate bodywork, because that’s integral to any good paint job. But we won’t get into the serious
cut-it-out-and-replace-it type of metal transplant that serious rust requires, or body realignment that
necessitates frame-pullers or Porta-Powers.
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The simple and obvious point is that if you protect your car as much as possible (not just from
dents and scrapes, but especially from the sun), and take good care of it (wash and wax it
regularly), its paint job will look good and can continue looking that way for years. If it was a good
paint job to begin with, it will look even better; but with some work and upkeep, you can revive an
ailing paint job or make a poor one look better than it was. We cover that fully later.
That advice is useful to know, but since you’ve bought this book, you’ve likely concluded that your
car’s finish is beyond reviving. So on to our main point: Why do you want to paint this car? If you
just want to change the color, or put a higher-quality paint job on it than the one it has now, that’s
fine. It is a lot of work, but hopefully you have the right intentions. On the other hand, if it needs a
new paint job, how did it get that way? Assuming that you got this car in this condition (probably for
a good price because of it), and now, being a do-it-yourself type person, you want to fix it up to
enjoy for yourself or to eventually sell it for more than you paid for it. Two things here, second one
first—don’t even think about counting your time and labor as part of the profit made from selling a
car you painted yourself. Painting a car is a big job. It’s very labor-intensive. It is not a good way to
make money. The point of this book is to teach you how to do a job well; to get the quality of paint
job you want and might not be able to get readily elsewhere; to save a considerable amount of
money doing so (particularly if you count your time doing this as hobby time); and to have the
satisfaction of knowing and being able to say, “I did this myself.”
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Now, let’s get back to that question: “How did this car get this way?” If you let your own car fade,
craze, crack, peel—or worse—I think you’re deluding yourself if you really think you’re going to
immerse yourself in a repaint project, and then keep the car nice and shiny afterward. I’ve seen a
whole lot of at-home paint projects that got as far as some chrome stripped off, some filler applied,
the body sanded, and maybe even a whole coat of primer applied before the project stalled and
surface rust started showing through. Most of the owners of such projects really had no idea how
much work the whole job would be. On the other hand, I’ve seen a lot of hobby cars make it to shiny
paint and fresh chrome, only to naturally revert to their former state within a few years. I’m saying
this partly to forewarn you, and partly to (hopefully) shame you into full follow-through. If you do it
right and maintain it well, you have accomplished something you can take justifiable pride and
satisfaction in.
However, I mentioned “two things.” In addition to dismissing the notion that this is a big money
maker for you, the other point to consider is that maybe you really shouldn’t paint this car yourself.
If all you really want is to make a faded and fatigued car look better (and probably didn’t realize how
much work a full-on paint job is), we give you several alternatives in this book. The days of the “Any
Car, Any Color—$19.95” paint job are long gone. But you can get a decent “one-day” paint job,
and we show you how here. We also show how to spiff up an otherwise ho-hum factory paint job, or
re-coat a faded or spotted car in its original color, easily and inexpensively. There are several
stages of home paint jobs, between a quick “scuff and squirt” and the full-on show-winning deal that
we cover here. Take your pick. Choose your personal level of involvement and intensity.
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You’re not supposed to teach with bad examples, but this is classic. I came across this little
dented sedan (I can’t even tell what it is) in northern British Columbia, Canada. Even though it’s
been recently sprayed with silver spray-can paint, rust is popping out all over it. The owner said
he was a certified welder and he was going to fix it. Why? The rust on this car is growing from the
inside out. A paint job won’t fix it. Some major metal surgery could—but this car just isn’t worth it.
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In fact, your faded car might not need painting at all. You might be surprised how even long-
neglected paint can be brought back to life, and how some touch-up or spotting-in can save a paint
job you thought needed complete refinishing. That later, but first…
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Why Do You Want to Paint THIS Car?
If you’re going to spend some major time and effort painting a car at home, you’d probably like to
have something you can be proud of when you’re done, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt if it had
decent resale value if and when you might get tired of it or you find a new project you want to
tackle. Don’t put your sweat and elbow grease, let alone your heart and soul, into fixing up or
rebuilding a car just because it’s free, it’s there (and you drove it through high school, or whatever),
or because it was your uncle the priest’s, your father-in-law’s, or your grandfather’s. I’m guilty on
every one of those counts. I know what I’m talking about. And I still have my grandfather’s free, 4-
door sedan (that I drove through high school) to prove it. I put way too much work into it. And I’ve
tried every way I can think of to sell it, with no results whatsoever. It wasn’t what I wanted in the first
place. I don’t like it now. I don’t want it. But it’s too nice to donate to the Salvation Army. And I
wouldn’t get much of a tax break for it, anyway. It’s got a beautiful, show-winning paint job. But it’s a
hundred dollar saddle on a ten-dollar horse. You’re not listening are you? I can tell you’re not.
Hey, it’d be great if your grandfather—or uncle the priest—drove a ’57 T-Bird and willed it to you,
even a clapped-out one. That’s definitely worth fixing up. But not aunt Meg’s 4-door Corvair, or the
family ’75 Suburban, or much of anything else made in the ’70s or ’80s, for that matter. There are
exceptions, of course, which price guides can help you understand. But if you want to put a whole
bunch of hours into fixing up some 4-wheeled stray dog primarily because it has “personal
attachment” (or, worse, just because it followed you home), fine. Just plan on being personally
attached to it for a long time. If you really do love the car, for whatever reason, and you really do
plan on keeping it indefinitely—go for it. Give it the personal attention and loving care only you can.
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Here are some examples of ones that should have been fixed up, starting with some close to
home. When I was in high school, my dad bought this ’47 Chevy convertible from a co-worker, in
decent shape, for $50 because he wanted the wheels and tires. I gave him $50 for the rebuilt
engine. Then he parked it on our ranch (as seen). A few years later he sold it to someone for
$50, and I spotted it at a swap meet going for $350. No rust, no dents, all there—but we weren’t
into convertibles in the ’60s. Sigh.
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I nabbed this ’32 Tudor sedan for $900 because it was too good to pass up. It had lots of
surface rust, inside and out, but no real cancer; it was surprisingly straight; and it came
with rear fenders and an extra floor (behind car). This was a very restorable car but,
again, I had no place to keep it. A friend let me store it on his property, and I collected
swap meets parts when I found them, cheap. After several years I hadn’t touched it, and
someone made a ridiculous (low) offer and took it to Sweden. I won’t admit the price, but
the grille, hood, firewall, and gas tank were worth much more than he paid (not counting
the quickchange rear axle). I just hope it finally got built.
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Previous | Next
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This has been a sample page from
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How to Paint Your Car on a Budget
by Pat Ganahl
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If your car needs new paint, or even just a touch-up, the cost
involved in getting a professional job can be more than you
bargained for. Fortunately, there are less expensive
alternatives-—you can even paint your own car at home!
In How to Paint Your Car On A Budget, author Pat Ganahl unveils
dozens of secrets that will help anyone paint their own car. From
simple scuff-and-squirt jobs to full-on, door-jambs-and-everything
paint jobs, Ganahl covers everything you need to know to get a
great-looking coat of paint on your car and save lots of money in
the process. This book covers painting equipment, the ins and
outs of prep, masking, painting and sanding products and
techniques, and real-world advice on how to budget wisely when
painting your own car. It’s the most practical automotive painting
book ever written!
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Click below to view sample
pages from each chapter!
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Introduction - Budget Painting
Chap. 1 - Automotive Painting
Chap. 2 - Paint Stripping
Chap. 3 - Bodywork
Chap. 4 - Painting at Home
Chap. 5 - Paint Products
Chap. 6 - Paint Preparation
Chap. 7 - One-Day Paint Job
Chap. 8 - Sand and Paint
Chap. 9 - Full Paint Jobs
Chap. 10 - Restorations
Chap. 11 - Sand & Buff
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8-1/2 x 11"
Softbound
128 pages
Approximately 400 color photos
Item: SA117
Price: $22.95
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Click here to buy now!
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This is a great book that any enthusiast will love,
whether it's your first paint job or your 50th.
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Custom Painting
Author Pat Ganahl uses 416 color photos to show you how to
do a variety of custom painting applications and techniques.
From stripes to scallops to flames, candies to pearls to ’flakes,
fades to fogs to blends, this book has it all. With numerous
examples demonstrating how various custom paint jobs are
designed and applied, this book provides a vast wealth of
insight and is intended to help you to make a more-informed
choice among the many options for personalizing your vehicle
with custom paint. Custom Painting not only tells, but also
shows you how to apply these various looks with helpful how-to
tips so that you can understand them and decide what to paint
on your next special project.
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Price:
$22.95 |
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The Paint and Body Handbook
In this book over 450 illustrations and easy to read text are
used to explain how to repair dents and rust, replace body
panels, repair aluminum and fiberglass, perform sectioning, use
lead and plastic filler, weld patches and panels, shape sheet
metal, perform spot repairs and color matching, prepare the
surface for final paint, choose paint supplies and equipment
and apply top coats, graphics and pin stripes. A full color-
troubleshooting guide helps you avoid or correct final paint
problems like blistering, blushing, bleeding, checking, and
orange peel. Whether you're repairing a small ding restoring an
entire car, you’ll find this book to be the most complete hands
on auto body resource available.
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Price:
$18.95 |
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Pro Paint & Body
This book is a complete resource guide that covers the entire
spectrum of automotive paint and body equipment, and body
repair techniques. You’ll find information on assessing a project
car for damage and estimated repairs, disassembly and paint
stripping, repairing dents including the latest hammer and dolly
tools and techniques, leading, welding, adhesives and plastic
fillers, latest spray guns and spray techniques, current paint
technology, body prep for final paint, color sanding, polishing,
custom colors and custom paint techniques, and much, much
more.
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Price:
$18.95
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The Automotive Paint Handbook
More than just a book on how to paint your car, the Automotive
Paint Handbook is a comprehensive resource that covers the
entire field of automotive paint technology, from types of paint
and how to perform a paint job, to advanced OEM factory paint
techniques, paint care and inspection. For years, paint
professionals from companies such as DuPont have used this
book for training. Now fully revised and updated, this best
selling book has the latest information available from the paint
industry. All information is presented in layman’s terms and fully
illustrated with hundreds of photos and line drawings. There’s
even a full color paint troubleshooting chart and a
comprehensive paint industry glossary.
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Price:
$18.95 |
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Auto Upholstery & Interiors
Auto Upholstery and Interiors is a user friendly guide that gives
you the knowledge to make your interior looking like new and
by doing the installation work yourself, you save money and
have the satisfaction of learning a new skill. Detailed sections
include painting interior parts, headliner replacement, carpet
kits, door panels, dashboard restoration, seat kit installation,
kick panels, trunk detailing, steering wheel repairs and swaps,
custom seat installation, using dyes, simple upholstery repairs,
and cleaning and detailing tips
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Price:
$18.95
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Fiberglass and Other Composite Materials
For many years race cars of all types have been constructed with
lightweight materials in addition to aluminum and steel. These
include fiberglass, kevlar and carbon fiber. This space age
technology is also being applied to many street cars, street rods,
boats, and light aircraft. Carbon fiber is now used in everything
from tennis rackets and golf clubs to bicycles, telescopes, camera
tripods, and hundreds of other products. This book offers the
latest technology and equipment to help you construct and repair
your own lightweight body panels and components.
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Price:
$18.95
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Payment, Shipping & Sales
Tax: Iowa
residents must pay 7% sales tax. Items usually ship
within one
business day of receipt of payment! Standard shipping is a flat rate of
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anywhere in the United States with USPS Media Mail.
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$1.95 for each additional item. For
purchases of 3 or more items
shipping is automatically upgraded to Priority for no additional
charge! We offer world wide shipping and ship to Canada and Mexico
with USPS Priority Mail
International for $11.95, and to most
locations in Europe, Australia, Asia, Japan and South
America for
$14.95. Satisfaction is Guaranteed. Our store has a NO HASSLE RETURN
POLICY
within 7 days of purchase.
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