[dataway]

Excellent info, thanks.

I plan to have my 68 done in a single stage, OEM quality (or lack thereof) only. I want the car to be as close as possible to what it looked like when I bought it in 1976 ..sans any fading and damage of course .

Is it still possible to find the necessary single stage paints in the proper color? I've painted the car twice before in my life, not well either time, but I'm older and more patient and have better toys now. I trimmed out the car in the original Vedora green some twenty years ago, some kind of simple, single stage paint, (Acrylic enamel?) can't remember if it had hardener or not. That trim paint, after sitting outside under a cover for 15 years, and in a garage for five years, is still as shiny as the day I painted it. Went on real nice too. Wonder if a similar paint can still be purchased?
JohnnyB

[Greg Reid]

I bought some single stage paint in Meridian Turquoise just a couple of years ago. I painted my jambs with it...Looked good to me but in the end, it was a waste of time/$$$ as my painter is using bccc and will strip or paint over all I did...If he ever gets to it...lol

[Darth Menace]

So let's discuss Maaco. I know they have a bad rep, but if i'm not wanting a show car and wanting a more tolerable paint job...are they who to go to? I understand their paint is great, but their paint skills are where they sometimes get their bed rep from

[JVM225]

A couple of years back a guy I know brought a car to them for paint. It was a 69 Chevelle that he picked up to fix up and sell. The car came out pretty nice.
But I will say that it was a straight car to begin with, he prepped it himself, took everything off, and brought it to them to spray in their booth, and the paint was a non-metallic red.
He told me the guys that painted the car were in to muscle cars, so they may have taken their time with it and done a better than typical job.
He sold the car shortly afterward so I don't know how it held up, but it looked a lot better than I expected it to when I saw it right after it was finished.
There is definitely something to be said for proper prep. You'd think their paintwork would be decent because of how much of it they do, but I imagine because of the prices they charge and the rapid turnover, they may not normally spend a lot of time on prep.

[Greg Reid]

What I've heard about Maaco is that first, you have to make sure the bodywork is right and second, you have to choose the right shop. One Maaco is in no way equal to all others. Each shop is it's own entity.

[Darth Menace]

okay so a while ago I put an ad up on kijiji (Canadian-esque Craigslist) about wanting a paint job. Yesterday an auto body teacher came over and looked at the car. He offered that his class can paint it at cost, base-coat clear coat any color I want. I figured take the offer while it's there so I said sure. This is under his supervision and they will do any body work I want as well (spoiler is wavey so it will be fixed and installed too)

Anyway, now down to color. I am wanting a blue I think. Im not going to lie I'd like something similar to Viper blue, but without the flakes and pearl color...but a similar color to it. I looked online at some GTO's with the liberty blue and warwick blue. The thing is I dont know what they look like in real life, and they seem to look different depending on the site.

For instance this link makes the warwick to look more baby blue and the liberty blue to look more navy blue: http://ultimategto.com/69colors.htm

But then go here and this one is warwick blue but it does look darker than the link above. Is this video a more correct look of it? http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...ed=0CC0Q9QEwAQ

and is this a correct look of liberty blue?

[geeteeohguy]

These cars were not originally clear coated. A nice enamel or urethane job looks appropriate. Basecoat/clearcoat jobs are too shiny: the Barrett Jackson/Glazed Ham look. A lot of folks like the super shiny look. I don't care for it. Both of mine wear single stage paint jobs, the one on my '65 is 29 years old and holding up, and the one on my '67 is 21 years old and still looking good. Try that with a two stage paint job. I keep my cars, and repainting every 10 years because the clear coat is peeling off is not an option for me.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

A nice enamel or urethane job looks appropriate. Basecoat/clearcoat jobs are too shiny: the Barrett Jackson/Glazed Ham look. A lot of folks like the super shiny look. I don't care for it. .

I agree with you...but, if you're getting a pro to paint it, very few of them want to do anything but base coat clear coat any more.
There was an article in HPP a few years ago with many color photos from the Pontiac assembly line. The paint had an almost satin sheen to it back then and it shows very well in the pics. I'll try to find it.
In fact, the '66 in my avatar is from the article. Too small to see here though.

[Darth Menace]

ya, both single stage and bc/cc are an option here. I think I am leaning to Liberty blue...or just go viper blue and be done with it

[Greg Reid]

Liberty is a great color...but nothing wrong with the modern colors either.

[Darth Menace]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Liberty is a great color...but nothing wrong with the modern colors either.

True...its just what i can tell from pictures is that it is a blue thats my style. Then again so is viper blue. I found a viper blue gto on google but it has flames so its hard to get a good look at what the blue looks like because the flames take away from it. im not going to lie ive never seen liberty blue in my life so i am going by pictures only.

I know it differs by computer screens but does anyone know of a good auto paint sites with the colors\codes so i can get an idea

[JVM225]

Liberty Blue is one of my all time favorite colors. It was what was on my 69 that I had back in the 70's.
It's a dark blue, but not a midnight. It was on lots of GM cars in 69 and 70. Different nameplates called it different things, but it was the exact same color.
A friend of mine has a 22k mile 70 Coupe De Ville in that color with white top and interior. The car is amazing looking.

[MCronkGTO]

I have a 67 GTO painted in 1992 Plum Mist base coat clear coat. Still holds it's own at shows today. No problems with clearcoat peeling etc.... Much easier to repair/touch up.

Mark C

[Darth Menace]

this is all good to know. The thing is I have a convertible with a white roof and the interior is parchment/black so I think blue would go good with it. Originally I had silver in mind, but I dont think that would go good with parchment. who knows though. I guess I have a while to decide, so I should focus on getting other issues solved first

[Greg Reid]

Liberty is an excellent color to compliment the parchment interior. Not many look better.

[mudslinger]

Here's a buds 69 GTO, code 51, painted with single stage.
He bought it this way.
It had a scratch in the L quarter when he bought it.
We had to end up spotting it in with base/clear.
That is one problem with going with a single stage, makes it very difficult if you have a spot that needs repainting
These cars originally where painted in single stage, but GM shot them with Lacquer.
They could be polished to a high shine and hence no orange peel to speak of.

With a single stage urethane what you see when it comes out of the booth is what you end up with.
There are very few painters around any more that know how to shoot it.





Bill

[Unclesamscandy]

Base/clear technology and formulation is miles ahead of old technology laquer and enamel paint. Yes, it will be somewhat over restored. Buff it less then. Some restorers have techniques which can make the finish less super shined. However, paint is one area where we generally (in the hobby) want to over-restore. Factory painjobs circa 1969 STUNK.

In some places laquer paint is taboo due to nutty environmental laws too. If you insist, they still make the enamels from the 80s we all had, like Imron etc. I would not use these products. I would only do base/clear. ESPECIALLY on this dark color.

[GTO JOHN]

Originally Posted by Darth Menace

So let's discuss Maaco. I know they have a bad rep, but if i'm not wanting a show car and wanting a more tolerable paint job...are they who to go to? I understand their paint is great, but their paint skills are where they sometimes get their bed rep from

Both these cars were painted at my local Maaco. You need to talk to the manager prior to them working on it so everyone knows what is expected from the job. Doing your own prep work saves a ton of $$$.

[Darth Menace]

Guys, I'm needing some opinions on paint color. I want to change it from this dusty mataor red as I've mentioned. The guy is wanting some input on colors I am interested in. Red is not an option as I already have a red sports car and want to change it up. I don't want to do the carousel red either. The interior is parchment and black, with a white soft-top so I am thinking maybe a paint color with a pearl in it. It can be a factory color or not.

I am leaning towards viper blue. I also like silver, but I don't think it will go good with the parchment. I am also liking a brighter green, or is that a no go area with the GTO? Similar to this green

[JVM225]

I like Liberty Blue