Re-attaching sheet metal

[Gallivan]

I'm hanging all the sheet metal for painting- my painter would like to paint it with the engine out.

I've visited the Ray-Lin site and am following his procedure.

My question: what is the minimum supporting structure under the hood that I need to install so I can hang the hood, but without installing the radiator and shroud etc??

Gallivan
57 Golden Hawk
Golden, CO

[Studeman]

I'm not sure what you are asking??? If you are painting it with the engine out, I assume he wants to do the firewall and inner fenders. I always paint the underside of the hood first and let it cure a few days, and then tape off the underside at the seam(rear edge of hood) and under the folded edges.
I put the fenders on stands in their mounted positions, with the hood flat on a stand between them. This way, I can work from the main body to the fenders, across the hood to the opposite fender, and then back to the main body. This guarantees a good color-match from panel-to-panel.
This process requires extra care during re-assembly to prevent chips, scratches etc. But it's the best way to keep overspray off your detailed engine and front frame.


Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[bams50]

I've been trying to decide for my 62 Daytona (bare shell) whether to cut in the panels, (including firewall, inner fenders, inside trunk) and hang and adjust them and paint the car whole, or paint doors, fenders, nose, hood and decklid separately and hang afterward. Suggestions?

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"It was the last chance for Studebaker to turn things around. The company was down to its last bullet, and this new small car was it. They called it the Lark"

[dong]

If you paint the panels separately, I believe it is very difficult to reassemble everything without scratches. One suggestion is to paint the firewall and door jambs. then the inner fenders and inside edges of the doors, then install the doors, quarters and fenders, then paint the inside of the trunk, then paint the outside of the car. then paint the hood and trunk off the car. I guess there are lots of different ways to do it but that is the sequence that seems to make sense on my Lark. I am at the stage of putting the quarters, and fenders on. Just got the doors on yesterday.

Don

[bams50]

Good response. My issue with doing it like you said is the problem of overspray on inner surfaces when you paint the outside. Seems like high-end restorers paint the stripped shell inside and out, and the panels individually at the same time.

How do the rest of you do a Lark specifically? I would assume the rear fenders would be installed before paint... the rest is what I'm wondering about...

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"It was the last chance for Studebaker to turn things around. The company was down to its last bullet, and this new small car was it. They called it the Lark"

[dong]

I agree about the overspray, but lots of paper and tape should alleviate the problem. Most of the overspray as well as the tape lines can then be hidden by the rubber mouldings.

Don

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by bams50

I've been trying to decide for my 62 Daytona (bare shell) whether to cut in the panels, (including firewall, inner fenders, inside trunk) and hang and adjust them and paint the car whole, or paint doors, fenders, nose, hood and decklid separately and hang afterward. Suggestions?

Your first suggestion is a "must" for metallic paints. If you paint a door flat (for example) and a fender sitting up, they will probably look different when both are reattached to the car.

This method will require masking twice. Not a big deal, but count on 8 hours or so to properly mask the car each time.

The second method works well for non-metallic paints. It gives an overall better job (no masking lines, subtle color changes, overspray,etc), and only requires masking once (and less masking than the first option)

For either method, you should make sure your gaps and panel alignment are where you want them, then blow the car apart for paint. Keep track of shims. You can drill tiny holes in hinges to realign them when reassembling.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[Studeman]

quote:Originally posted by bams50

Seems like high-end restorers paint the stripped shell inside and out, and the panels individually at the same time.
BINGO!!!

How do the rest of you do a Lark specifically? I would assume the rear fenders would be installed before paint...
Yes, But the inside where the panels meet, and far inside where you can't reach, will be "trimmed-out" but not finished... After the REAR fenders are installed, the main bodyshell can be painted completely inside-out.

the rest is what I'm wondering about...

I have several stands that allow me to hang the doors right next to their door opening- and paint them fully (inside, outside, underside,+jambs) as the shell is painted. I also place the fenders and hood in their proper relationship to the shell- and paint them at the same time. Jumping from shell-to-fender-across hood-to fender..and back to the shell.
This would be difficult for the home hobbyist due to the cost of the stands, and space needed to paint everything at the same time.
Due to Studebaker's design, most Larks can be done differently without creating too much work. You can paint inside the trunk, underside of the hood & trunklid, and the door jambs before doing the rest. There are seams and areas where tape-lines won't show up once assembled.
The firewall and inner fenders are a bit more problematic. I don't like taping them off. So I just plan ahead not to.

Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[Warren Webb]

Ray has some very valuable tips here. I also prefer to paint the exterior all at the same time, but before i do, I have the rear fenders off, paint the edges with Por 15, then jamb them in the exterior color, mount them on the body & caulk the edges where needed (rear upper & lower body panels, door jamb area, ect.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[bams50]

Thanks for the input. Your comments are well-taken by me (while mooching off Gallivan's thread)[:I]

I'm leaning toward cutting in and hanging the panels and painting the car assembled. Past experience has shown me that gap and panel alignment can be a long, annoying, frustrating process. The procedure is usually fit, disassemble, paint, and re-fit, but this time with new paint on... They never seem to just pop back together correctly on the second assemble, which means a lot of effort duplicated...

Still, it is a more thorough job t'other way.......



Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"It was the last chance for Studebaker to turn things around. The company was down to its last bullet, and this new small car was it. They called it the Lark"

[Gallivan]

Definitely a lot of good advice here- I'll have to print it up and take it to my paint man- this will be a copper metallic paint, so hopefully he has the stands and room to set it up as suggested. I'm thinking now it might be worth trailering the car over there and let him do the firewall and inner fenders, bring it back home and install the engine and rest of the sheet metal, and bring it back.

By the way, they must have painted the car with the engine in place at the factory- the bottoms of my inners did not get fully sprayed and the original crayon markings are still there.

Gallivan
57 Golden Hawk
Golden, CO

[Warren Webb]

No, they didnt paint the inner fenders with the engine in the car. Studebaker used real humans right to the end, unlike most other manufacturers of the 60's when, by then robatic arms did most of the spraying, at least on the outer surfaces. My first factory tour was the Linden New Jersey G.M. plant where the only parts that were done by men were the jambs (door,hood,trunk, ect) which was quite an experience since the robatic arms would spray a yellow car, followed by a black car without purging the spray head. One thing also I noticed there, the bodies of the cars were primered a different color than the front end sheet metal, so with just a certain amount of paint applied to both parts, with some colors that had alot less coverage, there was a mismatch between the front fenders & doors. That is somthing I never saw on a Studebaker. As a matter of fact, although we have alot of rust areas, especially in the front floors, the inner panels of our cars got alot more color than the "big 3" put on theirs.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[studegary]

[quote]Originally posted by Gallivan

Definitely a lot of good advice here- I'll have to print it up and take it to my paint man- this will be a copper metallic paint, so hopefully he has the stands and room to set it up as suggested. I'm thinking now it might be worth trailering the car over there and let him do the firewall and inner fenders, bring it back home and install the engine and rest of the sheet metal, and bring it back.

By the way, they must have painted the car with the engine in place at the factory- the bottoms of my inners did not get fully sprayed and the original crayon markings are still there.

Gallivan
57 Golden Hawk
Golden, CO
[/quote

No, the front fenders were not even on your car when they were painted. I have found a great deal of difference in the amount of color/exterior paint on inner fenders of the late 50s and '60s Studebakers. It all depended on the line painter at the time. That is why some swear that their inner fenders were painted a different color than the exterior, when all they are really seeing is primer that was never covered well.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[bams50]

I think I'd rather leave the engine OUT while the car is painted, for the following reasons:

1. Prevents overspray/dirt from getting in/on your engine

2. Prevents anything getting dropped on or down, or stolen from, your engine

3. Allows you to easily do the inevitable underhood cleaning/touchup you'll need to do without the engine in the way

Sure, it may increase the PITA level slightly, but I feel it's well worth it.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"It was the last chance for Studebaker to turn things around. The company was down to its last bullet, and this new small car was it. They called it the Lark"

[52 Ragtop]

Also, remember, if you paint the outer panels first, then spray the jams and inner fenders etc, you will not have to polish any overspry off the inner jams! You are going to color sand and buff the exterior, so what if a little overspray gets on it!
When I sprayed my 62 ragtop, it was a body shell only, then the doors and deck lid, then after those were assembled and fitted, I sprayed the front end.
If everything has been properly fitted to the car BEFORE you paint it, and you take your time to assemble it that will help prevent scratching it.

Jim