The one example my Father set for me was of a mindset that he could do anything.... Literally ! He had polio when he was 4 years old and wore 25 pounds of braces on his legs his whole life. He hated ADA when the law was enacted because it was premised on the word "Disability". He frequently said he was handicapped, not disabled.... and would then go on to say they handicap the fastest horses and the best golfers just to level the playing field. Polio was a personal challenge to him that he could do anything and everything that a person with two good legs could do. Thus my entire childhood I learned that can't was not in my vocabulary.
With that background when I saved the Champ from the crusher I was determined to do everything myself.... engine, new floorboards, weld fender patches, bodywork, paint, upholstry etc... everything. I did have to call uncle on the 4th try and have my windshield man come help. Other than that, "I did build it myself"! Prior to that I had never welded, done upholstry or paint/body work.
One of the most important things I learned in the process is that a driveway paint job isn't that hard or expensive. I cringe when I see any classic with an ugly faded finish and kick myself for some of the cars I've owned that looked that bad and could have been dressed up so easily. For a Mecum or Barrent/Jackson show car you probably still want to drop $10 grand for a perfect finish but for a daily driver for a couple hundred dollars you can easily produce a finish superior to Macco or Earl Scheib. Primer, degreaser and twice as much paint and clear coat as I needed on the Galaxie below totaled $386.
The secret today is HVLP paint guns that you can buy for $15 at Harbor Freight and base, clear coat paint systems. Welding patch panels do complicate things a bit but the paint end of the project is not to be feared. Appropriate sanding, removal/masking of shiny and cleaning the surface with paint shop degreaser then lay down the base coat in multiple thin layers. The book calls for 10 minutes between coats so by the time I get around the car it's ready for one more coat... half a gallon of base and half a dozen trips around the car produces a finish as flat as your second grade blackboard. Half an hour for the base to flash and repeat the process with at least a half dozen coats of clear coat. Wet Sand the clear with 1000 grit, 1500 grit then 2000 or 2500 grit almost through the orange peel. Then get out the buffer and Mcguires heavy or medium cut and you will be amazed at your handy work.
With the Champ done, we did a driveway paint job on this Galaxie 500 XL. Sorry about the brand but to make a point here is before during and after.
With that background when I saved the Champ from the crusher I was determined to do everything myself.... engine, new floorboards, weld fender patches, bodywork, paint, upholstry etc... everything. I did have to call uncle on the 4th try and have my windshield man come help. Other than that, "I did build it myself"! Prior to that I had never welded, done upholstry or paint/body work.
One of the most important things I learned in the process is that a driveway paint job isn't that hard or expensive. I cringe when I see any classic with an ugly faded finish and kick myself for some of the cars I've owned that looked that bad and could have been dressed up so easily. For a Mecum or Barrent/Jackson show car you probably still want to drop $10 grand for a perfect finish but for a daily driver for a couple hundred dollars you can easily produce a finish superior to Macco or Earl Scheib. Primer, degreaser and twice as much paint and clear coat as I needed on the Galaxie below totaled $386.
The secret today is HVLP paint guns that you can buy for $15 at Harbor Freight and base, clear coat paint systems. Welding patch panels do complicate things a bit but the paint end of the project is not to be feared. Appropriate sanding, removal/masking of shiny and cleaning the surface with paint shop degreaser then lay down the base coat in multiple thin layers. The book calls for 10 minutes between coats so by the time I get around the car it's ready for one more coat... half a gallon of base and half a dozen trips around the car produces a finish as flat as your second grade blackboard. Half an hour for the base to flash and repeat the process with at least a half dozen coats of clear coat. Wet Sand the clear with 1000 grit, 1500 grit then 2000 or 2500 grit almost through the orange peel. Then get out the buffer and Mcguires heavy or medium cut and you will be amazed at your handy work.
With the Champ done, we did a driveway paint job on this Galaxie 500 XL. Sorry about the brand but to make a point here is before during and after.
)
BP
We've got to quit saying, 
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