Considering a repaint - opinions requested

[burlybryan]

My '82 was originally a light yellow (can't find the paint code placard anywhere). The PO had a cheapo barely masked off Maaco paint job done about 8 years ago in Inferno Red Pearl - a PT Cruiser color

I don't really hate the color, but the paint job is quite poor. A friend is having his TR6 sanded, blocked and repainted by a freelancing body shop guy for a really good price and it has me thinking.

I'm in love with a non metallic grey color linked below and am trying to decide (if I decide to pursue this endeavor) on restoring the car to the original color or painting a color that I want. Please provide opinions!


http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/upl ... Rear_1.jpg

[vandor]

FWIW, your Spider's original color was one of the most popular when the car was new. Did they paint the door jambs, underhood and trunk areas red too? If not, then it may be a lot easier to go back to the original color.

[Danno]

What color is your interior?

[burlybryan]

Underhood, underside of trunk and door jambs have been repainted. Only the interior of the engine bay and interior of the truck (and concealed areas interior) are the original color. I don't mind stripping the car down though since it's not that difficult.

Interior is tan - sorta. Was originally tan but the PO painted the door panels and center console black. I'll be working on the door panels and console and recovering the seats this winter so I could alter the color - but I like the tan.

Thanks!

[wikkid]

You can't go wrong either way: the gray is gorgeous, would look better with a black interior rather than tan.
The cream color is classic, elegant - sets a quieter, classic roadster tone, and would be perfect with tan.

[81SPIDERMATT]

heads grey .... tails original....... as the coin is in the air.... which one are you hoping it will be..... thats your answer..let the coin hit the ground ... dont even look at it.... just pick what you wanted at that moment..... and years down the road you can say.... awesome ....... or damn should have looked at that coin










grey is my opinion

[spidernut]

I believe from the photos that when you say it is a poorly done paint job you're referencing a less than smooth paint job and lots of overspray. Overspray in fenderwells can be sprayed black to hide the mess. Any metal trim with overspray can be cleaned (carefully) with a razorblade. Rubber parts are harder to clean, but can also be scraped clean.

If the paint lacks the smooth finish you want (orange peeled look), try this before going through the expense of repainting your car:

1. Wash car thoroughly to remove all grit and grime.
2. Locate an inconspicuous spot such as a lower rocker panel (this is usually where the paint looks the worst anyways)
3. Using 2000 grit wet or dry sand paper, a sanding block and a squeegee, lightly sand off the orange peel using LOTS OF WATER to avoid deep scratches in the paint. Use the squeegee to dry the panel and measure progress because you only want to remove the high points in the paint. You'll be able to clearly see your progress. Be careful not to sand against any seams or ridges on the car. You don't want to sand through the paint.
4. When the orange peel is removed, use a foam polishing pad (can be purchased at O'Reilley's, AutoZone, etc) and some McGuire's Scratch and Swirl remover (also at O'Reilley's, Autozone, etc.) and a buffing wheel or drill depending upon which type you buy. It should very rapidly buff back out to a shine. You don't have to press hard...let the buffer do the work.
5. Wipe clean then wax with a good paste wax
6. If the final result meets your approval, buff out one panel at a time until the entire car is completed.

With a single stage paint, the result can be absolutely amazing once you get the orange peel sanded out and buffed. It is a lot cheaper than a re-spray! With a little work, you might be able to salvage the existing paint for under $30.

Just make sure you try a test area first. The paint might be too far gone to salvage and you don't want to make it worse.

Conversely, the grey looks awesome! If you want to spend the $$$, it would be a huge improvement in my opinion!

[burlybryan]

Thanks guys. I'm leaning toward restoring it to the original color, mainly so the trunk, engine bay and interior match. We'll see - maybe go with the coin flip.

Spidernut, thanks for the in depth instructional on paint resto. Aside from the inappropriate color of my Spider, the paint runs the whole gamut of defects - crazing, orange peel, etc. The biggest annoyance though is how thin and brittle it is. Since it was a cut rate job, nothing was removed - only masked (barely). As taillight and other gaskets have shrunken, they've exposed a line of the old paint.

I got the car cheap and was prepared to live with the paint, but for the price this guy will do it for, it's hard to resist. My buddy picked up his TR6 on Friday and it looks amazing.

[davery]

I got the car cheap and was prepared to live with the paint, but for the price this guy will do it for, it's hard to resist. My buddy picked up his TR6 on Friday and it looks amazing.

Cheap huh? How much and where are you located? Is he interested in doing another Fiat? jk

[wizard124]

This thread is of interest to me also. My car has the metallic silver paint. I'm not really a fan of silver but since buying this car, I've been noticing a lot of silver cars ......so it is a popular color
Re-painting all the jams and interior has to be an awful lot of time and effort to do it well. What are the tricks nd suggstions My thought is to decide on a color and rattle can these areas as time and repairs allow, then get a quality exterior spraying. My other thought is to re-paint the exterior in a slightly different color/shade/metallic so that the contrast is not too noticable. I may go to a light metallic grey with a dark blue interior. Thoughts

Back to the OP, I think that cream is a classy look. Would a light metallic gold work with the cream jams? Mustard yellow? IMO, these cars look their best when they are painted brightly.