Build Thread My 1986 T-top Build - Lasting Memories
- Thread starter Davedacarpainter
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Don't know how I missed this post. Two routes to painting, a tech school for painting so you can become a helper and learn the details. Or find a job in a body shop as a gopher, emphasize you want to be a painter one day and ask if you could work your way into a helper's position.
Tech is the more straight way to painting though. You won't be getting a painter's position upon completion of the school, but as a painter's helper.
With effort on your part to really learn what it takes, maybe within a year you could be a painter.
Kind of depends on your natural talents too.
Strange how life deals you a set of cards, and for a lot of folks, that's what you play.
There is a "third way" Dave.
That's the path I started down straight out of HS. Registered, and paid for the first semester of auto body tech at Western Iowa Tech.
Told the career counselor before anything, that I wasn't interested in learning anything except paint. He told me that was do-able.
The first week in, they had us pushing weld beads with a torch.
( I thought where does fire enter into the painting process)
The next week they drug in a totaled 72 LTD, and said that that was the platform for learning in this class,We were gonna straighten, pull, beat, pound, fill and sand, smooth and refinish the car over the next 9 months.
When I asked where the breakout for the specialized "painting only" portion started, the instructor told me it would be the last portion of the class. "Painting is the last thing we teach here" he tells me.
(So I'm gonna wait 8 months to learn basic painting techniques when I specifically asked if there could be a focus on it for a future custom painting career?)
That was 1977.
I quit the next day, got my refunds, and never even attempted to paint another thing until 1983. 1967 Fairlane GT
I painted my first car having only watched a friend. It was raining, It was lacquer, and it blushed like mad.
But it all color sanded out nicely, and when it was buffed it was pretty decent. The body work was sorely lacking, and my new shiny paint made those long wavy quarters look even worse. (Guess I shoulda paid more attention to that part)
But I did it. The first car in 1983, another in 1987, and the last ones (just pieces of it) here in the last 10 years.
I still prefer paint to body work.
I didn't have to spend 9 months and thousand of dollars learning other stuff (like frame straightening). I didn't have to be a gopher doing other stuff either.
I just do sht.
That's the 3rd way. Learn through effort and mistakes. I'ts how I've learned and do everything that I do.
Actually, that is really trick.
Too late for Doby though. Way too much bodywork has been done to the outside to put the new panels on. It is so straight right now that I would cry cutting into it.
The 315's I put on the car will be ok.
Now for the next car though.....maybe @stykthyn or @Boosted92LX ought to look this over with their new cars (assuming they go ahead with what they KNOW they should do and buy the cars they're looking at).
The panels make me want to start another car after this one. First things first though.
Great! I was looking at those as well so you can do mine.
- Dec 19, 2010
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I'm actually just sitting here having finished Trbofox's thread on hi '84 t-top coupe. Very cool build, I was hoping to see what he did with the seat belts for the rear seat, no such luck.
I should be out in the garage working on Doby, BUT, it's 32* outside! Ahhhh! I'm not an Eskimo. Maybe an hour or so and I'll go grind down a weld seam on the firewall and the upper panel, weld a few holes, sling some mud, and finish the front part of the smoothing.
What about you?
Yep, third way. Maybe a fourth too. I started at a shop my brother was painting at back in '77 thanks to him. I was outside with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper sanding down brand new dodge vans for my brother to paint custom jobs on.
My fingers bled like a b*tch for the first month till I got some callouses built up!
After he opened his own shop restoring cars, I was outside sandblasting endless numbers of engine bays. Wheeee!
Don't be so hard on yourself Mike, you do much better than sht.
You bet Noobz.Great! I was looking at those as well so you can do mine.
Your location is behind the Walmart, is that the super Walmart or the grocery one close to my house?
Work! Damn, what's the point off thinking Friday is a good day if you have to work Saturday?I'm up. Just at work. Stupid shut down has me tied up.
I agree,....Saturday will be just another day starting on Monday.
But if you like what you do,...what's the difference? I've been doing nothing for so long now, I look forward to the premise of actually being useful for something I can do that a lot of others can't...Reallly well....
Talk.
Working on the wife's ride. The transfer case grenaded - effectively taking over my weekend and depleting my garage electricity fund 
lol
lol
- Dec 19, 2010
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Working on the wife's ride. The transfer case grenaded - effectively taking over my weekend and depleting my garage electricity fund
lol
That sucks more than a little.Working on the wife's ride. The transfer case grenaded - effectively taking over my weekend and depleting my garage electricity fund
lol
Alright then, I finally sucked up my being a wimp and went out and worked on the firewall. Here's pictures, so, before @madmike1157 :
Began to cut and grind:
I cleaned out all of those little divots with my dremel, then I welded the holes and even welded into the divots because they were so deep:
You can see I left five holes, two for brake line brackets, two for the vacuum tree, and one for the wiper fluid hose.
Ground the welds down and cleaned up the pinch weld seam. Then I spread some bondo, it blocked out MUCH smoother than I thought it was going to. It's actually close to being called straight!
The seam is fairly straight as well:
So, tomorrow morning, gonna be 32* again, I'll just have to get cold. I'll glaze the firewall and finish the right side of the engine bay. This worked out ok then. I just wanted to be sure I primer the engine bay Monday night.
Began to cut and grind:
I cleaned out all of those little divots with my dremel, then I welded the holes and even welded into the divots because they were so deep:
You can see I left five holes, two for brake line brackets, two for the vacuum tree, and one for the wiper fluid hose.
Ground the welds down and cleaned up the pinch weld seam. Then I spread some bondo, it blocked out MUCH smoother than I thought it was going to. It's actually close to being called straight!
The seam is fairly straight as well:
So, tomorrow morning, gonna be 32* again, I'll just have to get cold. I'll glaze the firewall and finish the right side of the engine bay. This worked out ok then. I just wanted to be sure I primer the engine bay Monday night.
Looks great. That's going to be well worth your efforts when it's shot with paint.
Thanks Scott, It really was the easiest panel to smooth. I would definitely recommend anyone smoothing their engine bay to go ahead and do this panel.
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I have been throwing up since 12:30 this morning, stomach virus, running a wicked fever.
So I may not do anything on Doby till this afternoon.
Want to finish smoothing the engine bay.
Jeez my stomach hurts right now though.
Who's a big baby? Why it's me!
So I may not do anything on Doby till this afternoon.
Want to finish smoothing the engine bay.
Jeez my stomach hurts right now though.
Who's a big baby? Why it's me!
I knew that an extra day wouldn't kill you more or less ( provided you don't die from some stomach virus instead).
Now, instead of having me to cuss, you'll have me to thank.
You're welcome.
Now, instead of having me to cuss, you'll have me to thank.
You're welcome.
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