Paint with Body ON or Body OFF?

[JRD56]

I'm nearly ready to paint my roadster body. All body work is done and I'll be doing the final wet sand shortly. I've read thru a lot of threads but still can't decide whether to paint it with the body on or body off. Currently the body is off and it will certainly be easier to paint that way. I do have a paint booth with enough room to paint the body on the body buck, lay the hood and trunk flat on stands, and paint the doors mounted on a stand vertically so I get to all sides. So I can do all components at the same time.

I'll be painting it with a metallic paint (Viking Blue) and non-metallic white stripes. Base coat/clear coat. It seems the preference is to paint with the hood, doors and trunk installed to ensure the metallic paint looks consistent when finished and in the sun. However, it also seems many are not painted that way and turn out fine. I'm hoping to get opinions based on others experience.

If I do paint with the components installed, do I paint the jams first and what is the best way to do that?

Lastly, what is the best way to do the stripes? I don't want to feel the transition between the blue and white when its all complete. I realize that entails some extra work wet sanding the clear, but is it best to spray the white, tape the stripes and then blue. Or do the whole thing in blue then tape and paint the the white stripes.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

[CraigS]

From what I have noticed in body work threads, some of the guys build stands to hold the hood, trunk lid, and doors, in the same orientation they would be on the car. The hood and deck lid could be painted underside first, dry and then flip over since you can't really see both sides at the same time in case there is a slight difference. Having the doors on a stand that mounts to the hinge studs lets you paint both inside and outside at the same time which is good because that top 5 inches or so of door is readily visible inside and out. I will let those w/ a lot more experience than I have chime in on your other questions.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Body off with the moving panels in their installed orientation. I posted some info and photos a while back showing my stands for the doors, hood and trunk lid which allow them to be turned without having to wait for drying so that everything can be sprayed in the same session.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?24635-Painting-setup-for-doors-hood-and-trunk&highlight=contraptions

You may have to do the Photobucket fix to see the photos:

PHOTOBUCKET FIX (http://www.ffcars.com/forums/43-off-topic-discussions/615786-photobucket-fix.html)

Cheers,
Jeff

[JRD56]

Craig and Jeff, thanks for the quick replies.

Jeff, I did build your "flip flops" based on the reference Srobinsonx2 made in his infamous body build thread. They've work great to this point. However, they will not fit in the booth with everything else if I go with body off. So I may spray the underside of the hood and trunk so they will fit in the booth with the body and doors.

Craig, I did mount the doors as you described. I did modify them after the first time I sprayed primer. They now are at a slight angle which allows better access to the front edges while spraying.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84294&d=1524002843

[JRD56]

And Jeff, God bless you for posting the photobucket fix, I've been trying to figure that out. It worked fine.

Jim

[David Hodgkins]

Body off with the moving panels in their installed orientation. I posted some info and photos a while back showing my stands for the doors, hood and trunk lid which allow them to be turned without having to wait for drying so that everything can be sprayed in the same session.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?24635-Painting-setup-for-doors-hood-and-trunk&highlight=contraptions

You may have to do the Photobucket fix to see the photos:

PHOTOBUCKET FIX (http://www.ffcars.com/forums/43-off-topic-discussions/615786-photobucket-fix.html)

Cheers,
Jeff

You're such a helpful guy Jeff!

:)

[cgundermann]

You're such a helpful guy Jeff!

:)

He’s “The Man” - for every direct answer/guidance he provides, dozens of Forum members indirectly benefit!

Chris

[Avalanche325]

I have only done one, but here is my two cents.

Body off.
All panels in their correct orientation, but not on the car.
Paint the stripe color first. This way you only mask off the stripes. The other way, you have to mask the entire car.
Stripe layout is more art than science. The car is not symmetrical, so measurements will not be spot on. Remember that the stripes don't need to BE straight, they need to LOOK straight. You may have to fudge a bit to get them to hit the visual queue areas so they look correct.
I used Jeff's contraptions. They worked great.
With 3 coats of clear, there is plenty of meat to sand the stripe transition out.

The most important advice that I can give you is DO WHAT KLEINER AND DaBAT SAY.

A booth. That is serious luxury. Good luck!!!

[j.miller]

OFF...da Bat

[Dave Howard]

No votes for "body on" paint job ? Hard to believe.

[JRD56]

Well if the Jeffs say body on then body on it is. I'll be painting this weekend. Thanks for all the reply's.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Well if the Jeffs say body on then body on it is.

Except we didn't say body on :p

Jeff

[JRD56]

OOPS, meant body off. I spent yesterday brewing beer with a group of friends. Perhaps I sampled a few too many...........

[Jeff Kleiner]

OOPS, meant body off. I spent yesterday brewing beer with a group of friends. Perhaps I sampled a few too many...........

In that case you're excused :)

Jeff

[cgundermann]

Lol...

[j.miller]

WHAT ! ...WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE !!!......This is stressing me out ! gonna need some of that "home brew".

[rich grsc]

I think what is happening is people don't understand everything they read. Maybe if the print is larger it will make sense. And a bright color too.:p

Body off

[Chris @ Forma]

Body Off, otherwise too many things in the way.

Chris

[j.miller]

I think what is happening is people don't understand everything they read. Maybe if the print is larger it will make sense. And a bright color too.:p

Body off



Rich, Brother....you are in the ballpark.....ONE MORE TIME BUT WITH "FEELING"....and I swear to god if you ask me "what's my motivation "one more time, I will pull over and make you walk home !...da Bat

[Mark Eaton]

So... You guys are saying BODY OFF??

[cgundermann]

Your going to send Miller into rehab...one shot of rum too many...it’s like an alcoholic induced vapor lock...

Chris

[Mark Eaton]

No worries I'll get him out of rehab when I show up to HB this weekend. I just hope there are some extablishments in the area that serve adult beverages because I'm going to need a few after the week I have ahead of me! Its not a dry county or anything is it!?

Mark

[rich grsc]

Well if it is a dry county, for the first time ever(:rolleyes:), California now has medicinal herbs. :cool:

[JRD56]

Body OFF

Paint ON

Got the color and clear coat on today. I'm going to wait a few days, have a home-brew then wet sand, cut & Polish. Not really looking forward to that..........
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84854&d=1524536838

[phileas_fogg]

Body OFF

Paint ON

Got the color and clear coat on today. I'm going to wait a few days, have a home-brew then wet sand, cut & Polish. Not really looking forward to that..........
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84854&d=1524536838

Is that Viking Blue with Wimbledon White stripes?


John

[Jeff Kleiner]

There ya' go :)

Looks like Guardsman and Wimbledon but lighting may be playing with that.

Jeff

[JRD56]

Its very close to Viking Blue, but is actually Antigua Blue, which is a 1999 Land Rover Discovery color. When I looked at the paint chips side by side, I liked Antigua better. Beauty is in the eye's of the beholder as they say. The stripes are Wimbledon White.

[WIS89]

JRD-

Love the color; very nicely done!! I look forward to seeing more as you wrap it up.

Regards,

Steve

[phileas_fogg]

Its very close to Viking Blue, but is actually Antigua Blue, which is a 1999 Land Rover Discovery color. When I looked at the paint chips side by side, I liked Antigua better. Beauty is in the eye's of the beholder as they say. The stripes are Wimbledon White.

I love that color too. Do you happen to have a paint code (Land Rover or other) for Antigua Blue?


John

[JRD56]

The paint code is 645, JFN. PPG # is 191204. I'm using Matrix which is # 191099. Here is a better picture of it out in the Sun.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84998&d=1524743105

[phileas_fogg]

Thanks very much!


John