TheSamba.com :: View topic - A economical and fast fast lift .. revised and shortened

Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:44 pm

I am selling a 71 super that I drove for a year while saving up money to get a nice 2005 Passat.
Now, I have done a lot of mechanical work on this fat chick, including changing out all the bushings and struts in the front and just about everything else on her sweet plump little body.
Therefore, I will be able to look straight into the buyers eyes and tell them its a solid bug and taken well care of...

As far as the exterior though ? She has a fair coat of black single stage on her now and at a distance it still looks pretty good. But when you get up close, she shows her years. A dozen rock chips here, two or three 4" inch dents there...etc..

So, I need to give this girl an exterior face lift to make her presentable.

Am i cheating the interested buyer by doing this quick, simple, inexpensive cover up? If I don't say its a nice restored car, I don't think so. Do I have to tell them its a inexpensive paint job, that might only last a year or so ? I don't think so and yet... I do. I'm torn.
I mean this is what I need to do to sell the ol' girl. Mechanically she is sound, so just make her presentable. If the new owner wants to spend thousands on a new paint job and even change the color, that's his choice.

I am good at body work so;
I thought I would fix the dents, sand her down with 600 grit, shoot a $60 gallon of paint on her and call it good, yes ?

Another thought, was to just fix the dents, rattle can prime/paint the areas and put a clear coat over the existing paint. But, can you put a clear coat over an existing single stage paint?

Or, just take it to econo paint and let them shoot it for 120 bucks and call it done ?

Any feedback on the above is welcome, You know what I am trying to do, what do you think ? How can I get this girl presentable on the outside because on the inside she is sweeeet !

Thanks...Rick

Tue Sep 09, 2014 8:51 am

Body repair is part of car maintenance - I don't think there is anything wrong with repairing and repainting a car body in the effort to sell it for more money (it can be hard to make it worth your time, though).

It's up to you to do the repairs right - if you cut corners and sell it off as a properly restored car, that's on you. Many buyers are skeptical of resprays for this very reason...

Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:35 am

thanks for the response mark.. I think my story telling scared folks away..

I agree with what you said, but I am asking for the most economical, less time consuming way to give her a face lift.. I wouldn't say she is 'restored' etc..

Mark, can you put a clear coat over single stage ?

Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:25 am

I would bodywork it & sand out the rock chips. Spray more black & clear coat then 'name your price' for it as it will look good! You can spray the black & clear in one continuous day. MAACO is not the right answer! :lol:

Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:25 pm

check the paint/clearcoat tech sheets to see if your single stage paint is compatible with a clear coat - a lot of the acrylic urethane single stage paints are compatible with urethane clear coats, but I guess I don't understand why someone wouldn't just spray base/clear if their goal is to clear coat.

I've never sprayed clear coats, so I have no idea if they are compatible with old aged finishes, or if you need to respray the entire car with base coat prior to clear coat.