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mgalvin
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2006
Posts: 13
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 Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:05 am Post subject: Painting the Thing |
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Hi everyone,
Just bought my wonderful Thing! Already love it. The orig. color was white, but the orig owner painted it a different color.
Would like to get it back to white. Can anyone recommend how I should go about it and the costs?
There is only one small area on the bumber with rust.
michaelg
[email protected] |
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Captain Spalding
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 2519
Location: . . . in denial.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Painting the Thing |
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| mgalvin wrote: |
Hi everyone,
Just bought my wonderful Thing! Already love it. The orig. color was white, but the orig owner painted it a different color.
Would like to get it back to white. Can anyone recommend how I should go about it and the costs?
There is only one small area on the bumber with rust.
michaelg
[email protected] |
Hi Michael,
That's a very broad question. The sky's the limit on paint jobs. Are we talking One-Day Paint and Auto Body, or a Concours restoration? Just a scuff and spray, or take it down to the metal and start over with acid-etch primer, etc. Even after you have determined what level of finish you want to achieve, the cost can vary widely based on several factors. Body work, rust mitigation (there will be more than you think there is), color choice, etc. How much work are you willing to put in yourself? That will also affect the bottom line. If you are strong in the opposable thumb department, and you can remove the bumpers, switches, seats, plastic trim etc. etc. you will save a lot of cash. Removing/installing that stuff isn't brain surgery, but it does take time.
Then there are the ancillary costs. I can tell you from experience - when you paint a car white, it will make all your rubber trim, your upholstery, and your top look pretty tired. You won't be satisfied unless you replace at least some of that. You'll want to powder coat the bumpers as part of the process. Maybe the wheels too. See how it starts to add up? I'm not trying to discourage you. I just want you to jump in with both eyes open.
Here's something to whet your appetite.
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mgalvin
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:37 am Post subject: |
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Wow, your right. A bit more thinking on my side is needed. Will call around for a few quotes and see what the $ amount will be.
That's a nice Thing... Is it yours?
michaelg |
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Captain Spalding
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 2519
Location: . . . in denial.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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| mgalvin wrote: |
| That's a nice Thing... Is it yours? |
Hey - it's only your second post - let's not get so personal! 
Seriously, thanks for the kind words. Yep. It's mine. Welcome to the forum.
Spalding |
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radioman
Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2004
Posts: 430
Location: Irmo, SC
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Mgalvin: Welcome! You will learn that the Captain's Thing is PERFECT!!! As you can tell from his pics. Also, he is very well informed! Glad to have you join us. Lots of good advice and friendship here. Stay close: someone here has fixed your very issue!!! 
_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill |
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mgalvin
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:06 am Post subject: |
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This has been a great forum and loving my Thing. All of my neighbors came over wanting my Thing  ... Have wanted one since I was five and San Diego is the perfect place for one to drive on weekends.
There is a 3 inch rip in the black top, is there an easy and affordable way of repairing? Top is in great condition besides this issue so not wanting to replace yet.
michaelg |
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n0limdon
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2005
Posts: 192
Location: Cresco, Ia.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:01 am Post subject: |
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| I use coax sealant, available at Radio Shack, comes in a roll much like tape. It stays pliable in all kinds of weather. I use it on mine, once in a while you will have to "knead" it or maybe even add a bit more if you put the top up and down often. Blends in very good and not too noticeable as far as a cheap repair goes. |
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thealamo1013
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2006
Posts: 6
Location: Abington, PA
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jeb cranford
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2006
Posts: 4
Location: Durham, NC
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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I am planning on painting my "73.
Does anyone have any help tips?
Is it true that the orginal paint did not have a high gloss? |
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Captain Spalding
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 2519
Location: . . . in denial.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| jeb cranford wrote: |
I am planning on painting my "73.
Does anyone have any help tips?
Is it true that the orginal paint did not have a high gloss? |
Are you going to paint the car yourself? What is your ultimate goal for the car? Show car? Daily driver? Somewhere in between?
As to the semigloss paint job, I can't say for sure, but others have made comment that the factory paint was not high gloss. Flattener can be added to any topcoat in various amounts to achieve any effect from a subtle de-gloss to flat flat.
Welcome to the forum. |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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The brochures say "semi-gloss", but don't lose any sleep over it. You can still see plenty of shine in period photographs:
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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jeb cranford
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2006
Posts: 4
Location: Durham, NC
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Spalding wrote: |
Are you going to paint the car yourself? What is your ultimate goal for the car? Show car? Daily driver? Somewhere in between?
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I am going for a "nice" daily driver or somewhere in between.
I am going to have to paint it myself (unless I hit the lottery). I have painted a Jeep with good results except for the hood which caught a lot of fall out due bad airflow. |
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Thingggg
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004
Posts: 353
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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Remove body from pan.
Have body media blasted.
Do the body work
Pait the body in booth--two stage.
Put body back on pan.
It will now be better than new and this type of work is the only one that you can recoop your $$$s on if you ever sell it.
1K for media blast
4K for proffesional paint job, 1K if you do it yourself.
RENT A BOOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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A booth would be nice. There was a booth for rent near me, but they seem to have moved.
Last time I painted my jeep I did it in the backyard on a windless day. It looked pretty nice for 8 years or so, till a oak tree fell on it in Carmel.
If I paint our Thing I think I will turn my garage into a booth. Cover the ceiling and walls with plastic, vent it out the door with a fan. My compressor is a large 220 80 gallon 2 stage, it will keep up. We will see, so far the paint is ok. I would like to replace a door and maybe the fenders. I can do those off the car in a small space. |
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surferdudedav
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2004
Posts: 517
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| when i paint mine ill be in a friends paint booth.. gotta love hook up's.. |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:55 am Post subject: |
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| surferdudedav wrote: |
| when i paint mine ill be in a friends paint booth.. gotta love hook up's.. |
Dude, you are only 15 minutes away. I am running down to Mr Keg on Beach and Talbert for a keg in the morning. Kind of a surprise, went out for a beer and found I was empty.
If your friend has a paint booth available I have cash,,,,, |
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surferdudedav
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2004
Posts: 517
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| Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Ferretkona wrote: |
| surferdudedav wrote: |
| when i paint mine ill be in a friends paint booth.. gotta love hook up's.. |
Dude, you are only 15 minutes away. I am running down to Mr Keg on Beach and Talbert for a keg in the morning. Kind of a surprise, went out for a beer and found I was empty.
If your friend has a paint booth available I have cash,,,,, |
dude.. that would almost werk but.. im in ohio right now |
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bucko
Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2004
Posts: 2617
Location: Coppell, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Dude, I wish I had a booth. That's the only part of car restoration I have to pay out for.
Bummer man, totaly bum'd out. |
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Pittoale
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Always dreamed of a Line-X or Rhinoliner paint job... |
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Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22431
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Ferretkona wrote: |
If I paint our Thing I think I will turn my garage into a booth. Cover the ceiling and walls with plastic, vent it out the door with a fan. My compressor is a large 220 80 gallon 2 stage, it will keep up. We will see, so far the paint is ok. I would like to replace a door and maybe the fenders. I can do those off the car in a small space. |
We shot my dad's Thing in my garage, and it turned out pretty damn good, considering it was a garage paint job. We broke the car down into 2 sections when we painted it. The inside section got hit first, due to there being so much of it to paint (and we had quite a bit of rust to deal with). We shot the front trunk (with the gas tank out) and underside of the trunk lid first, then moved toward the back of the car. The engine compartment got hit next while the engine was out, then we did the inside of the passenger compartment (including the dash). We did all of this on a thursday night, as I wanted the paint to dry before I started running the electrical back where it belonged, and I still had the brake lines to run, so we could tape and paper it off before doing the outside. During the next week, we shot the floor and suspension components. These were papered off, along with the entire inside of the car at the trim line. Then it was on to shooting the outside. We took the doors off, and shot them laying on a table (the inside of them was hit the week before, and papered off), along with the fenders, as we felt it would be easier to get to both sides of the fenders this way (along with the lip on the body that the fender sits against), and make it a little easier for the painter. This worked out pretty good, as the inside of the car took about 5 hours to shoot, while the outside took about 3 hours. We shot the car using PPG's DCC series paint (Concept). This is a single stage paint, with the clear built into it. It made it a lot easier for the painter, due to him not having to walk around re-hitting everything for a second time to get the shine up (he's used to base coat clear coat painting), and it dries very quickly (good for a garage paint job). I hope this helps.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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