The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop truck is in the paint shop

My '55 1st series truck is the paint shop. I will not get the truck back for 3 or 4 months. The body and paint guy only works the shop part time. He has a day job as a fireman. The timing is fine as it will be ready in the spring. Have not decided on the color for the truck. Thinking about mat black. It is in black primer now. Some of my friends told me to just leave it as is. After all it is a truck. Bottom line is I want it painted.

My opinion on what looks best on these trucks is a finish that is as shiny as you can afford. It has to do with all of the curved surfaces that gives multiple views of the shininess. A flat paint makes them look like a black and white movie. The difference is like when you watch the beginning of The Wizard of Oz compared to when it changed to Technicolor when Dorothy ended up in Oz (or did she? Hmm...)
Carl

It makes no sense at all to have anything painted flat primer. In a few years the coolness of a no gloss paint job will fade.
A barn find vehicle that has a like new shiny paint job will out sell any dull paint job one at a collector auction any day.

Dont leave it in primer, unless it's epoxy primer it wont hold up to the weather & will start to rust It needs to be top coated.
If you are leaning toward the primer look, the matte black is the way to go. SpiesHecker makes a nice single stage matte black, or if you decide on base/clear, choose any color & go with a flat, or matte clear.

Went over to the body shop on Monday. Spent the day removing the box from the frame. Last year I installed new wood in the bed. Removed the wood from the box. Wood still looks great. Removed the running boards, bumpers, lights, grille and the miscellanous trim. I was sore for a couple days. This old guy is not used to working all day. LOL. Ordered door weather strip. winshield gasket and back window channel from Steel Rubber Products. Nothing like made in America.

The truck is not staying in primer. I really like the color black. That limits my choice. It will either be painted mat black or gloss black. The painter said either way the truck will look great. I miss having the truck in my garage. Looking forward to the day I get it back home.

If your paint shop guy is like most in this country, better double or triple the time it will be in 'paint shop jail'. My 3 month job is turing in to a year.... Guess that's how it goes in this generation.

Good luck!

My 3 month estimate turned into a 12 month visitation. If I ran my business like that I wouldn't last even that length of time however, that seems to be par for the course as I understand it these days.

Just my 2 cents but gloss black looks great on the AD trucks. You don't see many that color either. Have him paint it gloss black and if you want matt you can knock it down with 1500 grit. Then later on if you like the shiny look you can rub it out but I think when you see the gloss black you will fall in love with it.

Joe

Is it in a Collision shop, or a Restoration shop?
That makes a big difference.

I am painting a 56 Chevy with Eastwood's Dead Rat flat black. I am going for a 50's hot rod look. Very easy to spray and looks cool. Black is a very unforgiving paint. Body work underneath has to be perfect (more time and more money). I would stay in a factory color family. Looks factory only cooler.