'Streamline' 1968 camaro project

[slimjim]

Package tray came out awesome!

Thanks, just abs and some routing at this point, tried to keep it somewhat simple and modern, nothing overly creative. I still need to make the center piece and I’m hoping to incorporate a third brake light if possible.

[Motown 454]

Rear speaker deck came out really nice, I like the way the open center section looks. Even if it's not finished. You're doing a nice clean install.

[slimjim]

Small win, the original seat covers can still fit on the modified backrest but still need some further tweaking, but this is big for saving time in getting the car on the road.
The materials don’t match perfectly but this is a future problem.
I took a break from the upholstery, this bloody dash is very time consuming, and I want to continue perfecting certain areas.

For now I will continue getting the car close to paint.

[slimjim]

Not sure how it ended up here but let's just say if I had this mediocre level of skill and reckless attitude years ago, this car would have been finished a long time ago..

After another call with the painter I've been waiting on for months, and another postponement to the new year, I woke up one day with a "F#%& it" attitude, ordered an Anest Iwata Kiwami 4 from Japan and some paint and decided to see what happens..

Between the wife's new business, a second child and an already full schedule, I spent many nights setting up the garage, and while weather was warm(ish), I spent the early hours of thanksgiving laying it down on my car. shaking with nerves and convincing myself I could sand it off if I fail, it actually turned out alright.

The massive diversion in the project has clearly resulted in a different color, but the panel painting made a dark metallic silver no longer an option and I'm quite happy about that. If there's any better option, it's definitely black.

I sprayed reduced SPI epoxy as sealer and it came our perfect! the black SPI single stage not so much, I just couldn't get the gun setup how I'd like but I threw down 4 coats and am happy enough with the result.

I left it a couple of days before staying up late one night and followed the advice from Don H on how he cuts and buffs this paint. Honestly I did not think I'd recover this paint as much as I did and after finishing just the PS rear fender at this point, arguably the most peeled panel, I am blown away with the flawless finish.

Anyways, here's some pics, a lot of late nights ahead getting this thing slick.







Yeah that's me in my underwear.

So just to add for anyone else having bodyshop problems or second guessing themselves, I have NEVER done any of this. Never sprayed paint other than what is on this car, Never blocked, Never used a rotary polisher. But I have watched a LOT of YouTube, read a lot of forums(especially SPIuserforum), and spoke to folks.

[dhutton]

Looks great Jim, well except for you in the underwear…. :D. I knew your attention to detail would result in a great result.

Don

[slimjim]

Looks great Jim, well except for you in the underwear…. :D. I knew your attention to detail would result in a great result.

Don

Couldn’t have done it without your advice, especially the Final Cut. I opted for dura gold sandpaper for its cheapness just because I did not know if I’d even be able to pull this off, as soon as I did that first panel I ordered some eagle abrasives and trizact!

So as it stands this is only 1000 dry, 1500 wet, 3000 wet, 3D aca 500 on wool, 3D aca 520 foam. Taped edges during the first cut and I try to maintain it and even reapply through the wet sanding but the tape just falls apart real quick.
I’m very excited to see it with even better abrasives plus an 8000 cut.

[dhutton]

3M yellow masking tape seems to hold up well with wet sanding. I get it on eBay.

Don

[slimjim]

3M yellow masking tape seems to hold up well with wet sanding. I get it on eBay.

Don

I have some actually, I was trying to use up the 1/4” tape I bought. Thanks I’ll give that a try next chance I get.
James

[thumper877]

Turned out awesome. I have done alot of painting and it's amazing what u can do with paint if u practice a little with the buffer and orbitals. Back in the day we would paint in a open barn with lights and bugs flying around landing in the paint lol. A little sand paper and buffing ready for the show. Plus u saved alot of labor and time from the shop. Plus u have the satisfaction of knowing u did it yourself

[dhutton]

Curious what air pressure you used. The manufacturers specified pressure is just the pressure to make the gun compliant. Optimum spraying is usually with a higher pressure. I find 28 psi works well with my Iwata guns.

Usually full fan and 2-1/2 turns out on the fluid. 50% overlap on your passes.

Don

[slimjim]

Curious what air pressure you used. The manufacturers specified pressure is just the pressure to make the gun compliant. Optimum spraying is usually with a higher pressure. I find 28 psi works well with my Iwata guns.

Usually full fan and 2-1/2 turns out on the fluid. 50% overlap on your passes.

Don

I tried everything from 26-32, I just couldn’t get it to spray like the reduced epoxy.
Certain parts were pretty flat and perfect while others had peel, so it all comes down to my inexperience.
No moisture from my smaller compressor or problems with the cooler weather so I’m happy that the extra sanding is all I have to worry about.

[slimjim]

Turned out awesome. I have done alot of painting and it's amazing what u can do with paint if u practice a little with the buffer and orbitals. Back in the day we would paint in a open barn with lights and bugs flying around landing in the paint lol. A little sand paper and buffing ready for the show. Plus u saved alot of labor and time from the shop. Plus u have the satisfaction of knowing u did it yourself

Thanks, a test panel I started with had a lot of dust in it despite my excessive plastic sheeting. I chose to spray everything with the fans off and then just turn them on for a couple of minutes afterwards. Now there’s nothing settled that won’t sand off.

[dhutton]

I tried everything from 26-32, I just couldn’t get it to spray like the reduced epoxy.
Certain parts were pretty flat and perfect while others had peel, so it all comes down to my inexperience.
No moisture from my smaller compressor or problems with the cooler weather so I’m happy that the extra sanding is all I have to worry about.

Does that gun have any kind of built in paint filter or strainer? If it does remove it and toss it. Same goes for any cups you are using.

Don

[Motown 454]

The car looks great, nice job.

[slimjim]

Does that gun have any kind of built in paint filter or strainer? If it does remove it and toss it. Same goes for any cups you are using.

Don

Ugh, yes, the PPS cups have filters in the lids. I knew removing the filters was necessary for epoxy, but since I had no problem spraying it I hadn’t ever considered the filter being a problem with the topcoat.

[dhutton]

Toss them with all paints.

Don

[DWC]

I think that came out great. Congrats on knocking it out yourself, you'll be proud to say you did.

Daniel

[ryeguy2006a]

Wow Jim, you did a fantastic job! I knew that you could do it. I was the same way with my Camaro. No prior experience painting anything, but with guidance from a friend and some youtube videos it turned out great. I was so happy with mine, I never ended up wet sanding...

[eversaul86]

Nice car! Love the work! Plenty of motivation for me!
Martin

[slimjim]

I’ve been pretty busy







Wetsanding post-paint was yet another part of the paint process I heavily underestimated. I have enjoyed the late nights and each panel has come out better than the last, I’d like to say it is from an increase in skill, but I believe an increase in patience is more accurate. You truly have to see each step through to 100% perfection and then the buffing is the shortest and most satisfying step.
My stages were:
800 for some peeled flat panels
1000-1500-2000-3000
Each stage with mirka white guide coat
Then cut with 3D 500
Polish with 3D 520

Halfway through the panels my compressor decided to die, I’m yet to replace it but instead I turned to blocking the panels rather than DA, and although the process is obviously longer, the results seem better and I feel more in control of the results.

There is still some panels remaining, as well as all the lower rear panels to do but I’m confident in the end result. I think the results are near perfect on some panels, and maybe too nice for this stage in the build so it’s likely that at completion I’ll do some paint correction to get it’s absolutely perfect.
Black is exactly like they warn you, and already a pain to keep clean.

The build is really enjoyable now. Doors going together, final soundproofing, gapping, seals. Etc.
I also replaced the speedtech engine mounts with ICT adjustable a so I could position the engine another inch back.

I don’t get the same amount of time to keep this thread up to date but have faith that the build is still progressing.