Car needs a paint job. Any suggestions?

[Dan Schultz]

I recently aqquired my first car, a 1988 Buick Le'Sabre. It's a good car, but needs a bit of work. Firstly, it needs some body work and a new coat of paint. It is currently white, but I would like something different that looks really cool. Any suggestions? I was thinking black, but I am up for anything.

If the body is less that perfect, I would not consider gloss black. How 'bout a nice satin silver.

[Chuck(G)]

I recently aqquired my first car, a 1988 Buick Le'Sabre. It's a good car, but needs a bit of work. Firstly, it needs some body work and a new coat of paint. It is currently white, but I would like something different that looks really cool. Any suggestions? I was thinking black, but I am up for anything.

If the body is less that perfect, I would not consider gloss black. How 'bout a nice satin silver.

Next to white, yellow's the safest as far as visibility goes...

[Rick F]

How about this color?

[Joe Baker]

I recently aqquired my first car, a 1988 Buick Le'Sabre. It's a good car, but needs a bit of work. Firstly, it needs some body work and a new coat of paint. It is currently white, but I would like something different that looks really cool. Any suggestions? I was thinking black, but I am up for anything.

If you've got the skills and tools to do the work yourself, this sounds like a good enough idea. Otherwise, If you want a prettier car, wouldn't it be smarter to take the money you'd spend doing body work and painting, sell the LeSabre and add in that money, and BUY something prettier? My son just bought a great-looking 1994 Geo Prizm for a $2400 (and that was significantly over book, but the car is in grrrrrreat shape)!
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Joe Baker, who doesn't recommend spending $1000 or more to fix up a car that will then be worth... about $1000..

[Dan Schultz]

My son just bought a great-looking 1994 Geo Prizm for a $2400 (and that was significantly over book, but the car is in grrrrrreat shape)!

A good/used Geo Prizm is absolutely the most-for-the-money car that exists in the world today.

Which are best.... raw brass, lacquered, or silver?

[ThomasDodd]

Joe Baker, who doesn't recommend spending $1000 or more to fix up a car that will then be worth... about $1000..

Then the $1500 I've put in to just my engine in the last few few months ... I could get a whole car in about the same shape with a running engine for less.

But it wouldn't be the color I want. And it finding another 1970 Cadillac Coupe Deville, in Lanai Green made the last week of March would be rather difficult, if not impossible.

Sometime a car is more than just the metal/plastic.

[ThomasDodd]

I recently aqquired my first car, a 1988 Buick Le'Sabre. It's a good car, but needs a bit of work. Firstly, it needs some body work and a new coat of paint. It is currently white, but I would like something different that looks really cool. Any suggestions? I was thinking black, but I am up for anything.

The Auto Color Library has paint codes for most cars made in the last 70 years. Check them out.

You didn't hintr at colors you like. Reds, greens, blues?
How about Gulf Turquoise ?

[Joe Baker]

Sometime a car is more than just the metal/plastic.

Agreed. In fact, I'm probably going to put several thousand into restoring a 1966 Ford Mustang over the next year or so. But would you place an '88 LeSabre in that category?? I'm assuming this is someone who wants basic transportation that doesn't look like junk.
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Joe Baker, who agrees that there ARE times, but didn't see this as one of them -- and who just might be wrong.

[ThomasDodd]

But would you place an '88 LeSabre in that category?? I'm assuming this is someone who wants basic transportation that doesn't look like junk.

No, but neither would most put my '70 Devile there. Or the '78 T-bird a guy I work with has.

$50 for a drill and 220 grit paper, and some bondo. Do all the prep. Then get a back yard shop to spray it. PPG Omni should be about $200 for base, clear, hardner. And $100 to tape and spray.

Or visit Macco or Earl for a $200 job. Again. if you sand it first it'll work ok for a few years. They just use a cheap, single stage paint and don't spend the prep time. If you do the prep, the paint is OK.

[Joe Baker]

$50 for a drill and 220 grit paper, and some bondo. Do all the prep....

If you've got the skills and tools to do the work yourself, this sounds like a good enough idea.

Methinks we're not so far apart, really.
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Joe Baker, who all too often finds himself in "violent agreement" with friends

[ThomasDodd]

$50 for a drill and 220 grit paper, and some bondo. Do all the prep....

If you've got the skills and tools to do the work yourself, this sounds like a good enough idea.

Methinks we're not so far apart, really.

No better way to gain the skill than to do it though.
After all, what's the worst you can do to the car? (not counting possible damage to self. I better add safety glasses and dust maskke to the supply list... another $10)

Should've seen me in top of the cady with a grinder trying to remove the tar-like sound deadening stuff under the paint when I pulled the vinyl off to fix the rust. My first attempt at body work. The trunk lid came out much better

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I'm off to put my taransmission back in. After rebuilding the engine, I had to change the main and rod bearings. Stupid me forgot to check, and the replacement crank was ground 10 under.

[Joe Baker]

I better add safety glasses and dust maskke to the supply list... another $10.

If there are dents to pull out (and subsequently holes to grind and bondo over), you'll need good thick leather gloves -- another $15-$20. In that case, in lieu of goggles I'd recommend a face shield. The goggles will protect the eyes, but a little frag of sheet metal could do some real damage to the chops. Still use the dust mask, though!

Also, if you ARE going to change the color of the paint, be sure you consider the paint inside the car -- will you change it, too? How will you mask everything? Will you have to remove the gauges? The seats? Just another aspect of this project to consider.

Also, remember that you'll have to remove or CAREFULLY mask (removal is better 95% of the time) any trim, lettering, head- and tail-light assemblies, mirrors, etc.

Doing a decent job at this is a LOT of work. If you LOVE the car (wow, I can actually hear Bloke and Chuck(G) scoffing at the idea of 'loving' a car) but hate the paint, this might be worth doing. If it's just a commodity, I'd say the same thing I've heard said to most people who want to make massive changes to a horn: sell it and buy what you want.
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Joe Baker, who did his first bondo work just a couple of months ago, and (after the fifth or sixth attempt) was pleased with the results.

[Chuck(G)]

Up until about 2 years ago, had a 57 Chevy 210 wagon that I dropped a 350 into with dual glass-packs. It sounded absolutely wicked. After a few years, I just got tired of crawling under the damned thing and replacing the fuel pump, starter, shifter linkage and heaven knows what else. Took care of the dents in the body the hard way--with a dent hammer, torch, brazing rod and a bunch of lead filler.

Thing got no better than 15 mpg and didn't have power brakes (I live on top of a hill). Finally got frustrated and swapped it even for a 90 Volvo top-of-the-line wagon that belonged to the local Volvo service manager (his log books were meticulous). I get about 22 mpg around town and better than 25 highway and it'll hold a tuba and a bass at the same time.

BTW, who still makes station wagons? Not downsized SUVs, but honest-to-goodness station wagons?

[Leland]

BTW, who still makes station wagons? Not downsized SUVs, but honest-to-goodness station wagons?

Hmm, geez... I can think of companies like Volvo, Audi, and Mercedes, but I doubt that we'll see anything like, say, a Chevy Caprice wagon.

Everything else is either a minivan or something like the PT Cruiser/Matrix-Vibe style of vehicle, or smaller econo-wagons like the Focus/Mazda3, Suzuki, VW, etc.

[Rick F]

Ford Taurus station wagon is still available.

[ThomasDodd]

I better add safety glasses and dust maskke to the supply list... another $10.

If there are dents to pull out (and subsequently holes to grind and bondo over), you'll need good thick leather gloves -- another $15-$20. In that case, in lieu of goggles I'd recommend a face shield. The goggles will protect the eyes, but a little frag of sheet metal could do some real damage to the chops. Still use the dust mask, though!

No dent pulling, no grinding. Just fill 'em with plastic and and smooth.
That's about what you'd get from a cheap place. Same with masking the trim. Just tape obver it, and use a razor blade to cut the tape. Sure it's not perfect, but it'll do. Stick on letters and such can be removed and glued back on.

The place I using does this all the time. Tape/mask it, DA with 220. Some dents migfht get pulled, but only the big ones. This produces a job better than Maaco(from what I've read on them) for price the poor around here can/will pay. I've never seen this place paint a door jam, inside trunk, or under hood.

We ain't talking restoration, here. Just changing the basic color. Just pic one that goes with the current interior:)


[/quote]Joe Baker, who did his first bondo work just a couple of months ago, and (after the fifth or sixth attempt) was pleased with the results.[/quote]
Congrats! I still not pleased with my plastic or fiber glass. Getting better, but not there yet.

[Matt G]

BTW, who still makes station wagons? Not downsized SUVs, but honest-to-goodness station wagons?

Hmm, geez... I can think of companies like Volvo, Audi, and Mercedes, but I doubt that we'll see anything like, say, a Chevy Caprice wagon.

Everything else is either a minivan or something like the PT Cruiser/Matrix-Vibe style of vehicle, or smaller econo-wagons like the Focus/Mazda3, Suzuki, VW, etc.

Volvo, Audi, BMW, and MB all still make an "Estate" version of their vehicles in addition to a "Saloon". Poking around on an enthusiast website, I was pleasantly surprised at how popular the Audi RS4 is in wagon form on the other side of the pond. In Europe, some models sell like 70% in wagon version as compared to 7% here.

While listed as a "Light Truck" to avoid EPA and CAFE issues, the Dodge Magnum is certainly a "car" module and not a truck platform. I test drove one, it ain't far from the old Caprice and Crown Vic wagons of the past.

I recently ordered, to my spec, an Audi A4 Avant. Reason being, it is just as safe as anything out on the road, will pass right on by most SUV's in the snow with Quattro and is still sporty enough with a 6-speed manual and a good motor, while delivering 31mpg on the highway. Now I just have to play the waiting game!

[MaryAnn]

Ok, here are my specs for a tuba-wagon:
gas mileage over 30 mpg city
high ground clearance for those ski / boonies trips
Front Wheel Drive
reliable as my Toy truck that has 140k on it and still not using oil
holds a couple tubas, a keyboard, amp, french horn, and passenger
no damn electric door locks / windows, but WITH cruise control
and last but far from least...I CAN SEE OUT OF IT.
??
MA, who so far is leaning towards a Matrix, even though the damn electric stuff will probably be "required" to get the cruise control

[ThomasDodd]

Front Wheel Drive

Now I understood all of the "requirements" except this one.

Why FWD? What do you dislike about RWD (which I suspect the truck has), AWD, or 4WD (on demand, not full time)?

[MaryAnn]

Front Wheel Drive

Now I understood all of the "requirements" except this one.

Why FWD? What do you dislike about RWD (which I suspect the truck has), AWD, or 4WD (on demand, not full time)?

Well, yes the truck has RWD. Unless you have a rear engine, the back end doesn't have the traction that you get from FWD. With FWD I find I don't need snow tires and that I seem to stay on the road when I see 4WD Jeeps upside down on the side of the road (when 4WD breaks loose, all four wheels are traction-less.) Now, maybe those 4WD Jeep drivers would also be on the side of the road were they at the wheel of my FWD car....
4WD get worse gas mileage. I also don't want a hybrid; at a "certain age" you gotta replace those batteries, and that is big bucks. What I really want is my Toy truck with 30mpg and in an SUV format, I guess. Oh, and I didn't mention price, did I? Under $20k. Impossible? Of course! But a 100# tuba player expects the impossible!!
MA