63 Impala

[Mearl]

I'm starting to figure out how to post pictures, so here is our 63. It has a truck block 409, bored .040, with higher compression pistons from Show Cars but I don't remember exactly what they are. It has stock 340 horse heads and intake and I've also forgotten the cam specs. I promised myself to hear it run for my 40th birthday and I'm now 56, so forgive me for forgetting. It was originally a 283 with overdrive, it now has a Muncie and the original 3.70 gears. I was all set to make a SS clone until Phil Reed convinced me that bench seat cars are cool, thanks Phil! The seat covers are from Show Cars and are the correct color and pattern. It's been neglected for years while I built other cars, I pulled it out and put it in the main shop so it will get some attention. I'm pulling the motor out this weekend because it sat so long that 2 freeze plugs started leaking due to holes rusted in them. It'll get new brass ones and a nice clean coat of paint before it goes back in.
As you can see from the picture of the side, the paint doesn't exactly match; that's what happens when you paint a car in pieces over several years. I'm wondering if I could sand it with 400 and tint a clear coat with white, then shoot a couple more coats of clear. What do you think?

 

[bobs409]

Nice! I like the blue/white combo.

 

[chevymusclecars]

Nice car, I like the looks of the Muncie shifter.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

I agree, nice car.. I am an amateur , but if it were mine, I would wet sand with 400 grit , shoot a couple of coats of single stage acrylic enamel on it ,,,, wait a couple of weeks and wet sand with 1500 grit, then buff.

 

[63 dream'n]

Like your car.I'm a complete novice at working on hot rods....everything I know comes from reading too many hot rod mags,and no practical application.but what I recall about working with primers/paints is that they say unless your products are the same,under coats(substrates) or unless you seal one product from the other a chemical reaction between products can cause they sustrates to crack check or even lift.I know a lot of what they print is to sell the products they advertise but I figure it's worth consideration JMO.

 

[Mearl]

I should have pointed out that the paint is base/clear, that's why I wondered if another coat of tinted clear might match it up. I'll probably wind up doing it the right way and sanding, then a complete coat of white and shoot clear again.

 

[Jim Sullivan]

Nice car. I think that you will probably have to spray the whole car again to get the color match correct. I do remember a professional body man tell me about the mixing of color with clear to give a deeper looking paint. But I have never tried it. It seems like a lot of extra paint (time and material) if the color/clear mix doesn't completely hide the mismatch. Maybe try it on a small area on the door and quarter panel to see how it hides and blends?

 

[blkblk63ss]

I like the seat's and the shifter , look's like a nice straight car.

 

[SSpev]

I'll probably wind up doing it the right way and sanding, then a complete coat of white and shoot clear again.

thats what i would do. Love the blue bench with 4 gear.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Mearl:

Now that's a real looker .

I'd talk to a paint and body guy that you trust and who doesn't need the work. Get several opinions and go with your gut. Might be interesting to experiment with a tinted clear if in fact you know the current product line (PPG, etc.). You can always block that down and seal it off it it doesn't work out as expected.

Did you use your dustless blaster on this when it was prepped last time?

Cheers!
TomK

 

[Mearl]

Tom,
I stripped this car the hard way back in 1996, I gave my wife a DA sander and said "go for it". I had the frame sandblasted and most of the floors had to be replaced anyway. The paint I used was Nason base/clear, it's Duponts cheaper line.

 

[1961BelAir427]

Tom,
I stripped this car the hard way back in 1996, I gave my wife a DA sander and said "go for it". I had the frame sandblasted and most of the floors had to be replaced anyway. The paint I used was Nason base/clear, it's Duponts cheaper line.

Love it!!!