Series Intro
This is the first of a series of articles on paint and body that will make you an educated consumer with tips on how to tackle some of the work yourself or find a pro for any you can't. I will touch on the latest materials and techniques and go over the basics, which really haven't changed much. Paint has come along way and I will explain the latest in custom finishes & applications. For anyone who's been there, you know how expensive (in time and money) it is to have professionals restore or finish a street rod project or redo mistakes you and your beer buddies made at the start.

If you are looking at purchasing a new "project", what may appear to be a genuinely sound piece on the quick once-over can turn into a costly a nightmare when you try to make it nice. It is often much cheaper to buy a finished car - but where's the fun in that if you want a truly personalized piece.

If you are starting from scratch with either an original body, or even a new glass body, look for these things. A steel car of pre-49 vintage in good shape is a rare find. If you come across what you think is a relatively solid piece, bring an experienced (hopefully in older iron) body man to look it over before you buy. He will look at the car from a restoration point of view (not blinded by your fantasies of how it might look finished). Little things like fender beads, door supports and bottoms, basic structural areas and bodyline definition are as important as the obvious (rust, dents etc.) and determine if this is worth starting to begin with. Don't be disappointed when he tells you what you don't want to hear, he probably just saved you a fortune or found you a strictly parts car.

Most steel cars don't get finished by the person who started it - resources get used up getting the foundation solid - not a bad point to pick it up if done right. If you are looking at a glass body, again bring an experienced body man or painter to check it out as the quality varies and what may seem like a bargain may not be, when you realize how much it will take to finish it as opposed to one that is almost there to begin with. A piece freshly painted can hide a lot of ills, see if there are pictures of it being restored. An old paint job on close examination will show how sound it is - look for cracks, bubbling, blisters in the paint - it is usually a sign of bad bodywork or serious rust underneath. On the other hand if it appears relatively straight and free of these problems, it shows a solid foundation despite a dull, chipped or peeling finish.

The ultimate is of course a new steel (or aluminum) body. Have a designer pen the lines and have the panels beaten and rolled (on an English Wheel) by a master panel beater working with a master chassis fabricator. This is how the most serious builders do it, however this requires very, very, deep pockets if you are lucky enough to find capable craftsmen. There are going to be times too when you just can't find parts and making them is your only option although the internet is proving to be a great tool for finding things.

If you already have a car you wish to refinish, (or finish) we will be going through the professional painting process on how to achieve a show finish. The truth is, we see a lot of really nice rides that are hurting in the paint department - need that finishing glamour to put it over the top. A street rod is the ultimate extension of your alter ego, and getting it to be a head turner does not have to cost a fortune, but certainly requires a decent paint job.

John