> To: gardner@lwcomm.com
> Subject: Re: Chrome dress-up goodies
> From: bugide@juno.com (Larry Dickstein)
> Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 08:34:24 EDT
> Hi Scott-
> Chrome shops take stuff as it is and do it. If you want to save
> a few dollars, then bead blasting will clean up a part but don't even try
> to polish it. Likely you'll make the plater's job tougher. They do all
> the polishing.
> As for the body shop question, yes, they can do it but it will be
> the same as starting over. The "friendly cars", or ones that wave at
> you, come from a lack of preparation and/or poor flat sanding primer. The
> paint is the easy part--the preparation is where a good paint job
> shows--as does bad preparation. It was not done, not done right, or not
> done enough. It takes at least three sessions of three coats of sandible
> primer, all sanded FLAT w/ 180 paper. Then you go on. Maybe then one
> session of 400 wet. Each of those sessions (maybe up to five for a dark
> car) takes most of two days for one person to do right. Now do the math.
> Three sessions x 2 days x $40/hr. That's about $1900 plus the
> materials. And that's just for primer, nevermind the rest of the
> materials. Most folks cannot afford this type of paint job and most
> enthusiasts will not spend the time it takes to do it. Or both. (I have
> the time, but not the money) To really answer your question, it will be
> very expensive. If it looks pretty good otherwise, then I would not do
> it. If you have a rust problem starting, then it might be wise to
> consider doing it now. Keep in mind that there is more to chance by
> waiting until the car is very rusty. If you have some, then you have
> more than you think and it'll get worse every day. Waiting until the car
> is a rust bucket is not cost effective either.
> Sorry for the length of this--hope it helps!!!!
>
> Larry Dickstein
> bugide@juno.com
Larry,
Thanks for the clarification. So in other words, even though there
is some Bondo on the car, that's not likely the sole cause of the
waviness, and I don't need to replace the panels, but there is still
a lot of work involved? I figured as much, and didn't plan on
getting away with a $400 quicky job, but wasn't budgeting $3000 or so
to get it done right. I though that for that kind of cash, I'd get
the "twelve color coats and six clear coats" treatment. Guess not.
Another thing that surprises me is that no one else notices the
waves unless I point them out. I've gotten to the point where I can
spot bodywork on a car driving the opposite direction at 40mph at
dusk in a rainstorm, so I may be too critical of my own car, but I
can't look at my car without noticing it. Also, the paint shop
painted a hair into the bonnet. How's that for annoying? I noticed
it the first time I waxed the car, and now my eye is drawn to it
every time I look at the bonnet. To hear me talk about it, you'd
think they'd trapped a small rodent between the color coats, but it's
just a hair, nothing more, nothing less. I guess I should just be
happy that this is my biggest gripe about the car.
Thanks again for the advice, and for listening to me rant, if you
made it this far.
Scott Gardner
gardner@lwcomm.com
www.lwcomm.com/~gardner
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