Red 67 GS400 Convertible getting painted

Discussion in 'The ragtop shop' started by chucknixon, May 22, 2018.

  1. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    After buying the red GS400 convertible in December I have been spending time (and a signifcant amount of) money tweaking it and bring it back to as close to OEM without a frame off restoration. The car is so nice that not much has to be done to the interior or drive train. When I took the car to my favorite body shop for a "light over spray" we discovered some places that were not duct taped properly in the previous paint job and surface rust had appeared. The more we looked the more we found little things that needed attention and the end result is a complete new paint job with all stainless and emblems removed, fenders removed, etc. We have not found any serious rust or previous body damage.

    In the end it will be stunning and my pocket book much lighter. I have had this paint shop work on other cars for me and they are perfectionists and carefully check everything. So, the deadline is to get it finished in time to take it to BCA Denver third week of June and have some fun.

    DSC_4628 - Copy.JPG DSC_4748 - Copy.JPG DSC_4752 - Copy.JPG
     
  2. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    Wow. That car is going to look fantastic.
    You realize those inner fenders will look a little shabby next to those freshly painted fenders! ......be careful of the 'might as well' trap!
    Is the shade of red in the first pic correct? The cowl looks like a darker (original?) red.
     
  3. flippermtc

    flippermtc Valley Forge Pa- Go Phillies!

    Chuck, the vert will look awesome when complete. Yours brings back some memories when mine was getting done.
     

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  4. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    You are getting the best turn around time I have ever seen from any paint shop!
    (other than Earl Scheib)
     
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  5. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    Yep, and I have been discussing getting the inner fenders cleaned up and painted. The problem comes with the engine and all the accessories still in place and the amount of labor to undo, paint, then put everything back. I will work with the body shop to see what we can do without sending the bill higher than it already is. I have a feeling I will be spending some long nights prior to Denver with rattle cans of satin black paint doing the cowl and inner fenders myself or carefully using POR 15 and a paint brush to make it look good. I did the station wagon with POR 15 but the engine was out and I got to stand where the engine goes to do my clean up and painting. We are NOT pulling then engine and starting another "well since it is out why don't we open it up and see what condition it is in? Did that with a 1965 Corvette years ago when we had to rebuild the auto trans and it ended up being a complete mechanical rebuild, front to back and a lot of money.

    I want the 65 vert to look very nice but this is not a Concours restoration but as nice as possible OEM looking driver. :) ( and it gets to sit in the garage next to the 1921 Buick Touring I just bought and absorb some vibes from its 46 year senior family member;) .)
     
  6. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    I am fortunate on timing. These are two brothers who run an awesome shop that is high production shop for normal accident repair and they have a State Farm office on site. Then they have the restoration operation there and it is typically a 6 month wait to get a car in line to be worked on. When I took the car to them to discuss an 'overspray' the brothers agreed to work it in since the car was in such good shape that they felt it would be in and out in a matter of weeks without major body work etc. I stripped the car of bumpers, emblems, and interior as I am adding an OEM console/shifter and tilt console column. I have at least a weeks work to do when I get the car back and they said I should have it in two weeks from yesterday so it will be tight getting it ready for Denver.
     
  7. Chi-Town67

    Chi-Town67 Gold Level Contributor

    Ain't that the truth?!
    Old Earl used to say..."In by 9 out by 5, no up's no extras"

    Chuck, the car is going to look fantastic, can't wait to see pics!
     
  8. dukec

    dukec Platinum Level Contributor

    Cutting it close.
    I am looking forward to seeing it in Denver.
     
  9. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    Well we now have Apple red paint and 3 coats of clear on the body and doors. The hood, trunk lid and front fenders get their turn in the paint booth Tuesday after labor day. We are making progress and looking good!:)

    IMG_3252.JPG IMG_3253 (1).JPG
     
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  10. Chi-Town67

    Chi-Town67 Gold Level Contributor

  11. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    That's beautiful. I love fresh paint. I can almost smell it!
     
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  12. 455monte

    455monte Well-Known Member

    What he said!
     
  13. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    Thanks Nick and yes we are going to use a satin black on the trunk panel and I will take a fender extension with me on Tuesday to show the painter how it too should get black paint. When the car was painted maybe 10 years ago? the black on the trunk panel was a glossy black and we agreed it goes to a satin or could be flat. I have another 67 convertible sitting in storage and I am going to look at it but clearly it has been repainted over time so I don't want to use it as an OEM go-by.

    Appreciate the input and keep it coming!:cool:
     
  14. Ziggy

    Ziggy Well-Known Member

    When you get to the front fenders, the pocket around the headlight bezel gets painted the same black if I recall correctly.
     
  15. Chi-Town67

    Chi-Town67 Gold Level Contributor

    I've never seen one done like that. Not sayin' it didn't happen, just never saw it before.
     
  16. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    Will look at the white convertible but again it has been painted and who knows if it was done right. I have photos of the trunk where the black starts but not the front with no headlights or grill. I will look at the Sportwagon but again who knows if they followed OEM when it was repainted.

    Keep them comments coming:)
     
  17. Chi-Town67

    Chi-Town67 Gold Level Contributor

    Here's a pin stripe dimension illustration to go by............
    . 66GS pinstripe.jpg
     
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  18. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    Thanks Nick, I have that diagram somewhere but this will save me a searching time. I have photos of cars with the stripes so I will combine this with the photos.
     
  19. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    So tomorrow, Tuesday morning at 10 AM I am supposed to pick up the painted GS400 convertible and bring it home to put on emblems, grill, headlight surrounds, bumpers, and complete interior including console+tach. I have 7 days to get it all done as we leave for Denver on Tuesday the 19th for the BCA National Meet so it will be a fun week pacing myself to make it happen. I have help if I need it so we will see how that goes.The temperature is in the mid to high 90's for the next 10 days here but I have an air conditioned garage that I can do most of the work in. Took advice from Nick and I have the rear quarter pieces painted black where they should be, the quarters also black where called for under the trunk lid and I even did the front fenders headlight bezel in black as Ziggy recommended. There was evidence on the front fenders that black had been sprayed on the bezels by the factory but the repaint years ago did not do it. So thanks for all the advice and will post photos from Denver when we get there and set up for some fun. Included a business card to hand out to new and existing friends.

    DSC_5079.JPG DSC_5080.JPG DSC_5081.JPG 1967 Buick Convertible_Business Card_red.png
     
    My3Buicks likes this.
  20. Ziggy

    Ziggy Well-Known Member

    Your car looks great!
     

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