Knowing when to bale out...

[Bren]

I have had Pete M's old SD1 for nearly three years now - it needed a mammoth amount of welding (in reality too much), however it is at the point where is needs paint.

 

Unfortunately I cannot justify spending around £1500 on a paint job when the finished car my struggle to sell for much more than that - as I learned when selling my gixxer, people will only pay what they feel something is worth. Being an SD1 it will probably start rusting again as soon as the top coat is dry.

 

I had thought about having a go myself, but it's a big car to fuck up and have to start all over again, plus my 20 x 10 garage is right next to my neighbour's house - I am sure they would love their living room smelling of paint.

 

I tested the water regarding this on the SD1 club forum, I was given the old "you do it for the love of the car etc" and all that bollocks, however, as with all other hobbies, you have to know when to draw the line - it is a fine one, between your love of the hobby and your willingness to burn ££££, which is what you are doing. I never bought the car to make money on, but I did'nt buy it to piss a fortune down the drain - I have a family to consider.

 

Unfortunately the car would sell for more as spares than as a going concern, but if needs must I will undo all my hard work and break it up.

 

Discuss.

[mercrocker]

Its a toughie, Bren....I am much at the same crossroads with my Morry Ocky.  It needs a lot more than a paintjob but same principle - more money than I can earn in six months to get another year or two out of it.  At present its hidden away not eating anything and I did think about chucking it on the road for the winter.   If I sell it as it stands (with no MOT) it will go round and round flat out in second with no windows for about ninety minutes and then be shredded.   The money I get for it will keep my wife in ferro rochers for about three months and I will get serious farina withdrawal and buy another fooked one and wish it drove as good as the other one, blah blah.    What I am saying, is

 

1. Do you care about it?

2. What you gonna do with the money a) you get for it or you would have spent on it?

3. Can you keep it somewhere else (cheap) while you decide?

4. Will you ever want/need/decide to get another?

 

Inability to fully answer all of the above will put you in the same position as me.

 

Not much help really, was it?

[Grundig]

I look at it this way-If I bought a new car & spent say £15k after 3 yrs what would it be worth??? I know the depreciation would be alot more than I will ever spend on my old shite daily driver !!! Spray it yourself (so what if you cock it up) drive it & enjoy it, get your moneys worth out of it 

[Sigmund Fraud]

If all that's left is the paint, why not go down the OMGRATLUK path of rollered-on paint or localised rattlecan repairs ?

 

It will look shite, but it will still allow you to get the car on the road and give you time to decide whether you like it enough to invest another £1500 on it.

[Timewaster]

A shockingly bad amateur paint job, all runs, dust and orange peel would be the most factory authentic finishing touch.

[chaseracer]

/\/\ /\/\

 

/\/\

 

AS wisdom... 

 

[dollywobbler]

You can't get into the world of classic cars and expect to get back what you put into reviving them. It just doesn't work that way, unless you're very skilled and/or rate your own time very cheaply. There is a time to draw the line, but the very act of drawing that line means you're going to take a hit - in the hope that there won't be any future hits as at least the sodding thing has gone. I'm sure we've all been there, plenty of times!

 

Sadly, bodywork and paint are two very expensive aspects of old car ownership. Largely because getting it right requires a fairly serious level of skill. 

 

If it makes you feel better, I think SD1s are at the start of an upwards curve when it comes to values. 

[DSdriver]

What about a vinyl wrap?

[Cavcraft]

It's very easy to say 'don't break it, they're a rare/nice car'. But it's not my money and you must do what you see fit.

[KruJoe]

[Pillock]

If you're saying it'd only sell for slightly more with nice paint, then get it solid and reliable and stuff the paint. A working car is far more attractive to any future owner than a shiny one.

[Micrashed]

[sutty2006]

Mask off the windows and lights..... attack it with a tin of matt black and a paint roller!!!! then enjoy the car!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

 

http://rolledon.forummotion.com

 

Look at this guy's effort: http://rolledon.forummotion.com/t694p325-68-mustang-coupe

and this one: http://rolledon.forummotion.com/t747p350-1963-ford-falcon

and more inc. technique: http://wiki.club8090.co.uk/index.php/Bodywork_and_Glass_Roller_painting

 

Seriously, give it a go. 

[dollywobbler]

If you're saying it'd only sell for slightly more with nice paint, then get it solid and reliable and stuff the paint. A working car is far more attractive to any future owner than a shiny one.

 

Sadly, the number of dodgy blow-overs out there suggests some people really are more interested in a shiny one. I like Conrad's solution very much though.

[Pillock]

I missed the word "intelligent" out....

I've bought cars that looked fit for the crusher knowing full well they were 100% solid.

(I've also bought cars with nice paint that were made of fresh air underneath, but that disproves my point so I won't mention it)

(ooops)

[Vince70]

Pound land are doing blackboard paint I guess 5 tins would do an sd1 plus buy yourself some quality mini rollers and go mad max styly.

All in for under a tenner plus of course a small mortgage for the welding.

[crapcarcollector]

paint.jpg

 

http://rolledon.forummotion.com

 

Look at this guy's effort: http://rolledon.forummotion.com/t694p325-68-mustang-coupe

and this one: http://rolledon.forummotion.com/t747p350-1963-ford-falcon

and more inc. technique: http://wiki.club8090.co.uk/index.php/Bodywork_and_Glass_Roller_painting

 

Seriously, give it a go. 

Love that. can't believe the results

[Micrashed]

Pound land are doing blackboard paint I guess 5 tins would do an sd1 plus buy yourself some quality mini rollers and go mad max styly.

All in for under a tenner plus of course a small mortgage for the welding.

image.jpg

SRSLY?

Oh my god, I so need to do the bonnet of the Micrashed! A mobile Blackboard!

[vulgalour]

I approve of the roller Rustoleum technique, with some patience it really does give some top results.  Paint technology is pretty good these days so you can get a very good long lasting finish on a car without spending megabucks.  If you're painting to sell then roller in a flat colour and attacking with a machine mop afterwards is a great idea.

[Lankytim]

If you are even thinking about ditching it then I say go for it, just flog it and get something else.

[Vince70]

Or buy the rot free shell in the "Anyone fancy taking this on" thread it looks like that could be your best option and it will only cost you your time to swap everything you need over.

[fordperv]

what about plastidip

 

[Station]

Your best option is paying full whack for a spray job.
Without experience doing it yourself will be a disaster, every single element is against you when painting a car, it has to be perfect or you have to start again. I hate spraying. There's nothing worse than getting a perfect finish and then have it pit all over because it had a microscopic amount of water/silicon/dust/fly/etc etc, and then there's crazing, reacting with underseal, primer, sealer, etc, not getting filler/primer smooth and the tiniest sanding mark showing like a beacon through the top coat, and spraying metallics which is stupidly difficult to do, and then there's polishing the final coat and going back to primer because there wasn't enough paint on and then you have to do it AGAIN.

[Pete-M]

I'm with Station on this. Paint it and it'll be a nice thing to run for a while, at least that way you'll get enjoyment and satisfaction from it. Take it to a few shows etc.

[Station]

Hardest part I found was actually working with a car paint seller. They either mix the wrong colour (unrefundable), won't match the pain to your car (preferring to go off swatches), and prices are random (£5 - £25 for quarter litre). They either will or won't do 2-pack or cellulose, depending on whether they're in the mood or not. Also mixing thinners, hardener, have you got the right ratio for the temperature, and it'll probably run anyway. I did one side of my Astra. It was perfect. The other side, I COULDN't get it right because it wasn't in the sun lol.

[forddeliveryboy]

Only go down the route of an expensive paint job if the shell is welded to a very high standard, with corroded areas cut out altogether. If it's a series of patches then it's not worth it. If the panels aren't all mint (or easily made so) then a pro paint job is pointless too.

 

Roller and matt black could make sense. After all, from the driver's seat it's all about how it goes, not what it looks like to everyone else.