Author Topic: Painter in Dallas  (Read 2617 times)

dldubois

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Painter in Dallas
« on: July 31, 2005, 14:13:53 »
I'm ready to have my car repainted.   No real work to speak of.  I'm going to need the old lacquer paint removed and there's very little rust.  The usual, the trunk.   Dings here and there which need to be taken care of.

Anyone have a name in the Dallas area?   I've gotten one but he can't even look at the car until November. :evil:

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl auto
blue (906)
Corinth, TX
Dana DuBois
1969 280sl
Pembroke Pines, FL

rwmastel

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Re: Painter in Dallas
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2005, 22:20:48 »
quote:
Originally posted by dldubois

I'm going to need the old lacquer paint removed and there's very little rust.
Not to be nosey, but why?  Isn't this lacquer paint (solid colors) able to be brought back to life by buffing down through the oxidation and so forth?  Is yours cracked?

Sorry I don't have any paint shop recommendations, but we do have many Texas members who might be able to help.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420
Rodd

Did you search the forum before asking?
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mdsalemi

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Re: Painter in Dallas
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2005, 05:48:23 »
quote:
Originally posted by dldubois

I'm ready to have my car repainted.   No real work to speak of.  I'm going to need the old lacquer paint removed and there's very little rust.  The usual, the trunk.   Dings here and there which need to be taken care of.

Anyone have a name in the Dallas area?   I've gotten one but he can't even look at the car until November. :evil:

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl auto
blue (906)
Corinth, TX


Dana, give a call to Will Samples of S&S Imports.  He's in Dallas, and has a wealth of experience with 113 restoration and Mercedes cars in general, so he will be able to give you names of the people you should talk to regarding body and paint--and importantly perhaps, those you might avoid?

Will Samples  S&S Imports  800-487-5917  ssimports@sbcglobal.net

If you've been down this route, check with your local "independent" Mercedes service shops, BMW, etc. and I'm sure you'll find one.  Also some dealers in certain metro areas (like here in Detroit) don't have body shops, so they usually find the best body and paint shop in town and that's where the business goes.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
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dldubois

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Re: Painter in Dallas
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2005, 20:56:57 »
Rodd:

The lacquer is cracked and there are several chips on the hood, etc.  Door dings and the like that need to be addressed.

Michael:

Thanks for the input on Will Samples.   He's given me the lead on the painter that can start in November.   I'll be meeting with the painter next Monday and may just end up waiting.

Thanks much.

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl auto
blue (906)
Corinth, TX
Dana DuBois
1969 280sl
Pembroke Pines, FL

Ed Fisher

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Re: Painter in Dallas
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2005, 06:58:08 »
Dana:

I can't believe it, but here is a topic that I may actually be of some worth (albeit small).  

The key to a great paint job is preparation, and if you are going to wait until November for someone to look at it anyway, you can do a lot in the preceding months to help reduce the cost of the paint job, ensure that everything is removed correctly, bagged and tagged, and placed/stored where there will be minimal damage to piece parts.  The damaged paint will have to be removed, as I am sure you know, and this can be done with a myriad of techniques.  Believe it or not, my favorite is sweat and muscle.  Bead blasting can warp/damage panels if not done correctly, chemical stripper can find nooks and crannies and reek havoc later, an overzealous sander with a D/A can wave a soft panel, etc.  While it sounds like a nightmare (which it kind of is), blocking down a car as small as these with varying grits of sandpaper isn’t really too bad.  You certainly get an intimate relationship with your machine!

A reasonably sized air compressor, and a few air tools make the job much easier, but it can be accomplished with mostly patience/love if you are so inclined.  

I live in Lucas, Texas near Lake Lavon if you would care to discuss further.  I would be happy to show you what I am talking about, if you want to give me a call.  I learned to paint cars and do body work as a young man (used to hang around after work as a sander/taper, the guys took a shining to me and taught me their trade).  It has served me well.  Not rocket science, but requires touch/patience more than anything.  Shooting the color is the easy part (with some caveats).  Maaco can put down a stunning job if the prep is right.  Think about it, those guys squirt paint, one car after another, all day every day.  They can be absolutely robotic in their movements, a thing of beauty in a way.

To your original question:  Wade’s Rod and Custom in Wylie is absolutely the finest artisan that I know of in this area.  His work is unsurpassed, and I say this after restoring classics myself over a 30 year period.  He makes me look like a hack (which I am, albeit a good-natured one that only works on my own stuff).  He is temperamental, so if you are thinking of giving him a call, call me first and I’ll give you some pointers in dealing with him.

Long answer, sorry.  There are a lot of options here and I would be happy to meet with you and talk it over if you ever want to stop by.

Ed Fisher
Lucas, Texas
972-995-6305

P.S. Attached is a photo of my Mustang that I painted in a two-car garage using box fans for exhaust and furnace filters for intake cleanliness.  I promise you, prep is the key.

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