Paint

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
frankMurch
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:10 am
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Murch
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 coupe
Location: California

Paint

Post by frankMurch » Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:40 pm

I have a 1927 doctor’s coupe from my father. He purchased it in 1968 or 69. I was with him and I remember the day he brought it home. It was a rolling chassis and a bunch of boxes. Now he is gone and I am really looking at it for the first time in years. The paint and body work are in need. The original car was green with black fenders. Obviously the car is not on great value. It is set up for touring, so it is a good car, but not a show car.

I want to repaint the car. I want to get a durable finish in the original colors. The question is – what paint to use?

Obviously lead based lacquer is out, so I am feeling pretty free in terms of chemistry. I will have it painted in a booth, so toxicity is not an issue. PPG, Dupont or other professional grade is great. So what would show well and be durable???
Attachments
the green on the car
the green on the car

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3389
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
MTFCA Number: 30701
MTFCI Number: 24033
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Paint

Post by TWrenn » Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:49 pm

Of course you'll get a million different responses, but for my two cents I would say go to your local auto paint store and get
PPG Concept. Excellent paint

User avatar

John.Zibell
Posts: 307
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:09 am
First Name: John
Last Name: Zibell
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Tudor
Location: Huntsville, AL
MTFCA Number: 30265
MTFCI Number: 24046

Re: Paint

Post by John.Zibell » Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:52 pm

You can find paint codes here. http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/P-R.htm
1926 Tudor

User avatar

Henry K. Lee
Posts: 5339
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:09 am
First Name: Henry
Last Name: Lee
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Many
Location: South Pittsburg, TN
MTFCA Number: 479
MTFCA Life Member: YES

Re: Paint

Post by Henry K. Lee » Mon Dec 30, 2019 2:15 pm

Since your car is never going to be used on a daily bases and exposed to hash elements, I would use Nason (formally DuPont) acrylic single stage urethane. Make sure you use all core primer products they produce for excellent results.

My $0.03 worth,

Hank


Topic author
frankMurch
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:10 am
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Murch
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 coupe
Location: California

Re: Paint

Post by frankMurch » Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:37 pm

Thank you - great answers and "yes" it will never see daily use or storage outside. It is rarely used, so I think the comments pointed this out. On the inside of the body (the dash and the pieces around the windows) are these black or body color?

User avatar

Bob McDaniel
Posts: 444
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:44 pm
First Name: Bob
Last Name: McDaniel
Location: Smithville TN.
MTFCA Number: 28428
Board Member Since: 2007

Re: Paint

Post by Bob McDaniel » Tue Dec 31, 2019 6:23 pm

Good advice so far but I have used PPG for years and have paint jobs over 35 years old that I base my own needs on. I like my paint to hold up 20 years or more but on cars kept inside most of time it is hard tell what may or may not hold up in the real world. I have done single stage urethane and base coat clear coat and both hold up well and both can be color sanded and buffed to a glass like finish. Cars I have done look like new fresh paint for 10 years outside with no care at all before they start to fail. Do the body work right and your paint will last a lifetime the way we use our cars. I feel the 2 stage (base + clear) might hold up a little longer but for me it is easy to spray compared to single stage because if you get a bug or flaw in the base you can stop and fix it almost right away and keep going with the next coat. I have also fixed damage done after the job was done by blending base over the repair and then clear the whole panel to make it blend better. I have never tried to touch up single stage since I don't shoot much of it but can tell you sanding out a sag or run is not something you can do for a while and it can be hard to fix when fresh.

One thing to watch out for is the lower cost off brands made by the same company as the expensive stuff. PPG makes a low cost Omni urethane and it will oxidize when left outside in a couple of years and will not hold up or shine as good as the better paint. For me it is not worth the money you might save to cut corners on the paint. If you keep it out of the sun you might make the cheep stuff last a little longer but 10 years later or less down the road you will wish you had bought the good stuff. I have not used the other brands so can not comment on them so do your homework and decide how good you want this to turn out and how long you want it to last, not how much you want to spend because it is going to cost more to re-do it later than it will to do it right now.

Just my .02 donation
Happy New Year!
Give an old car guy a barn and he won't throw anything away.


Topic author
frankMurch
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:10 am
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Murch
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 coupe
Location: California

Re: Paint

Post by frankMurch » Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:04 am

Thanks, great advise and thoughts.

I am guessing from the damage and condition of this car, but it appears the car does not run without tinkering. That means the hood is opened and shut a lot, the fenders are used for little tables for tools and parts, the running boards are constantly stepped on. the Green is worn around the front where the hood is opened and shut, around the glass door. There is also a lot of vibration, some paint cracking around attachment points. So "durability" really means resisting this type of wear and damage.

Also, I am not sure what the sheen and reflectivity was or should be. I think the main function of the car was touring, not a "judged" show. But I really do not want a "look" that is far away from the original look. Obviously it is a Model T, not some custom rest mod. Pink ain't going to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L87GSooL2k

On a "gray scale" where the old paint is on one side and an extremely good, flawless odd ball color is with a mirror finish on the other side, I want to be in the middle with the original green in a chemistry that is obviously "head and shoulders" above the 1927 quality level. So I think it comes down the sheen and reflectivity, resistance to cracking and scratches. I know I do not want the "wet look"

The dash and interior trim paints have a thick coat of black on them. Maybe Por 15 or Rustoleum. What was the original color of these?


Topic author
frankMurch
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:10 am
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Murch
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 coupe
Location: California

Re: Paint

Post by frankMurch » Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:07 am

Oh, the firewall is currently rattle can black, this should be the body color - right?

User avatar

Humblej
Posts: 1690
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:23 pm
First Name: Jeff
Last Name: Humble
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Canadian built coupe, 1924 TT C-cab, survivor 1924 roadster
Location: Charlevoix, Mi
MTFCA Number: 28034
Board Member Since: 2006

Re: Paint

Post by Humblej » Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 am

Yes, firewall is body color.

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Paint

Post by Mark Gregush » Wed Jan 01, 2020 9:44 am

Personally I think the coupe looks great the way it is. It has a nice aged look to it and on top of that, it was your fathers handy work. Repainting could have a cascading effect, now the top looks shabby so you put new top on, now the interior looks shabby so new interior then it becomes a ground up restoration. People like to see an old car that looks like it has been around for a while and frankly I don't think a shinny paint job is going to increase the value all that much. I am just offering a different way to look at it, bottom line follow your gut.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3389
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
MTFCA Number: 30701
MTFCI Number: 24033
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Paint

Post by TWrenn » Wed Jan 01, 2020 10:03 am

Stepping outside my "comfort zone", I agree with Mark. I would just "buff it out", you may be surprised at how nice it will
look just like that. What can it hurt. All you would lose is time and maybe some sore muscles, should you not like the results.
And at least you would have fun in the process, all the while no doubt reminiscing about times with your dad. Just my 2 cents.

User avatar

JunkyJud
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:19 pm
First Name: Justin
Last Name: H
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 TT C cab
Location: Western PA

Re: Paint

Post by JunkyJud » Wed Jan 01, 2020 3:16 pm

I'll second what Hank Lee said, Nason single stage urethane and the recommended primers. This is a high quality and cost effective product that can be cut and buffed, if you so desire, with little effort and nice results. The look of the single stage is also more appropriate on an old car as compared to a clear coat process.

Stay away from Martin Senour single stage paints. I have had two bad experiences with that paint stratifying after being sprayed. The result is changes in shade as the paint is cut for final buffing. It ends up looking like a color changing gob stopper and requires a lot of work to repaint with a different product.
Justin in Western PA

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic