Paintwerks' Absolute Pace 427SC build thread

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by leroy17

Stunning and no others like it.

Thank you! Yes, it is different, but it looks fantastic. I had to re-read your comment though. I originally read it as nobody else approved of it!

So black it is, there you go, unveiled!

LOL! No, as much as I love a black Cobra, I'm not doing black.

[Modena]

Originally Posted by Paintwerks

LOL! No, as much as I love a black Cobra, I'm not doing black.

Ah-Hah! Only 16,777,215 guesses to go.....

[Paintwerks]

And here she is with 3 coats of highfill primer. Looking really straight now! Still has to be sanded down though:

[750hp]

Good to see a painted Pace underway. You must definitely be in the minority with that option!

Looking forward to seeing a shiny coat of red on it.

[leroy17]

No matter what the finish and what the angle, these are damn sexy cars.

Look forward to these updates.

If it's not to much to ask, how about (from a professionals point of view) details of these steps, the process, the purpose and what differentuates from others (aside from prep time).

I ask this as I have never painted before and find it interesting the significant differences between paint finishes.

Prep for silver, grey, yellow, orange, blue, tan , White is looking good.

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by leroy17

If it's not to much to ask, how about (from a professionals point of view) details of these steps, the process, the purpose and what differentuates from others (aside from prep time).

I ask this as I have never painted before and find it interesting the significant differences between paint finishes.

Prep for silver, grey, yellow, orange, blue, tan , White is looking good.

Great questions!

The cost of a paint job varies significantly depending on the following factors:

1. Quality of the composite body to be painted (judged on straightness, pinholes, voids, cracks/fractures, panel fit and shape).
2. Quantity of hours required to rectify above deficiencies
3. Number of times body and bolt ons are required to be highfill primed
4. Colour scheme selected by the client
5. Whether stripes and/or roundelles are required
6. Gloss level (Gloss, semi-gloss, satin, matt) selected
7. Whether car will be a 'street' finish or flow coated to a show car finish (involves sanding down every part after paint and reclearcoating with more clearcoat, then compound polishing to a mirror finish

With regards to process:

1. We go over the vehicle assessing and marking on the body and bolt ons (bonnet, boot, scoop and doors etc) where the deficiencies are
2. Entire vehicle is cleaned with a prepping solution
3. Panel gaps and fitment is confirmed. Adjustments to panel shape are made as required (sanding edges, building up areas etc)
4. Body is long block sanded and detail sanded to reveal all low spots and take down any high spots. We usually start with 40-80 grit as the coarser grit cuts straighter, working up to 120-180 grit dry paper. Body then cleaned with prepsol, a refined cleaning solvent
5. Polyester body filler applied to lows and pinholes. Voids are dug out filled. Cracks are repaired, reinforced and filled. Body then long blocked and detail sanded again to complete the correct profile. Finished between 120-240 grit.
6. Vehicle taken into the spray booth, masked up, blown off and prepsoled.
7. 3-4 coats of highfill 2 pack primer are applied with a 1.8mm primer gun, with 10-15 minutes elapsed between coats at 25 degrees celcius
8. Vehicle is low baked at 55 degrees celcius for 40 minutes. Then a black guide coat is lightly spray misted over the vehicle. The guide coat shows us where a low remains in a panel as the black spray will remain where the sandpaper does not touch it. Vehicle is then left to sit for 4-7 days for the primer to continue curing.
9. Vehicle is then long blocked and detail sanded again. Firstly, we start with 220-240 grit. If all repairs look good at this stage and there aren't any lows remaining, we continue sanding with a finer 400 grit, If there are still lows, we may need to apply some more fine filler and re-highfill spot prime the rectified area. Sometimes we can just re-highfill without needing more filler
10. Following satisfactory blocking with 220 grit and then 400 grit, we wet sand the vehicle with 800 grit wet paper. The sanding slurry is rinsed off.
11. Vehicle and bolt ons are setup in the spray booth. All apertures are masked off and the vehicle itself is masked to the floor to ensure overspray does not hit the undercarriage.
12. Vehicle and bolt ons are prepsoled again and then wiped down with a tack rag which will pick up any dust on the surface.
13. Vehicle then receives a single coat of colour-sympathetic epoxy primer surfacer. This ensures consistent basecoat application and correct colour representation.
14. After 10 minutes, the car is then ready for colour/topcoat

Bodywork hours naturally vary according to the amount of hours and materials required. My own Pace body needed approximately 20 hours of bodywork, whereas Mark's Harrison required over 60 hours.

The prep time for different colours is exactly the same.

Done right, this is what a nice paint job will look like. This is Mark's Harrison I painted:





Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Sime

[leroy17]

Thanks for the education lesson and detailed description.

The prep work has paid off in spades with the finished result. Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed summary and understanding on all the leadup to the final paint.

Would I be right to presume that you have either recommended or completed some form of inner guard liner to prevent or lesson the chance for star cracks from rocks doing any damage.

Congratulation to you for such a great paint job and to Mark for an awesome looking car, sure I am a bit biast, but I think it's stunning.

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by leroy17

Thanks for the education lesson and detailed description.

The prep work has paid off in spades with the finished result. Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed summary and understanding on all the leadup to the final paint.

You're welcome...happy to help with the info.

Would I be right to presume that you have either recommended or completed some form of inner guard liner to prevent or lesson the chance for star cracks from rocks doing any damage.

Re the inner guards, Mark's car did have some star cracks from rocks. We fixed those and applied a water-based stone guard coating. However I'm not sure that will be enough. In the comprehensive kit, Pace supply some Neoprene foam to apply to the inner wheel arches. I'll be putting that on my car and recommended to Mark that he do the same.

There is another very tough coating called 'Line-X' which would be perfect, however the equipment to apply it is very expensive. I don't plan on driving my car in the rain so the neoprene should work out fine.

Congratulation to you for such a great paint job and to Mark for an awesome looking car, sure I am a bit biast, but I think it's stunning.

Thanks so much! I believe it's your old car

[spookypt]

Which was "Ledges" car. I've been around too long! I must send Paul that pic. Wow beautiful job.

[Modena]

Originally Posted by Paintwerks

I don't plan on driving my car in the rain so the neoprene should work out fine.

that's what we all said! I've been caught in a light shower twice in the last week!

[750hp]

Brilliant summary Sime. Even the most ill informed mug punter should have some understanding of the number of variables involved, but I bet you still get people ringing you for a quote over the phone...

[leroy17]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Which was LEDGEs car. I've been around too long! I must send Paul that pic. Wow beautiful job.

Yup, Paul did a good job on the build, I can't take any credit for that, I just got to enjoy afterwards and tinker with a few things.

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by 750hp

Brilliant summary Sime. Even the most ill informed mug punter should have some understanding of the number of variables involved, but I bet you still get people ringing you for a quote over the phone...

Thanks Craig! Quotes over the phone? Story of my life!!!

[Cobrakiller]

What are your thoughts on spraying gel coat as a sealer compared to the 2 pack hi fill. On fiberglass bodies of course.

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by Cobrakiller

What are your thoughts on spraying gel coat as a sealer compared to the 2 pack hi fill. On fiberglass bodies of course.

You can get good build with gel coat, however we'd never have a reason to use gel coat as a sealer because before the car can receive basecoat, it needs to have a primer as a base (preferably 2 pack). You would never put basecoat directly over gel coat.

....unless you desire to redo the job all over again!

[albanycobra]

save yourself a shed load on paint and order an Alloy body.....

just make sure you have private health for new elbows after a few years of polishing....

[leroy17]

Time for a Bathurst Sunday update.

[Paintwerks]

Apologies for the delay with updates. Work got in the way!

Well, after just over 3 years since I took delivery, I have pretty much completed my Pace 427SC. Just have to do the Goodyear Eagle billboard lettering on the tyres, fit the windwings and sunvisors, dash support tubes, front and rear emblems, airbox, oil cooler, a few interior trim covers and carpet the boot. In a few weeks I am also having the front of the Cobra wrapped in Hexis Bodyfence clear protection film.

The colour is McLaren Volcano Orange (3 layer) with PPG ultra high solid clearcoat. Hope you like her!



















At the BP Peninsulalink cruise in last Saturday night. Car drew quite a crowd and received many compliments.

[ICCARS]

I love the use of the 15's it's cool and the body work and paint job are outstanding - Great job.

[djspiderman]

Wow! Very nice. Well done.