Good luck with that one! No telling how the car was prepped or if there is damage somewhere hidden.

 

Looks like they gave it a very quick once over with some kind of random orbital sander- but I'm able to buff the marks out as I remove the paint.

I've rubbed through and made 'exploratory' patches in most areas of the car and haven't found anything too concerning yet.

It does have one none original drivers side fender that I'm going to have to respray and 'blend' to match.....unless I can pick up a factory paint Sauterne Gold fender second hand.

I've posted that I'm looking for one in the wanted section

 

That is some real interesting work you're doing there. It surely won't have much shine to it, but it will have patina and a story!

 

I'm going to wax and buff it to preserve the finish- but yes, it wont shine much. I kinda like that- it looks like brushed stainless steel or aluminum. Like an old aircraft.

 

Cars are usually re-painted the same color for a reason...Not just because the old finish has dulled, but because the old finish is shot..

I would tread very lightly if I were you...but what's the worst that can happen....you just have it repainted....lol...

There are also ways today to duplicate original finishes using certain types of paints and flateners...so really...anything is possible today really.. You just have to have the right painter with the right knowledge.

Tony K.

 

3M makes an awesome Hand Glaze.....Been using it for 25 years...

Mothers and Meguires makes good stuff too....With Mothers being a bit better I think..

)

Tony K.

 

Good tips. Thanks.
Stuart

 

I fear that after all the hours of work, you'll have a car that looks like crap... But you won't be able to tell, because you put in all that work..

but as stated, I suppose the worst that can happen is wasted hours and a repaint.

 

I fear that after all the hours of work, you'll have a car that looks like crap... But you won't be able to tell, because you put in all that work..

Don't fear - I won't. I knew I'd find some opposition. You're entitled to your opinion and I know my appreciation for original patina'd paint puts me in a minority. Crap is in the eye of the beholder Johnny.

I have my own opinion about what makes a car look crap. Most people want to see their projects shiny as a sucked candy. Too many cars have modern paint jobs with fake shine laid on with coats of clear coat. It looks plastic and out of place on a 45 year old car.

Original honest patina is becoming a rarity. It's only relatively recently that the car world has started to realize the value in original patina'd paint and it's because most cars have been 'restored' with modern paint finishes that these cars are now becoming more desirable. It may be a fairly new concept to the Mustang world, but the Porsche and rare VW owners have known it for sometime amongst other classic car fraternities.

Go to any concours or classic car show and you see original paint 'barn find' unrestored cars drawing as much attention as the ones that have had nut and bolt restorations.

 

Concours d'Elegance, Pebble Beach.
Original paint 1956 porsche 356 Carrera.

Crap paint? Needs respray? Maybe red with white GT stripes would be cool?

 

I'm another nutty one. About half of my 68 vert is the original finish. In the "old days" there was a chain called Earl Shieb that would paint a car for $39.95, your choice of their black, red or white. This was a franchise like Raaco seat covers and tops. Thousands of cars with no bad finish, rust even scratches or dings were painted because the owner wanted a resale red, black or white car!

When I was a kid my older brother bought a like new James Dean (Rebel Without a Cause) 50 Merc coupe. It was the dark olive metallic green that was popular on those Mercs. Went straight to Earl Shieb and got it painted white. If someone wasted their time removing the white they'd find a die straight original Merc under that cheap paint job. As I recall the only prep was a wipe down with something like liquid sander.

Hey most people have vinyl or cement board siding on their house. We have rough sawn cedar that stained not painted. The color varies on each board and from board to board! It's real cedar not plastic!

Yup the paint on my Stang varies. Original, original sun baked and new rattle can sprayed. I like it! I also like the color! If I got the car painted it would be same color!

 

As others have said I'd be curious as to what the car looks like underneath, though I'm jaded as an east coaster. Every body panel here seems to have at least a little blistering. Looks like an interesting idea for a project and I'm sure you're enjoying it. People see me working on my car and wonder why I put in all the effort, but it never (well, ok, maybe sometimes!) feels like work to me.

 

I'm guessing a lot of guys on here might think I'm mad.

I dont! Thats way cool your trying to save some real history. Old things showing some real patina is way more interesting those perfectly restored things.

I did a "nut and bolt" restoration on mine, but i still tried to save as many of the cars original parts as possible and reused the parts with only light patina without restoring them back to new look. So things like my interior may look lightly worn, but i love to sit in the car knowing that everything except the carpet and the headliner is all the same parts that was put in the car at the assembly line in Dearborn in dec '64, nearly 50 years ago. That way its not just a new look a like (made in Taiwan), its kind of the real thing. A true part of the 60's America.

My car may have a feel of a concours restoration to it, but in reality its more like a sleeper with a lot of hidden modifications under the skin. Its a export car that has lived all its life in a rust belt, so it was worn and rusty before the restoration started.

 

Hello axle, congrats on your find. I can dig your decision to uncover the old finish. I personally love the look of the aged patina, providing it relatively rust free. Would love to see how that looks underneath.

 

I'm fanatical about original factory paint and original colors. You can paint a car a thousand times, but it's only original once. Tired and patina'd paint is fine with me- I like survivor cars.

A very ambitious project. I like Sauterne. It has certain limitations. Unless the color change was done when it was new, you paint won't really look as it did from the factory. The light-color metallics, and to a lesser extent the dark ones, had a tendency for the metallic component to oxidize, and become dull, even when the paint was still shiny. That's why so many of these, especially Sauterne, to be repainted to other colors. The prevailing belief was that it was an "ugly" color. The first time I got a good look at it was on a car I replaced the taillight panel and right-front fender due to damage. I could see the whole car was badly faded, very common by 1980. You could also see the original appearance on the underside of the trunk lid. The whole car was then recoated, and with the paint back to original appearance, stunning. It didn't hurt that it was a K code GT.

There's a 66 GT350H around here, turns up at shows and cruises all the time. Raven black with, of course the gold stripes. I would have to say it looks a little ratty. But that's what you'd expect to see on a former rental car that was later used as a daily driver for decades. He'll never restore it. I agree.

 

This is so cool. Very ballsy. I admire your drive.

Can't wait to see the (un)finished product! Good Luck!

Oh...and to answer your question No, I personally wouldn't cover original color.I wish my car was still original. She was born Lime Gold Metallic. Some may say that color looks like baby s#*t or whatever...I dig it. She was painted by the PO.....red. I would love love love to do this with mine.

 

To me the cars that are bolt by bolt restorations with perfect finishes and incredible detail work are fascinating and beautiful.

But also, the car that is a true survivor and is on the road with simple regular care and maintenance is also beautiful and amazing in its own way. Heck, just the fact that its on the road and not in a materials recycling grinder is a HUGE win in my book.

Each have their place and their fans. To each their own! :thumbsup:

My convertible looks like it has several partial repaints -- perhaps some with rattle can as well as some panels that might just be original wimbledon white -- with a heaping of patina. The car is straight enough that it doesn't look like it was pulled out of a junk yard. Perfect for my several-times-a-week driver.

Wife wants me to get it painted. I have mixed feelings about that. There are other areas I would like to spend the $$$ (like maybe a fresh engine or a T5).

Your goal here is quite laudable IMHO. And if you can do it in 100 hours of labor I am very impressed.

Looking forward to the finished product!

 

I like it! Not sure if it will be salvageable, but the journey is the reward.

 

I have an original paint '65 that is black. Still has the UGLY dealer decal on the trunk

 

Also, it doesn't look like original paint around the door handle.

You are full of it. Wow. YOu don't see the difference between thinking you have original paint and it not being original?? That makes be a negative person? I'm just pointying out the obvious facts. I said I had an original paint car. Wow.

Think before you speak . . . . err. . learn.

Well sure, there is a chance the entire rest of the car is original. But I don't give a lot of credence to that based on the first panel he uncovered. So they painted the car door with the quality you get from a Maaco, but the rest is original? There is where the fallacy rides.

I hope he is enjoying his car. But I don't operate my life on false hopes and I try not to let others either. Is it time for another big group hug ???

From that picture of the door, I CAN absolutely say it is not original paint. I mean come on . . are you guys that confused about facts?
And, we are on topic. We are discussing original paint.

Well, even a Maaco will scuff the paint ( somewhat , so if you get all the material off that has been sprayed over it . . what do you have? If a SS metallic paint job has been scuffed to respray . . you have nothing. But as one person said, at least you have it stripped somewhat for another repaint. But if it's not original ( which we know at least part of it isn't ) then do you want to spray over that again?

Kelly, you were actually lucky to find just that. Not uncommon to find multiple layers of ,sometimes, very difficult to remove paint. That all depends on what material was used obviously. I think the worst I ever stripped was 9 layers By the way, the car looks great, your bodyman did a great job.

Well I didn't download the photo and zoom in, so maybe I was seeing it incorrectly. But the OP admits it was resprayed, so the fact is it's not original paint. Don't see why all the fuss, there is original and there is not original. You fall into one of two categories . . . holy cow.

Well we don't know. The OP has said not much, which is funny compared to the interest from everyone else.

I think we covered that right?? But as Steve was asking , did he mean sprayed once the original color or the black that is on top?

How many painters are reading this thread? Who thinks you can remove a layer of re-paint and have the previous layer look even somewhat usable? Talk about ridiculous. I'd buy the OP a beer any day, but the rest are feeding this thread of grandeur as to how great this is when I don't see it coming to fruition; from a lot of painting experience. I'm saying more to everyone else that wants to pile on as if this is the way things are done. Every carpet you peel back doesn't have perfect wood flooring below it. Most cases there are good reasons what things are covered up. OP, paint the car back to it's original color. That is cool. If the original paint is sound, it could make a nice base for a decent repaint. If that is your goal going in, you will not be disappointed. If it turns out better than that, then you are even happier right?

In the truest vain of individuality and "do what you want" . . sure I cannot. But in the automotive genre, sure I can. As an automotive professional or hobbyist, you, me, everyone has set an acceptable level. We buy and trade at that level everyday. That is what groups do. We are also here in a dedicated forum. We are here to preserve Mustangs. With that brings levels which are considered acceptable. If this forum were a "rat rod" forum, these levels would be there but I expect to be strikingly different from ours. But having 39 years of painting cars behind me, I think I know what happens when a paint job is done. I have left openings in my thoughts or theories through my threads. But I suspect they are glossed over to get to the point many here have . . . demonization . . . another group function, the causes of which I won't get into. But hey, I have wide shoulders, I can take it. I would prefer, however, to discuss the facts and deal with the technical nature of posts.

Nice . . you just don't want to learn the facts . . let's all hug.

It's not a matter of bickering . . . . and ridiculous is still ridiculous, insane is still insane. Let the record show . . . .

I guess when you don't understand, you just really don't understand.

Hate:
a : intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury
b : extreme dislike or antipathy : loathing

I don't think this had anything to do with the discussion, but thanks for digging it back up.

Actually being type 1, I survive on 5 -6 hours of sleep a night. But hey, thanks . . . for the free advertisement

The point and direction of your post is what?? Because if you want to drag it all out again, I'm game !

Why are we doing this again, don't be ignorant. Ignorance causes hope for impossible things. So Matt, you think your Firebird was repainted without sanding the prior original paint? Just washed it, taped it and sprayed? If that is the case, then do it. But if the painter did even the slightest amount of prep work, your old paint is toast.

I know it wont stop you in the future but at least this should save you some time of making an arse of yourself again in this thread., Youve about covered it all before.
To those reading last to first on this older thread, ignore these and you'll see an interesting project.

 

Hey, There's nothing wrong with "Driver" condition paint...!

)

lol..

 

Enjoy... Old time VMFer "Jim" has an orignial paint 65 Fastback in Praire Bronze... everytime I see it, I like it better... you cannot duplicate the color and "patina"...

 

Also, it doesn't look like original paint around the door handle.

 

+1. It's been repainted Sauterne Gold at least once before. Look at the overspray on the door handle gaskets.

 

Wish skeptics could have seen my previously one owner 37 Ford coupe. The car still had 80% of the original glossy black with most of the original factory pin stripe along the body line. The interior had one worn spot the driver door panel arm rest. The invoice showed it was delivered with the optional seat covers. That was a no rust original one owner Wisconsin car. The lady never drove in snow or ice...took the bus. Original is nice and only happens once!!

 

Besides paint giving you color it is also the first layer of protection from the elements. Wax is a joke ain't protecting nothing just making it shinny basically

 

no wax, no protection



You got a lot to learn grasshopper. Ask any serviceman if wax is only to make those boots shine.

 

Well sure, there is a chance the entire rest of the car is original. But I don't give a lot of credence to that based on the first panel he uncovered. So they painted the car door with the quality you get from a Maaco, but the rest is original? There is where the fallacy rides.

 

Is he selling it to you or enjoying what he's doing?

 

I hope he is enjoying his car. But I don't operate my life on false hopes and I try not to let others either. Is it time for another big group hug ???

 

Way to go and ruin the poor guys thread LOL

Nice car, I hope you achieve your goal!

 

I think it's cool he's doing this.