VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Paint for a 29

When you all painted your 29's did you use enamal, lacquer, or??? Was your work gloss, semi gloss flat or?? Thanks

Hi Tu papa,
The autocolorlibrary web site lists the color schedule for the 1929 Chevrolet based on the body style. They also list their types of paints based on your preference. I've read that gloss paint was used back then but that it had a somewhat subdued look similar to semi-gloss. If you tell us what your planning then someone should be able to advise you alot better than myself. Good luck

Can you be more specific as to what you are actually painting? Are you talking about the frame, the engine parts, interior parts, the body or what?

Ok I am painting the body, fenders, etc The frames, engine, etc., are finished. Thanks.

Originally, the body was painted with nitrocellulose lacquer and the fenders were enamel.

Thanks
What do you all use now?
What was the average expenses for doing body work to include rechroming of the radiator, soda blasting fenders, running, boards, hood aprons, visor wheels, buying materials but having tols? Thanks.

Hi Tu papa,
Your question covers many different processes, stripping/blasting, body work repair, priming/painting, rechroming and plating. These require individual attention and therefore should be organized accordingly. If you are a hands on do it yourself type, (having tools), the Eastwood Company offers many ideas and materials used for automotive restoration. Of course the Filling Station, this forum and the VCCA, all help with the numerous issues of restoration. This cuts down on the cost of labor if your doing the work. If not, the cost goes up. As far as average costs, that requires inquiring the prices from numerous businesses. A ledger/logbook will come in handy to keep things organized and to remember data. It's a large project, but with organization it becomes workable. Sorry I can't give you any specifics with reference to expenses-it's too variable.

Hi again Tu papa,
Forgot to address the paint question. Enamal, lacquer, urethane, basecoat clearcoat, all are available. Each require their own steps for application that you need to research. All are only as good as the preparation made to the item before painting.

In the area where I live, normal body work and a very good quality paint job will run around $10,000 if you have the work done by a professional.

On my 1930, I used nitrocellulose lacquer.

Just for your information, if you plan on doing any of the work yourself, (a source of pride in the finished product and a big time cost saver), a good resource is "Skinned Knuckles" magazine. They are not Chev specific, but have how-to articles on various restoration techniques. They have in recent months had a series of articles on air compressors, sand and media blasting and painting equipment for example. I decided early on in my restoration project that I would do as much of the work myself as I could. I have saved a bundle of money, taught myself many skills, but have been at it for 51 years. I wouldn't have it any other way. Anyway "Skinned Knuckles" can be ordered from P. O. Box 6983, Huntington Beach, CA 92615. They also have back issues available so you can check out items of interest from past issues.

In regards to the paint gloss, the body exterior I always thought should be gloss. The lacquer on the body was buffed (for the contemporary F***, there are pictures and films showing the process) and the fenders dipped in gloss black.

Is the lacquer paint still available? Who has it?

So for you all who did a 29 what tyoe of paint did you use?

Depending upon where you live acrylic lacquer is still available at your local PPG paint store. However, they will either have to color match the paint or you will need a formula for them to use for mixing the colors for your 1929.

Another option is to go here:

http://www.hiberniaautorestorers.com/

They have both nitrocellulose lacquer and acrylic lacquer available on special order.

I used lacquer on my 1930 when I first restored it in the mid 70's, it didn't hold up well. When I redid the car in the late 90's I used the new two stage epoxy paint and the car looks as good today as it did ten plus years ago. Super shine and no cracks or fading.

My all original 1932 Chevrolet Special Sedan still has the factory nitrocellulose lacquer paint. Considering that the paint is now almost 80 years old and that the car was used as an "all purpose" vehicle on a ranch for years, the lacquer paint on the body is still in nice condition. The old "nitro" on my car seems to have held up better overall than some of the modern paint jobs I have seen.

Thanks one and all for the paint advise. What is the modern equivalent for the green used in 1929 when I order it?

Which green? There are several.

Hi Tu papa,
Based on amount of green colors listed for the 1929 Chevrolet, it is not possible to answer your modern equivalent question. The autocolorlibrary lists these green paints for 29 Chev:
Body 29 Phaeton= Lush Green/ Body 29 Roadster=Yorktown Green/ Body 29 Coach= Avenue Green/ Body 29 Coupe= Faunce Green and Paul Revere Green/ Body 29 Sedan= Faunce Green, Paul Revere Green, Huntington Green/ Body 29 Imperial= Wild Green and Sherwood Green. These are just the body colors. There are also Moulding, Stripe and Wheel contrasting green colors. This note is posted also: (Starting approx. Oct 1,1929 Chevrolet Motor Co. inaugurated the system of stamping on the Left body sill just inside the Left front door, a number identifying the color scheme on the car, which numbers correspond to the following combinations.) There are many combinations listed, here are the body greens listed: No. 18= Aiken Green/ No. 29= Scaraba Green/ No. 43= Henbury Green. The Filling Station offers a [Paint Instruction Drawing] that is very usefull to have. Once you choose a color then a local automotive paint supplier should be able to help determine a modern equivalent paint formula. What Style of 1929 Chevrolet do you have?

Thanks for the replu. I have a 29 Sport Coupe.

Not to get off topic too much, but while digging through some of the old G&Ds, (yes, I keep them, but not too organized), I found an article in Dec. 1998 G&D (p. 27-31)on manufacturing the 1934 Chevrolet at the Century of Progress. While not exactly a 1929, it's close. On the painting process, quoted from the June 1, 1934 The Chevrolet Leader:

"The secret of Chevrolet's deep, full-bodied lustre lies in the minute care which surrounds the numerous operations involved in applying the finish. First there is a water and acid bath to remove all grease and dirt and make sure that the finish will 'stick.' Then the body is dried in an electrically heated oven before the prime coat is applied. Then another wash, followed by the 'color' coats of Duco, several of which are applied, with inspections, touch-up, and drying in-between.

Every Chevrolet body is hand and machine rubbed with a special abrasive compound so fine in composition that it is a faultless nail polish."(p. 28 of G&D)

Under the illustration of the buffing process, it is stated:

"Oil sanding with fine sand paper dipped in oil, and machine polishing are important reasons for the high quality of Fisher Body lacquer finishes. Every inch of the body is rubbed with oiled sandpaper, then polished by pads of fleecy wool on portable electric polishers. The polishing compound is virtually identical with finger nail polish."

The illustration below this text does indeed show a very mirror like finish being buffed out. Anyway, thought would throw this in for whatever it's worth.

Finger nail polish? Isn't that just lacquer with red pigment in it? What am I missing? I am using 600, 1000 & 2000 wet paper then DuPont rubbing coumpound 303S, then Girots 1, 2 & 3 polishing compound.

This is just speculation, but my guess is that "finger nail polish" at that time was an abrasive compound for polishing the nails, not a "finger nail paint" like we think of it today. But this guess could be wrong. If I have time, may look into the origins of "finger nail polish" some more.

Not to beat a dead horse, at least too much, but here is a link to an Ebay sale of GRAF Bro HYGLO NAIL POLISH.

It also gives a description from Wikipedia--according to it in the late 19th early 20th C. finger nails were buffed for a polished look.

Anyway, enough of me rambling on about polishing--didn't intend to hijack this thread.

OK, that splains it. Thanks.