Black paint on fiberglass

[Dangerous Doug]

Okay, time for me to be thinking about paint.

Every time I picture my Cobra in my mind, it is gloss black. Harkens back to a picture of a black CSX on a beach at sunset. That set the hook.

Talking to a painter today, he is reluctant to paint black on fiberglass because in his experience the black absorbs so much heat that it can cause the fibers to start coming through the paint. Anyone ever hear of this? Anyone with a black Cobra having this issue?

Alternatively, I'm considering lipstick red (another Cobra picture/poster) or--ahem---"Viking Blue" (I believe Ford called it "Princess Blue". Great...) My wife loves the color (it matches my eyes...) and it is the "original Shelby 289 FIA color" for the purists out there. I believe it was Shelby himself that recoined it "Viking Blue".

Anyhow, anyone ever hear of the issue of the fiberglass coming through black paint due to heat absorption?

Hhmmm, red...

DD

[scootter]

No issue here. Besides, my car is never in the sun for days on end. Don't know of anyones that would be.

Try both colors. It looks good!!





Scott

[Double Venom]

I think your painter is talking about "Imprinting". It happens on any color with poor fiberglass or improper preperation prior to paint. Since ERA uses a high quality fiberglass and gelcoat you should never experience this problem, regardless of the color. A high quality Sealer is critical and following the directions is also critical. Nothing like a black Cobra with a two foot shine/reflection! best thing I have found is to put ther car in sealer-two coats- when it is ready for paint. Move it outside in the sun for a couple of days, causing the sealer to shrink and to allow the chemicals to work out of the sprayed sealer

Wet sand, (yes, wet sand the dried sealer) and put down your color. Now paint it black with two-three coats of high quality Clear that has plenty of UV protection- BASF,Dupon't etc.
My 2-cents-have never had the imprint problem With, ER!, EM, Midstates, Cr's, or SPF'.

DV

[55312]

Take a look in my archive. This black paint is a Mercedes paint sprayed in 1992.
Still in amazingly good shape and no fiber separation. Find another painter!

Tim

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Some painters don't like to paint anything black, cause it is the most unforgiving color, any little imperfection is going to show up and look 10 times worse than it is!!!!!!!!!!!

As DV said, painting any color,especially black, it's all in the body prep, that will "make or break" a paint job.........

BTW: White IS the most forgiving color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[strictlypersonl]

Even though the ERA body is flawless , with a dark non-metallic color it's a good idea to bake the raw fiberglass body before any paint prep is done. Most good paint shops have an oven to cure the paint at slightly elevated temperatures that don't damage the rest of the car.

[slithering]

DD,

For me it was not an issue, I wanted black. Believe it or not there are many shades of black. I wanted a durable, long lasting paint and sealer. I chose Dupont and am as happy today as I was on paint day. Body prep is essential, black is not forgiving so all must be perfect. I think for most of us Cobra builders, perfectionism is a prerequesite anyway. I've not had any of the imprinting issues. I clean the car every time it comes back in from a drive.

There's just something about a black and chrome cobra, just looks dominating. If it's preped and applied correctly, for me, nothing looks better . . .

Chris

[patrickt]

With the ERA body, and a real professional doing the body work, baking, and paint, black will come out gorgeous. I have a black stripe, and looking at it is like looking in a mirror. Walt and his folks at Connecticut Custom did all the work and, if you go with them, or someone of their caliber, you will be happy. Just be prepared to take out your wallet because high quality body work and paint is not cheap -- but you get what you pay for.

[brettco]

I paint cars and agree with this painter that black on fiberglass will cause more undercoat shrinkage and this will in turn show more on a black car. I also think the people who are saying find a new painter dont realize us painters see things most car owners will never notice! The problem with this painter is he is too honest and should of kept his concerns to himself and just got the job painting the cobra black.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by brettco

I paint cars and agree with this painter that black on fiberglass will cause more undercoat shrinkage and this will in turn show more on a black car. I also think the people who are saying find a new painter dont realize us painters see things most car owners will never notice! The problem with this painter is he is too honest and should of kept his concerns to himself and just got the job painting the cobra black.

But if you throw enough money at the painter, he can make it work and look beautiful, true?

[brettco]

Originally Posted by patrickt

But if you throw enough money at the painter, he can make it work and look beautiful, true?

The biggest thing is to bake the body after every prime and then wait a while before blocking and bake a few times and wait before the final sanding. Not many bodyshops can have a car in the shop just waiting around to be worked on but some of them understand. Its the same on a black steel car with plastic filler in a repair-more likley to shrink back or ring a black car.

[bulletbrown]

My painter discussed this with me : Imprinting as you called it : and we had a coating sprayed on that had the feel of plastic electrial tape. It was brite black when it dried . Then they painted my Cobra as normal . It has been 4 years at it looks great . I do not remember the name of the product but some one will . My Cobra is dark blue. There has been no shrinkage or lifting of sanding marks that he was worried about . This product works well so far this extra step has been worth it . Good Luck
P.S. If know one comes up with the name of this product send me a e-mail and I will call the painter .

[Snakebit]

A black car takes more time to prep as it will show every imperfection verses a light color car. Porsche used to charge a 1500 premium for a black car just for that reason. But don't let that deter you. If you like black then paint it black, it's your car. If you compromise, you will be wishing your cobra was black every time you see another black Cobra.

[Dangerous Doug]

All good advice. Glad I asked.

Hard for me to break away from painting it black. Sounds managable, and I don't see myself leaving my Cobra out in the bright sun for days on end.

Thanks guys. As usual, good advice.

DD

[Jamo]

Just do it...where you live it won't be a problem, asspecially if you follow DV's and the other folks advice.

Just get the damn thing done and get on the road.

[macloft]

SCOOTER
Bloody nice car I have just made it my background. What are the actual colours you have used.
Bruce

[gene giambona]

DD,

There are two days that black car owners are the happiest...the day they pick up a new or freshly painted black car and the day they sell it!

I own a black car and boy does everything show..fingerprints, pollen (you won't need a calendar to know when spring has arrived), dust, fine polishing scratches etc. BUT>>> Nothing looks more striking than a perfectly laid down deep black paint job! Go with the black color you always wanted and be sure to not skimp on the clear coat if you decide to go with a two stage.

Concerning paint jobs, I recently learned that red paint will cost you more than any other color (with the exception of those crazy candies and color shifting paints). So a red paint job will have more material costs associated with a paint job, but a black paint job will probably have more labor costs to get the body perfectly laid down prior to paint.

When it came time to pick a color combination for my Cobra, I went with the super rare blue and white stripe route so that I really stand out among the Cobra crowd.

[tkb289]

Doug,

Imagine this ... it's a beautiful Saturday afternoon, you walk across your driveway, open the garage door and there sits a pristine shiny black Cobra. You fire that baby up and drive over to Santa Cruz ( the long way of course ), park on the beach and watch the sunset behind your black FIA, as it melts into the darkness ...

I bet that you won't be thinking ... gee, maybe I should have painted it red, or white or green, or blue or ...

You are starting with a quality car and sounds like with the advice and experience listed above, it can be done.

Regards,

- Tim

[Double Venom]

Brettco,
Not starting an arguement, your right the other listed painter was telling the truth! At least half truths. Not slamming FFR's but I have painted them black too, 10 years old and no shrinkage, no imprinting. I'm, sure you will agree that it all takes is time AND the right products!
DV
Painter-nigh onto 40 years now
Dupont's "Top Gun" winner
Dupont instructor
etc., etc.....
Paint it black!

[SantaFe66]

Mine was painted over 10 years ago and still looks great. Since I detail it myself I know where all the little flaws are. Nobody else has ever mentioned them though.

I've had several black cars (the one that preceded the Cobra was a '61 Chev Impala SS with 3 2's,four speed, and a 348). They've always gotten complements. As others have said, they always look great just after you detail them, and that's frequent.