For CE owners - paint question

[letterman7]

Now owning a CE, I had actually never seen one 'in the flesh' until now. The graphics (stripes and pinstripes) are buried underneath a clear coat.. which has me wondering if a) a previous owner did that to protect the graphics (not a bad idea, actually), b) it was in a wreck and repaired well, and they covered the car or c) it came that way from the factory. Early '80's was just seeing the advent of the basecoat/clearcoat finishes, but from everything I've read the graphics were simply surface applied. SO... owner added / accident or factory applied clear?

 

[ZZ1-70 LT4-96]

Painting

The 81 Corvettes were built in St Louis and Bowling Green. The St Louis Corvettes were painted with lacquer and the Bowling Green Corvettes had a base coat with clear. All the 1982 Corvettes were built at Bowling Green and had the base coat with clear.

 

[letterman7]

Interesting.. that's more info than I had to start, but that doesn't answer whether the decals were cleared over from the factory or put on top of the paint. Research continues!

Rick

 

[Hib Halverson]

If you have an 82 CE with clear over the graphics someone did that after the car was made.

At the plant, the cars were painted and then all the graphics were applied.

Clearing over the graphics is a terrible idea but you'll have to live with it.

 

[letterman7]

That's what I had thought. Actually, it isn't a bad idea, it just affects the intrinsic value somewhat. I'm in the graphics and sign industry and routinely clear over applied vinyl on motorcycles and signs that require the graphics to be protected for as long as possible.

 

[6880 Mike]

...If you have an 82 CE with clear over the graphics someone did that after the car was made...

I agree.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

That's what I had thought. Actually, it isn't a bad idea, it just affects the intrinsic value somewhat.

I would worry too much about value being affected from that small detail.

 

[letterman7]

Mystery solved. I'm getting way over my head in repairs on this thing.. if I had had an opportunity and someone to do a PPI I should have done that. The car had been hit at some point on the drivers' side, at least from the door on back. The rear quarter has been replaced as well as the rear valance. The mechanical side of it is starting to be an albatross. Since the car sat for about three years, and no telling what previous owners did or didn't (mostly didn't) do to maintain it, almost every seal, bearing, rubber line, driver's rear stub axle, all bearings, etc, etc has been replaced due to deterioration, and lack of proper repair from the initial hit. My mechanic says there shouldn't be anything left to fix as we've replaced just about everything on the chassis suspension and brake related. Oy... the things we do for the cars we love!

Oh.. the paint.. my guess is that whomever painted the fixed areas simply blended into the surrounding panels, then clear coated to tie it all together.

 

[letterman7]

Well... now that I am actually driving it on an almost daily basis, more digging into the bodywork just to clean up some details. The paint.. previously posted as clear over decal, ain't so. Whomever did the repaint after whatever accident it was painted the fade stripes on. It's a hell of a match for the factory decals. It really took some looking closely (even with a magnifying glass) to find where they blended the paint into the pinstripe. Looks like they used the same metallic brown as the taillight bezels, which is creating it's own problems. I have several small chips at the leading edge by the gills that need touched up and I can't find that metallic brown paint code anywhere - anyone have an idea of what it might be?
And the wheels... color loss from the previous lack of care. Can't tell if they were a semi gloss (or gloss) black between the spokes or the same color metallic brown as the taillight bezels. Again, anyone have a clue for those? I've searched everywhere on the net for that info and it just isn't out there. Even looked at a half million photos of other cars and I still can't quite tell!

Rick

 

[82ColEd]

Welcome to the world of CE's Rick !

Mine was repainted at least once over and yes, someone painted my side decals on, but did the pin stripes by hand after. Once i got used to the look, i do like it. It's MINE and only mine has this, as well as no decal on the hood, only pin's.. So, unless you want it NCRS, if you get to like it, why mess with it? If you do want to, might want to get a NCRS book on our cars. There are a few details in there not a lot of people know (Such as the paint on the rims can be either semi brown OR black, as either was delivered that way).

Also, i have a few pictures of details, a 'original' and mine as comparison, if you want to take a look, happy to share..

Basically, what i am saying is, unless you want to go Factory Correct, trophy winner, make all speed and stopping and safety related items work and drive the car as it was meant to..


Stefan

 

[letterman7]

Hi Stefan! Thank you! Yes, I'm quite happy with the quality of the paintwork on the car. I'm not worried about NCRS spec - the car will never be that since it's not all original anyway. Just wanted to get it as close to factory spec as I can, and have touch up available for those pesky stone chips. Which book do you recommend for the paint detail (the wheels are really what's bothering me...)? I'm on the NCRS website, and they have several C3 restorers books.. doesn't seem to have anything CE specific.

R

 

[82ColEd]

Yeah, we're the red headed stepchildren of 1982. But so much prettier !otfl

I have collected a few books over the last 20+ years and these 2 helped me out so far (Aside from the my dumb questions on the CAC, obviously):

Shop Manual, for the troubleshooting and fix piece:
Amazon.com: 1982 Corvette Shop Service Repair Manual Book: Automotive

Recommended from an NCRS member here. Initially i didn't think it was worth it, but it has details as said above:
NCRS Technical Info Manual and Judging Guide (1982) (Side note: Mine seems to be a 2nd Edition, as it doesn't look like whats shown, but a simpler bound version)
1968-82 NCRS Technical Information Manual & Judging Guides - $34.95 : National Corvette Restorers Society!, Online Store

Also a definite to have, if you take her apart is the AIM (Helps putting her back together):
Corvette Factory Assembly Instruction Manuals (AIM Manual) [AIM] - $22.95 : National Corvette Restorers Society!, Online Store

I found a paint code table posted by Mike here:
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/c3-technical-performance/127650-paint.html#post1076311
but it doesn't list the paint for the wheels.

For little nicks and scratches, there are a number of Corvette Parts places that sell the touch up 1oz bottles. I haven't tried it on mine, but sometimes finish matching is very tricky, as the paint has faded, even the re-paints we have. As an example (From CC):
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb...F3QNY69191163332a~Z5Z5Z5YES~Z5Z5Z50000050G~~~

But i am sure vendors supporting the CAC have those as well. Your best bet though would be a local paint shop to take a sample and match it individually.


Stefan

 

[letterman7]

Thanks Stefan! I had ordered the shop manual and the AIM book even before I took delivery of the car. I'm retentive that way... wanting to have all the info I can before I even do a purchase. The Judging manual I actually guessed at yesterday and placed an order for. I wonder what the third edition has that makes it worth $20 more than the second? But I bought the latest one anyway, just in case.

I was sort of surprised at the AIM though. I thought it would be far more thorough in detail than it was. It assumes an awful lot, especially when taking things apart (like the center console to get to the radio). It shows where things go, but not necessarily the order it needs to go in or come out. I think I rely more on the shop manual!

And yes.. it seems that these were the oddball car, but I do get compliments on it almost every time I take it out. It's my first Vette, having wanted either one of these or the '78 Pace Car ever since they came out. Hit that mid-life crisis (sort of... my other hobby is VW kit cars) and was able to finally take the plunge!

Rick

 

[6880 Mike]

...I was sort of surprised at the AIM though. I thought it would be far more thorough in detail than it was. It assumes an awful lot, especially when taking things apart (like the center console to get to the radio). It shows where things go, but not necessarily the order it needs to go in or come out...

The AIM shows assembly, not disassembly. Just the same, knowing how things went in is often helpful when taking them out. After all, once you get it out (whatever it might be), it has to go back in. AIMs have enough detail to show experienced assembly line personnel how GM wanted the car assembled. Keep in mind C3 production averaged 100-120 cars per day, depending on model year. The folks on the assembly line knew what they were doing.

AIMs do not show detail for any item received as an assembly at St. Louis or Bowling Green. Differentials, engines, transmissions, etc all came in as assembled units. The AIM will show how to install these items, but not how the assembly went together before it was shipped to the plant.