Advice

[Stan]

I am putting my r4 in to get painted at the end of next week and wondered if the guys on here that have been through this exercise have any tips for me.
I'm thinking to put it in as just the shell and get him to do the inner front and the four outer wings separately then bolt on everything afterwards.
What worries me is that I might/will damage/scratch the new paintwork when I bolt all the bits on. I know from experience that the colour I am painting her is very easily marked.
Any advice and or tips would be appreciated. Cheers Stan.

 

[petak]

I am about at the same point in my "process", and in conversation with painter he suggested to first bolt on wings (front inner and outer and rear) and then paint whole car.
He suggested this way because it is better to align wings and to do all small mistakes, scratches before so that there is no tears afterwards.

Body of my car is already painted from inside. cabin, bonnet, doors.
Now it is time to put body sealant between cabin and wings and bolt them on and it is ready for paint from outside.

Doors and bonnet will be painted separately and mounted after cabin (with wings) is finished.

 

[Stan]

Yes I see what you mean. Thanks

 

[Tripyrenees]

Paint the whole car as one. I just did this in parts and it was a night mare.

 

[Stan]

What would you advise Ian, the bodyshell is going in on Monday to be prepped and painted, he is thinking of doing the inner and outer wings afterwards, my thoughts are to do everything in primer then take everything home, put it all together and then top coat it.
But I haven't done this before so advice from someone who has would be very much appreciated. Stan.

 

[Tripyrenees]

You need to dry fit all parts, wings, doors, bonnet etc. make sure everything lines up, shuts, opens etc.

I think prepping in primer, building up and checking all is ok is the way to go.

 

[Stan]

Yep sounds ok to me I'll speak to the painter today and see what he says

 

[johnjolly]

Yep sounds ok to me I'll speak to the painter today and see what he says

I think he's spot on Stan! I've made a mess of painting mine, panel by panel. I have so many different finishes because the temperature, damp air etc on different days, I'm really disappointed with the result. I'm even considering letting the paint shop rub it all down and respraying for me.

 

[Tripyrenees]

Exactly, I took the body home to get it built up as the paint shop were so bloody slow. I was missing doors, bonnet, rear door and rear wings. I go all the way back (40Km on hilly country road) to get the other parts fitted. Get there and they are a totally different colour.
I leave the car and they repaint the wings, fit them. They take another two weeks and I get impatient (it had been 5 months by this time) and just collect the car and shove the doors etc in the van and drive home.
I go to fit the doors (which were from a different car as mine were too far gone) and they don't fit, nearly 3cm drop. Paint is scratching and chipping along the way. Take it back and they were flabbergasted as to why I wanted them to fix it all and make good - BECAUSE I GAVE YOU A COMPLETE CAR - I WANT A COMPLETE CAR BACK.

Really spoilt the experience for me and my Citroen Traction is not going there (I had promised it to them at the beginning) or any other car or any recommendations for them.

My 2CV van is currently at the Carrosserie in Pau - this is the guy that does the Couchonou 2CVs for the Tour de France. Hoping I get a better experience with this one.

 

[Stan]

Sounds like you had a lot of hassle Ian, I'm hoping that I have a better experience, hopefully the fact that he knows that I can put a lot of work his way if he does this car right will help, time will tell !! There's also a lot of good info on Malcolm's various painting bits. I have warned him that the colour is very easy marked which I don't think he believed but since then he has spoken to someone else who verified what I said.
Good luck with the 2cv.