update on Rich's build

[RICH MUISE]

The paint is a GM color. Chevy HHR, I think either 2003 or 2005. It is called dark tarnished silver. My paint supplier brought me out 6 or 8 paint chips of different versions of that color....mostly variations in the metallic content and size if I remember correctly. I seem to remember picking one in the middle. I do have the PPG Omni Plus paint code for the color if you decide on it. I think that paint code nails down which version I picked, but your preferences may differ.
The HHR's had about 3 silver grays available that were just a little different, so if you keep your eye out for an HHR on the road, it may or may not be that color. I think I saw one just yesterday, but to be honest the color does look a bit different on the HHR than it does my car.
I can't pick a color from a paint chip, I have to see it on a car. Then when I find one I think I like, I have to see it in different lights. Some silvers will turn different tones at sunset, cloudy days, etc. I wanted a silver gray that was very neutral...not with a tan or green or a purple tone to it. The color I picked is very neutral in all lights, so it has more options as far as blending with interior colors, pinstriping, two toning, etc. My 23 years in the art business really helps when I need to pick coordinating colors.
A note on base paint. My mentor/friend advised me years ago that a base paint doesn't do anything more than add a color, it is the primers and clearcoats that have the important functions, so place your money accordingly.

[RICH MUISE]

update....car finish is looking lots better today. I went to the paint supply shop and picked up a single 6" 3M 3000 grit wet finishing pad for the DA. I had blocked the rear quarter already with the 800 wet on the longboard, then went over it with the 1500 wet disc on the DA, then the 3000. It really made the finish look deeper and shinier. It also cut the buffing time down at least by 2/3. The 2 DA operations on the back quarter took less than 45 minutes, and the buffing about 30 minutes. I went ahead and redid the door with the new 3000 and started the fender, but the disc ran it's life before I got the fender done. Back to the paint shop tommorrow to pick up a few more. These 3000 discs cost 6.50 each, but less than 5 will get me thru the whole car, and save me tons of time. I'm still using the first 1500 disc, and it's not giving any signs of wearing out....probably just two will do the whole car. Those were the ones only sold in boxes of 25! Now I've got to figure out what to do with the 23 or so I'll have left over, lol. I was really surprised at how much the 3000 disc was removing....note first pic.

[Ford Blue blood]

Very nice Rich!  Don't worry too much about the couple of runs.....even the pros get a run from time to time!  If you only had four on the whole car you're doing more things right then wrong!

[clusterbuster]

Looking really sharp Rich. Your finish looks like glass.

[Ford Blue blood]

Hey Rich, sell me 5 of those 1500 disc.  I'd like to try them and I'll need them for the Ranchero if they make me happy!

[57AGIN]

Rich:

Very nice, I'm not sure what Santini uses.  But when I went over there on Friday, the car has been color sanded and awaits only the buffing process.  I hope it turns out as nice as what you have done in your garage.

Bob
57 AGIN

[RICH MUISE]

Bill..pm me your address again.
Bob...I'm 100% sure yours is going to be way nicer than mine. I have gotten very good at making things look good with my camera, lol.

[GaryI72]

Mighty fine job there!

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich PM sent......

[Limey57]

One heck of a shine for sure!  I'm always nervous about using a DA for finishing, I'm so heavy handed I'm scared of suddenly seeing primer appear through the paint.

[RICH MUISE]

Yep...worries me too. I'm especially careful about staying off edges and peaks. One of the things that helped a bit was the fact that I only went thru the old clear (that I had originally applied) on one area when I was heavily blocking it with the 400 prepping for the sealer coat.....and I was not being particularly careful to avoid going thru.
The thing that made a huge difference using the DA was using a soft backing pad, about 3/8" thick, under the disc. That allows it to conform to our rounded surfaces without making flat spots.

[djfordmanjack]

looking great Rich !
color (clear) sanding is something nearly unheard of here in Europe.  some professional paint shops will even ask if you are nuts to do so. it seems there is a lot of difference in the paint used even on water based or old style paint. It takes a brave man to take a DA to a fresh coat of paint for sure. loving the final look and shine though ! talking about it, even though I am not so fond of the modern engine and stuff, but your car just has the look. it'll look terrific again in the new shiny paint ! congratulations for your patience and keep going !

[RICH MUISE]

If I could lay this stuff on like a pro body shop, I may not be color sanding either, but I can't and the only way I can end up with something acceptable to me is the hard way. A little orangepeel helps make the body work look better as well.

[RICH MUISE]

Been raining everyday for it seems like a few weeks now. I did finish the colorsanding and buffing yesterday, but I need a few good days of clear weather so I can put the car outside and bring in the hood and trunk lid for paint. In the meantime, the huge cleanup job starts, as well as getting the stuff put back on so I can drive it if it ain't raining. If worse comes to worse, I can put the hood and trunk back on the car and paint them in place.

[RICH MUISE]

Update...took a few days off to go to a car show in Alamosa, Co. Good trip except on my way back I got a call from my very upset wife telling me my dog had died. Connie had been trying to get me for a few hours, but on my way back I decided to take what turned out to be a very slow mountain pass drive with no cell phone coverage. Shinka was my pal for the past 10 years, a great dog. I'm gonna miss her.
Getting the car back together where I can at this point. Spent days cleaning overspray and bodyworking dust from everywhere. I still haven't painted the hood and trunk....been raining daily. I'm going to go see if my friend at the speed shop a few blocks away has any space I can park the car in for a few days so I can get the final painting done in my garage. I have the headlights, grille with turn signals, and the tailights in, so I can drive it legally.
Except for the hood and trunk painting, my next project is getting all the side glass reinstalled. This includes cleaning off all the sealant from the fixed rear window seals and retrying another way of getting the glass installed so it fits better. Very time consuming trying to clean off the old sealant from the rubber.
I also need to remake some new anti rattler strips and replace the glass that got scratched by the old strips. The new strips will just be bonded on without the clips. Also, I'm going to recover the passenger door upholstered panel as the one on there got accidentally slit with a knife.
I did get the passenger side trim strip repolished and ready to go on. The driver's side trim strip will take quite a while to repair the damage from the accident on the rear section, and restore the front section that I purchased from Kansas.