The Great Paint Debate.

[Strugglebrook]

Master ,
New car makers have been using water based paints for many years, a good friend installed the new spray system at the Ford plant a long time back. You would be amazed how little colour they use, nearly all clear.

[griffin]

And would that be the same stuff you often see on cars 8-10 years old now where the clear is discolouring and peeling off?? It still comes down to what's quick, easy and cost effective these days, not necessarily the best or enduring. And after all none of the car manufacturers want anyone to keep a car for anywhere near 10 years so if the paint lasts for that long I guess it's a bonus.

George

[reddo]

Well that's it then.. I aint never gunna buy a new car.

Tip for today.
When applying any oil based paint. place it in a saucepan with a gas flame under it /or crock pot set on high full of hot water , bring the water almost to the boil and keep it there .
Brush and roller away to your hearts content. the paint self levels and drys much shinier when its hot .... and you end up without any brush marks .. and so does whatever your painting

Redduco

[BlueBird]

Hi,

We're considering painting the external of a homemade van and I've been looking on line for inspiration for the colour and pattern, etc to choose. Can I ask, does what's on a van come down to personal choice or is there something I should be specifically looking at to match the van or it's period? It was made in the forties.

Thanks,

Monica

[Strugglebrook]

G`day Monica, My 2 bobs worth the older colours tended to be pastels .Most people tendered to paint them their house colour as they already had the paint. But at the end of the day it is only paint so if you get sick of it you can change it. As long as you give it a good coat to protect the timber.

JD.

[reddo]

Hiya Monica

Yep... just about anything goes as far as colours.. as long as it looks "period" and is "subudued "
I have been accused of using the same colour combos over and over on different vans i have tidied up.... but my reply to that is... I have 20 litres of each colour and i am gunna use it up....

The standard... Dulux "Birdseed" beige. "Eu-de-nil.". pale green.. and "mid bristol" green are now the reddo fleet colours.

Also something to consider is side stripes
I have seen some lovely side lines / stripes on old vans.
1940s vans tended to have long flowing ... large radius curves that dipped down low behind the wheel arches and finished short of the rear of the van

Bro has done a lot on vans i have owned...He's an old school signwriter and i tend to sit up and take notice when he starts talking designs and layouts for side stripes / flashes etc.
One of the golden rules is not to have curves /radius's ( radii ) at the end of side flashes bending the opposite way to the curve at the rear or front of the van....... if that makes sense to you....

Something else to consider is what sort of flashes and side stripes did the cars of the same era as you van have
....
When bro and i set out the side stripe/ flash on the side of Öld Blue ".. a 1956 supalite we unknowingly had come up with a design that was similar to the side moulds on an FE / FC Holden..
.. ford customlines etc of the same era..


Sometimes the basic stuff is the best...
Just head over to "The library " here on OTP or .head over to the other website .. "down history lane"and check out the old vans on there...
Lots of stuff to inspire you there.

No matter what.. dont feel as though you have to stick to a standard theme... after all its your van and what ever works for you is all that matters.

Reddo

[BlueBird]

Thanks for your replies Strugglebrook and Reddo.

Lot's to think about - decisions, decisions