Final painting of all body panels - with panels on or off car? Pros and Cons?

[blueskies]

I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but am wondering about the pros and cons of painting the color coat on the body panels with all panels installed on the car versus final painting of the panels while they are off the car. Of course, if the panels are painted while off the car, the panels would require fitting on the car prior to removing them again and painting them.

On American and other cars, I always have applied the color coat with all panels on the car. But with the Austin Healey and its relatively easy panel removal, I'm wondering whether it would work as well - or better - to paint the panels while they are off the car. That way, one can also get good color coverage on the reverse side of the panels, and one does not need to deal with protecting the rest of the car from over spray. Thoughts?

 

[Healey Nut]

I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but am wondering about the pros and cons of painting the color coat on the body panels with all panels installed on the car versus final painting of the panels while they are off the car. Of course, if the panels are painted while off the car, the panels would require fitting on the car prior to removing them again and painting them.

On American and other cars, I always have applied the color coat with all panels on the car. But with the Austin Healey and its relatively easy panel removal, I'm wondering whether it would work as well - or better - to paint the panels while they are off the car. That way, one can also get good color coverage on the reverse side of the panels, and one does not need to deal with protecting the rest of the car from over spray. Thoughts?

I paint the interior and all joining surfaces of wings shrouds etc prior to final panel fit then it goes for exterior paint and mask the you know what out of everything to keep it clean .

 

[Superwrench]

Paint them off the car

 

[Healey Nut]

Paint them off the car

If it's a metallic paint then doing them off the car will make the car look like crap it will all be different colours due to the way the metallic falls in the paint direction .

 

[blueskies]

It will be Colorado Red, if that helps. No metallic in that, as far as I know. Not sure if it will be Acrylic Enamel with no clear coat or base coat-clear coat.

 

[HEALEYJAG]

It will be Colorado Red, if that helps. No metallic in that, as far as I know. Not sure if it will be Acrylic Enamel with no clear coat or base coat-clear coat.

Paint them ON the car....If your shooter does not lay the same thickness on each panel it WILL be a diffrent color...Also there is no risk of chipping when putting them back on..mask..mask...mask...

Look on ebay and closely study the sides of the car and you will find MANY mismatched hues............

Pete

 

[healeyblue]

If you have a good painter, it will not matter that the panels are off the car. He will lay them out in his booth as though they are on the car to avoid shading differences. I prefer to have them done off of the car for better color coverage. I have a good painter (I have even done a couple of my own paint jobs) and never had any problems.

 

[Superwrench]

If you have a good painter, it will not matter that the panels are off the car. He will lay them out in his booth as though they are on the car to avoid shading differences. I prefer to have them done off of the car for better color coverage. I have a good painter (I have even done a couple of my own paint jobs) and never had any problems.

Like Healey Blue says you need a good painter. I am fotunate and mine is a artist with a paint gun. He hangs them all on carts in his booth and would not do a Healey any other way.