Frankenstein Update

[Flash man]

Hello All,

I just want to give everyone an update and I am also looking for suggestions. I have been sanding so much that I think I sanded my fingerprints off my hands. Every nook and cranny has been sanded. I took the mirrors, gas tank cover and brake light cover to bare aluminum. I will be shooting the car in about 3 weeks. I have enclosed some pictures of my work. These are my weekends for the time being until the car is finished.

My problem is that I dont know if I just want to go plain black. I was thinking about doing some rally stripes, or something in spiral gray metallic, red or silver. I like the stripes on crewinz's car. I am doing alot of work to this car and I want it to be special. I just dont want it to be another black corvette on the road. I feel like I need to personalize my vette. What do you all think about it?


Joe - Flash

[Z06 Rocket]

Lookin good Joe!

[Rich Z]

Actually, I wish the black on the Corvettes was a metallic black. A while back I saw one in metallic white that looked a HECK of a lot better than the regular white the car comes natively in. I just like the metallic effect in paints......

If you do stripes, paint them, don't just use decals.

[Flash man]

Hello All,

Thanks Alan. I miss driving my Vette. I am going to paint the stripes but I need to make a decision before I start painting. I like metallics too Rich, but not with black. My friend Tony had a black Chevy pick up with black metallic and the truck always looked dirty. I think its because they put too much metallic in the paint. I like black to be solid. When it shines it reveals both depth and gloss. Navy blue metallic, maroon metallics, sliver, gray etc also look great. The C4 body style is kind of squared. I have to be careful when doing stripes or designs on these body styles. It can turn out very gawdy. The C5's and C6's are more rounded so stripes and designs seem to flow alot better. I need to find alot of pictures of C4's so I can get some more ideas. Take care guys.


Joe-Flash

[Dick]

Im with you on the black metallic. When I had my Eclipse repainted, the guy did a little bit of blue and silver speckles/flakes along with the black. Man did it look awesome! There was just enough in the paint that looking at the car straight on you only see a deep dark black, but walking along the car at an angle in the sun the flake added a whole new depth to the finish. Almost like a black pearl.

[Z06 Rocket]

Maybe some stripes similiar to the Grand Sport,,, but instead of making them solid stripes do them in a heavy white pearl only. That way they can be seen from certian angles but only if they look close. If you put on a light coat they will be a little harder to see, and a heavier coat will make them a bit easier to see. Either way it will be custom and unique.

[Flash man]

Hi Alan,

Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I like ghost flames and stripes, but I figure if I am gonna do it, its gotta be seen to get the full impact. I like the Grand Sport look, but I am not crazy about the stripe going down on the front license plate cover or the rear down to the bumper. I can modify the Grand Sport look. Its either rally stripes, Grand Sport Stripe or Two tone paint.Unless another idea arises.Thanks for the idea, I will search it.


Joe-Flash

[TAZattitude]

Looking good Flashman. I'm a newb here (been on the other Vette forum), but you look like you are close to gettin' her painted. You should be pretty close to painting it according to the date you started this thread
Sounds like you would like a metallic. I've sprayed quite a few paint/flame jobs (2000+), and a very nice metallic that goes over the black is called 'Black Diamond'. It's subtle, but has a very nice sparkle over the black. you can also control how much you want over the black. It's very easy to spray. I believe a quart of it is about $125. But you won't need more than about a pint or maybe a pint and a 1/2 for the whole care.

Attached is a job we just finished using the Black Diamond. You really have to see it in person to really get the full effect (and really appreciate it). The flake is not too big and not too small. Slightly bigger than a metallic flake, but has excellent sparkle to it...it has a 'wet look' to it.
I have a job at the shop that has the Black Diamond on it. Feel free to stop by. Our shop is in Pinellas Park.

Any questions, let me know! I've been painting for quite some time now!
I put a banner (proudly) on CorvetteFlorida (see on the left) if you want to check out our site. our location is on there if you want to check out that Black Diamond in person!

Good luck to you!

[Flash man]

Hi Scott,

This is Joe from Flash Distributors. I deliver Plum Crazy hand glaze to your shop. I worked on the car all day, and I am beat. I fixed a few of the hair line
cracks and a few other minor blemishes on the body. I used the evercoat vette panel filler, That stuff works great and you can sand it in about 30 minutes after you apply it. I sanded every edge and hard to reach areas on this car. I took it down to the black primer before the fiberglass.

I need to figure out what I am going to do as far as primer,base, clear etc. I read that alot of guys like to use epoxy primer, then filler primer and then epoxy again before the base. It seems like alot. I also hear good things about SPI (Southern Polyurethanes in Georgia). What paint manufacturer do you favor? I would like to see the black metallic. I will stop in your shop on Tuesday during deliveries. Take Care.

Joe Flash

[Rich Z]

Yeah! I'll bet that Black Diamond is what I would like on a black C6 Z06.......

That or maybe a super deep metallic indigo color that looks almost black at some angles and in some light.........