Paint assembled or disassembled?

[American Locomotive]

So my Land Cruiser project is nearing the finish line. All the mechanics done, major rust repair done. We took the doors and fenders off to do rust repair and prep. We just started priming pieces off the vehicle (using SPI products).

This is our first time painting a car, so my question is: Do we assemble the car before the color coat, or paint everything then assemble it? My gut is telling me that spraying color will probably go better with the doors and fenders on the car? I believe it will look more consistent and there will be less risk of damaging the finish from handling.

What do ya'll think?

 

[The Cobbler]

quite certain the norm is to have everything assembled, but it wouldn't hurt to coat hard to see or reach areas prior to assembly like under doors, inside jambs etc

 

[steel 35]

I know a (1) guy that can match pieces.
use to be two.

First auto paint job; put it together!

 

[lilredex]

I paint my pieces off the car if given the chance. Only half gets painted if on the car. Just be careful with the assembly.

 

[v8nutz]

This is a question I have posted on a couple forums too. I will be painting a 47 Studebaker truck and there are a lot of pieces that make of the front clip etc. All the parts that bolt together need paint in the gaps too. Doing metallic would be risky with everything off, I'm pretty sure you would get mismatched panels. I've thought about painting the mating surfaces with a soft edge, then loosely bolt it together for the final spray. Doing a solid color would work with everything off.

 

[K13]

Solid colour would be fine off the vehicle. Anything with a metallic or a pearl should be done assembled or you will get mismatch between the parts.

 

[rust in the eye]

Now is your best opportunity to get the jambs, cowl, etc. done nice. I'd do off the car. repairs can be done later if any damage re-assembling.

 

[Ohmthis]

I was going to ask solid color or metallic/pearl, but that advice has been given. With it apart, now is the time to paint jambs and any other parts that you want body color on, but will not be able to do it with body panels on. I’ve only painted vehicles assembled. For me and my novice painting skills, it just simply “flows” better. I have a better feel and can see each panel better.

 

[steel 35]

Here's Mine!

 

[NYBODYMAN]

You can arrange the panels in the booth or wherever you are painting, in such a way as to mimic them being on the car, or you can jamb everything out, then assemble and paint.

 

[Ohmthis]

You can arrange the panels in the booth or wherever you are painting, in such a way as to mimic them being on the car, or you can jamb everything out, then assemble and paint.

This is great advice and that from an experienced professional. I’m putting it in my painting tips hints doc.

 

[American Locomotive]

We're inexperienced (had a minor run shooting the epoxy base coat today, we gotta' get better, quick!), and probably going to shoot metallic. So I guess we'll be assembling it then! I'll probably do the door jambs and stuff first, as it shouldn't really matter if it matches everything else. Shooting for a 15 foot paint job, will be ecstatic if I end up with anything under a 10 footer Thanks for the advice.

 

[K13]

Metallic is NOT the paint to learn with. Your spray technique needs to be damn good or you will get a blotchy, tiger striped mess of a finish.

 

[mrbill55]

So my Land Cruiser project is nearing the finish line. All the mechanics done, major rust repair done. We took the doors and fenders off to do rust repair and prep. We just started priming pieces off the vehicle (using SPI products).

This is our first time painting a car, so my question is: Do we assemble the car before the color coat, or paint everything then assemble it? My gut is telling me that spraying color will probably go better with the doors and fenders on the car? I believe it will look more consistent and there will be less risk of damaging the finish from handling.

What do ya'll think?

You will want to paint all of the jambs with the parts disassembled, then carefully assemble, then properly mask off and paint the exterior.

I see mention further down from your initial post that you will be spraying a metallic color, since this is your first time painting a vehicle, my advice (as the retired body shop owner) is to buy yourself an old truck hood, something large, and practice, practice, practice. As someone else has already stated, metallic is not the best for you to start out with. Regardless of who's product you use, you need that practice to prevent tiger striping and mottling (google these terms), which will require a sand down to start from scratch to eliminate.

I'll leave it at that for now.


Bill S.

 

[American Locomotive]

Back to this, project got delayed a bit, and now we're actually getting to painting. I decided to ditch doing metallic. Way, way too many people have told me that shooting metallic as a first timer is very difficult. Given the amount I've been told not to do metallic, I've decided to switch to a solid color. The jambs and sills will be painted.

I was pretty set on painting the jams with the vehicle disassembled, but now I'm worried that once the jams are painted and cleared, I will have a real hard time masking off and not getting very obvious lines once we do the rest.

I'm starting to think that since we're doing a solid color, it will likely be fine to do things disassembled?

 

[txvwnut]

Paint it disassembled since it sounds like you are doing a color change and you have it blown apart anyway. This way you'll get or should get color over primer on the entire vehicle. Putting it together then painting will leave primered parts touching each other and will cause rust later down the road. Yes you could cut in the areas that will be covered by a body panel but you will have to go back and prep and or mask those areas again as there will be overspray that will affect the paint finish in those areas.

 

[theoldwizard1]

quite certain the norm is to have everything assembled, but it wouldn't hurt to coat hard to see or reach areas prior to assembly like under doors, inside jambs etc

If the doors are disassembled, prime and paint them. Install, but plan on painting the outer skin with a second coat.

 

[PCustoms]

Back to this, project got delayed a bit, and now we're actually getting to painting. I decided to ditch doing metallic. Way, way too many people have told me that shooting metallic as a first timer is very difficult. Given the amount I've been told not to do metallic, I've decided to switch to a solid color. The jambs and sills will be painted.

I was pretty set on painting the jams with the vehicle disassembled, but now I'm worried that once the jams are painted and cleared, I will have a real hard time masking off and not getting very obvious lines once we do the rest.

I'm starting to think that since we're doing a solid color, it will likely be fine to do things disassembled?

Doors are off?

Spray the body.

Spray the doors separate.

Assemble carefully.


Not sure why you would mask the jambs and spray color/clear. I'm probably missing something

 

[whateg01]

.... I've thought about painting the mating surfaces with a soft edge, then loosely bolt it together for the final spray.

I believe this is the way

 

[v8nutz]

If I did a solid color it would be single stage and I would paint it all apart.

 

[American Locomotive]

Today I found out that even though Tyvek suits say they are "permeable", I will absolutely fill the suit up with sweat, even in a conditioned shop.

...and I will move my arm too fast, and fling a bit of sweat out the sleeve onto the vehicle I am painting. Ah well, tomorrow's problem.

 

[v8nutz]

I don't like those suits either, just don't breath at all. Also super baggy so I had to tape up the arms so I didn't get it in the paint.

 

[txvwnut]

Today I found out that even though Tyvek suits say they are "permeable", I will absolutely fill the suit up with sweat, even in a conditioned shop.

...and I will move my arm too fast, and fling a bit of sweat out the sleeve onto the vehicle I am painting. Ah well, tomorrow's problem.

Most of the guys I've seen use a tyvek suit either get the ones with the cuffs or tape the sleeves to their arms.

 

[SteveH - CO]

I have disassembled and painted my '78 FJ40 twice in 35 years.

I would take it apart (to the extent necessary), since FJ40s are pretty modular. Details here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/36-year-old-build-and-paint-thread.1361604/#post-15943875

 

[cvairwerks]

We paint all of our aircraft restorations disassembled, as the controls have to be balanced afterwards before reinstallation. Only stuff that gets done after assembly are N numbers, placards and insignias. It's not hard, if you have the space to set up and paint everything of each color at one time, just takes time and a 2nd or 3rd person to help move things around.