The right paint for Taildraggers?

I just bought a 47 coupe built in the 90's and am going to change it up a bit. What do you guys think is the way to go for paint, shiny, suede, flattend mettallic, scallops. What do you think of flake for this type of ride?

The fake lake pipes are gone and the dummy spots are removed, I have a set of 57 caddy caps, and I am going to bag it in october.

 

I'm no expert, but to me that car built that way, screams for super gloss black or candle apple red. Original? no. beautiful? most definatly.

 

My buddy "gearheadforever" did his in a semi suede emerald green with Caddy caps, I think it looks killer.

 

depending on the bodywork I would say candy for super straight, and if its wavy, do suede...

 

I'm still digging on yours but I don't have it straight enough for light tones yet.

Gonna get it back in black this winter. Maybe enough straight body parts can get found for me to get it in paint next year.

 

Good going on ditching the drummy spots. Now replace them with a real set of Appleton 112's. Lakes pipes never do look right on these cars.

None of the guys I have met or am friendly with that were around in the 50's remember "suede" paint jobs being a popular choice. A primed custom was just one whose body work was not completed. Guys back then wanted a glossy, pretty paint job, that would attract girls. Look in any book on historic customs, few, if none are painted in anything other than a gloss paint. Suede is a more current trend, not a traditional method from the early-mid 50's, which is the golden era of a taildragger such as yours.

Thats said, my 47 ford is in suede, and will be fore a few years untill I can take the car down to bare metal and fix any surprises, before I invest in a shinny paint job. But on my path to a true traditional custom, it will be painted in a shiny paint.

As far as colors, black and deep maroon were pretty popular it seems. Gold powder added to maroon or burgendy was popular, I dont know what the current equivalent is (maybe gold pearl powder?). Flake seems it would be a bit out of place.

However, its your car, do what makes you happy. In reality, the glossy red (but not too sure on the pearl though) paint job on your car is a lot more traditional in the truest sence than a lot of the paint jobs on most "traditional" customs out there these days.

 

I agree with Flexi, maybe even a deep navy blue, but I would skip the metalflakes and scallops and keep it clean and classy, like a luxury crusier with a mean streak

 

i'd say a solid shiny paint job in one color and you've got a nice early 50s look. flake and scallops are cool but i think that brings it more into an early 60s style. i guess it depends on what look you want. i can just say what i'd do if the choice was mine.

 

Wow that look's great , how do they get semi suede? A small amount of clear? It looks bitchen .

Buzz Bomb

 

less flattener added to the paint. Your local paint shop can mix the paint in any % of gloss you need.

 

I just brought home a '56 Eldorado, it's gonna be GLOSS BLACK and draggin' ass when I'm finished with it.

 

Thank's for the info .

Buzz Bomb

 

On this car i used two coats of normal clear and on the last coat we used flattened clear.

 

if that is the car in the pic i would leave it...my 2 cents

 

Thats the car alright, but the old bodywork has some problems that i have to fix all over the car so its a good time for a change of color.

 

gold

 

A usefull 2 year old thread!

 

Deep, dark solid colors that have an old look to them.

 

Burgundy or black never fail ya!!!!! Just what I see from the old books....

 

Sigh......Bob's car is one of my favorites in the whole wide world. Just plain bitchin'!!

[/quote]

 

A dark metallic, -preferably organic green (with some gold in it), dark blue-green or maroon. No pinstriping, flames or other type of graphics.