Dino Saga 061008 _ Black Bottom

Dino Saga 061008 _ Black Bottom

Jon asked where the black paint line was supposed to run. Some folks don’t want the black at all and just use body color all over. Some want flat, some satin, some gloss. Some want black above the kick crease, some below. Front and rear treatment varies.

About ten years ago I had about 120,000 miles on my Dino and decided it was time to do a complete repaint. Left front had gotten clipped by a Chevy with insurance. Why not just paint the whole thing rather than match colors again. Besides I had never really liked white and kept dreaming of a metallic blue.

Now I had to get into details. As you know by now, I drive the Dino every day and it lives under a car port. No direct sun, wind or rain. From straight up. But a little of all from various angles. Car would get dinged and sun would get to the clear coat. Color had to be stock American volume production so color match would be automatic. I also wanted a fade resistance guarantee. Ford Mustang Midnight Blue Met was perfect.

First complication was that no one wanted to take the glass out. We gave up and ran a cord under the rubber to lift it about 1/8” off the paint. Put masking tape under rubber and left a gap for painter to get in. Worked fine. That left the little panels behind seats. No way to mask and get in there with a spray gun. Well, what’s wrong with flat black? Nothing! Sanded a little to get some tooth. Mixed some Floetrol into Craft Shop black acrylic craft paint. Used a 1” wide sable brush. The Floetrol slowed down the cure until all brush marks had settled out. Looks sprayed and has stayed black for 10 years.

Only thing left was the black along the bottom. There were all kinds of dings where rocks had dug through old black. Most below the kick line. I drive the local mountain roads so wanted something with “give”. Paint guy said he could get rubberized Texture Black; used it all the time in wheel wells, etc. I looked at a sample and it looked OK. Would give with a fingernail but would not scratch or chip. Flat black with a fine even texture.

Now the line. After car was blue all over, we got the car on a hoist so we could eyeball things from different angles. I decided that the black should go just above the kick line based on my driving conditions. Just below looks a little better if you only run on paved roads. Take pity on the painter and don’t go exactly on the ridge. ¼” above or below makes masking infinitely easier. We put 1” tape from front to rear wheel wells, top edge where black would end. Tackled the front first. Air intakes under bumper lead a hard life. Cover them. Ran a level line across the front, just over the intakes then down and back aiming at the tape line at the back of the wheel well. Looks straight at wheel level, has nice curve from above. Rear went about the same. Wanted black to cover exhaust reliefs. Ran tape level across rear then angled down toward tape at front of rear wheel well. Line looks straight from side, nicely curved from above. Went for it. Been a good 10 years.

Time to do it again. Will use a laser level this time and maybe both sides will match.

John
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