I have a 1997 LX450 in white. It is a super clean car but had a tree recently fall over the two front fenders and hood. State Farm paid the claim but the fenders are no longer available AND our local shops (including dealer) don't do single stage paint. I want to keep it as is with the orig single state paint. I'm in Georgia about an hour from Atlanta. Anybody have names of old school body guys/shops that can do the repair (not replace) the fenders and do single stage paint to keep it all looking great? TIA
Old School Body Shop
- Thread starter MattMud
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My 1995 has base/clear paint on it, maybe the LX's are different? My paint is all factory as far as I know. Seems like many 80 series trucks on here have the base/clear paint because the clear is always peeling on the hood. You may want to double check on your paint from one of the OG's on here.
Not old school per se, but I know ACC Garage is a big name for Cruisers in ATL. They do full restorations, so I'm sure they could do it.
My understanding from the forum is that White and Black were single stage from the factory. Maybe someone smarter than me can verify that.
- Thread starter
- #5
That is correct - single stage from the factory. It's just that no modern shop that I have found will do single stage to make it match the factory look. They only do base and clear and they have said that within a short amount of time, the panels will look different and you will be able to tell they are NOT the same.
As to ACC, I will check with them again but they did not have a lead for me a few months ago and they don't do the paint and body work in-house. They did a great job on my engine though!
As to ACC, I will check with them again but they did not have a lead for me a few months ago and they don't do the paint and body work in-house. They did a great job on my engine though!
CharlieS
GOLD Star
I was just in the local paint store and can buy single stage paint tinted to match my Toyota. I'm sure things very significantly by state and municipality, but there are still places you can get the materials. That doesn't speak to whether you can find a shop that will spray it...
- Thread starter
- #7
Dugan at ACC referred me to a guy that does body and paint for them. Called that guy and he was very hesitant to do single stage paint. I'm taking the car by for him to see it and discuss it in person. Too difficult over the phone. If anyone has white fenders and a white hood in good shape I'd love to buy them already painted and bolt them on . . . .
I needed a front fender for my white '97 and was able to find one and bolt it on as you want to do though it took a lot of looking and required that I drive a few hours (one way) to pick up the parts. One resource that could be helpful is this site:
Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market - https://www.car-part.com/
On that site you can run generic searches for 80s (search for a part that a yard is very likely to have) and then look at pictures, etc. to find white 80s. There were a few white 80s in our region a few years ago that may still be around.
Note that you may have to modify the fenders to add/move holes for mounting the trim/flares but that's pretty easily done and an easier path than dent repair and repainting typically is. There were a few different versions of the flares / mounting holes across 80 years and the lx was a little different also.
Another good thing about those body pieces is that they can be removed for work/paint pretty easily. That could factor into helping you get them repaired depending on the shape they are in and if you have a way to pull them and deliver them, etc. The condition of these panels and preferences of who may do the work may make this a bad idea but it's possible that someone would work you in if you had the panels pulled/stripped so that they didn't have to do any extra work like masking, part removal, etc. Depending on your skills and how picky you are about the finished product you could also try to find someone just to do the body work and then you could spray the panels yourself, etc. Following online guides and wet sanding / polishing after you spray could yield pretty decent results and you don't have to mask as much if you remove the panels for spraying, etc.
Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market - https://www.car-part.com/
On that site you can run generic searches for 80s (search for a part that a yard is very likely to have) and then look at pictures, etc. to find white 80s. There were a few white 80s in our region a few years ago that may still be around.
Note that you may have to modify the fenders to add/move holes for mounting the trim/flares but that's pretty easily done and an easier path than dent repair and repainting typically is. There were a few different versions of the flares / mounting holes across 80 years and the lx was a little different also.
Another good thing about those body pieces is that they can be removed for work/paint pretty easily. That could factor into helping you get them repaired depending on the shape they are in and if you have a way to pull them and deliver them, etc. The condition of these panels and preferences of who may do the work may make this a bad idea but it's possible that someone would work you in if you had the panels pulled/stripped so that they didn't have to do any extra work like masking, part removal, etc. Depending on your skills and how picky you are about the finished product you could also try to find someone just to do the body work and then you could spray the panels yourself, etc. Following online guides and wet sanding / polishing after you spray could yield pretty decent results and you don't have to mask as much if you remove the panels for spraying, etc.
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
I know it's a ways to walk but.. every shop I know in Charlotte will paint single stage. They painted both of mine.
You may have to drive a while, but it may be helpful to get away from the Atlanta insurance market (farther than an hour - that's still Atlanta). Paint and body shops, at least here, are 100% insurance work funded. I get work done here, but I know a guy...
As stated above, it's very simple, but maybe not easy, to remove the fenders and hood and take them to be restored elsewhere (as opposed to driving the truck there and letting them do it).
As to matching the paint, yes, new paint will have a different shade than sun faded non-clearcoated paint, but the shades can be matched; that's what paint and body shops get the big bucks for.
You may have to drive a while, but it may be helpful to get away from the Atlanta insurance market (farther than an hour - that's still Atlanta). Paint and body shops, at least here, are 100% insurance work funded. I get work done here, but I know a guy...
As stated above, it's very simple, but maybe not easy, to remove the fenders and hood and take them to be restored elsewhere (as opposed to driving the truck there and letting them do it).
As to matching the paint, yes, new paint will have a different shade than sun faded non-clearcoated paint, but the shades can be matched; that's what paint and body shops get the big bucks for.
I'm another GA guy, we might be neighbors, where are you ? PM me if you don't want to put it out in public. Not sure on the hesitancy to do single stage, it's easy to fix your mistakes ! I guess basecoat / clearcoat is just what people know now. Auto Paint Specialty in Athens has a mix on file for me for Toyota 045 that I have bought from them in 2K spray bombs that matches well. It is Akzo Nobel Utech 500 single stage polyurethane. It's actually a value line for commercial vehicles, but hey, seems perfect for an 80. I'll also vouch for our neighbor @slow95z, he's good people.
Jason
Jason
Man half the people on this forum have bought parts from me and have my home address or phone number and no telling how many I am Facebook friends with. Don't mind at all saying I live in Dublin, about 45 miles south east of Macon in the middle of the state.
Hey, if that was for me, I know, I've been there ! Me and the OP seem to live in the same town. I was wondering if we were close since he said about an hour from Atlanta.... How's the family doing ?
Jason
