I do, but I do have a license - haven't done a complete one of my own for some time. For an amatuer to attempt and complete I toast them-thats what I call "restoring my car".

Well that is great, I so far have done every thing on mine except weld the quarter skins on my 72 LeMans. I learned to weld after that but would today weld skins or any panel on. The only real problem I had with my resto was spraying the clear coat. I had never sprayed base/clear and had no idea on the method but did it anyways. I got plenty of orange peel and have tried to cut it a few times now but burnt out my grinder and got frustraited so just left it.

SD 396 wrote:

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I do all my own work. The SD I just finished is the first car I haven't painted myself in over 25 years.
 I hear by 2010 it will be very difficult if not impossible for the "guy off the street" to buy paint.

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 When I was in body shop school in the early 1990's we were told we would one day have to have a license to buy body shop supplies-guess the day has come

I sold my 64 GTO clone convert project 2 years ago because the bodywork overwhelmed me. It was a nice solid car, but I tried VERY hard to get it straight and could not do it. I had always said (owned that car 17 years) that I was going to do it from start to finish. I had done virtually all the other work on the car myself (other than fake68's help with the Muncie) and I finally admitted defeat when a reasonable offer for the car came along.

I get a bit sad when I have to admit defeat on a project, but no matter how I look at it, I do NOT have the knack for making exterior panels straight.

Otherwise, I have done almost all my own work over the years with the exception of body work and of course machine work on blocks.

I restored my 72 Camaro from junk yard condition. I am not an experienced body person but am willing to try anything. Trial and error and lots of reading.

 

I did all the welding, all the bodywork and painted it in my garage. It was six years in the making so it does take time.

I plan on attacking my project body myself, in a Costco tent no less!
With all the information available to us today, some money for quality tools and materials and a little tenacity, I think it's possible to actually do this.
The Carquest paint store guy I get some of my materials from, says not to worry till at least 2012 till tighter regulations shut out the "walk in" hobbiest.
I plan on getting the body to at least 75% ready for paint myself. I have a friend who is a bodyman and a great painter, with his help we'll bring it closer to 90% then it'll go in to the shop for a final tweaking and paint.
Hopefully next summer.
We'll see, it's a very big car!

Your Camaro looks Awsome 69 Acadian, it must be satisfying to say you even painted it yourself!

-- Edited by cdnpont at 13:45, 2008-10-24

I do all my own welding and sheetmetal work,, 

hours upon hours of blocking ....

paint the jambs and inners myself...

BUT ,,if it's going to be a real nice car,, I sub out the final paint ,  just too darn expensive to screw up !!!!

 

I have done a number of paint jobs myself,, but on cars and trucks that are 20 footers !!

I'm with the Guru. EVERYTHING! Except Automatic Transmissions and Sewing Upholstery. 4 Speeds all the way. I do full metal work, body work, and paint right in the driveway/garage. I don't think the neighbours liked their Monaco Blue smokies a couple of weeks ago.

HI  i have been a auto painter for 30 years  i have a auto body licence  the average person should get the welding and sheet metal lined up and he or she gould do the block sanding to paint a car takes a lot of time and experiance and the COST OF MATERIAL  LET THE RIGHT PERSON DO THIER .... JOB