75Outlaw

This is a extreme longshot but has anyone ever found or knows of the way that the factory painted the 550 spyder or 356 works cars. IE what process they used, what brands of paint or even the coat schedule. I have been lucky enough to see a number of originals but all expertly restored and with 100% perfect paint. Did they spray the cars, single stage or dual stage paint. One one I swear the engine compartment looked like it was painted by tip and roll. You could see brush marks in the paint. All of the 550's, all three, I have seen have been resprayed so its not like I have a good sample size.

Also did they paint out the sponsor's and meatballs back in the day or were they transfer paper or something else.

I will be doing the paint myself on a 550 spyder replica and well the mechanical is easy but I keep going back and forth on how I want to paint it and if they did say single stage tip and roll on the racers then that is what I want to do.

n8kruger

All 356 era cars were single stage.
Glasurit.com may have what you need. Look up classic car colors online on the site

Watch Made by Hand to see it done firsthand

75Outlaw

OK I have never seen that film and watched the whole thing all the way though. I could watch stuff like that all day.

I really thought they did the 356 a bit more hands on but they were using standard 50's era high speed techniques. Its very close to how I do it already just with powered/water fed sanders which I have never used. The line of guys sanding means they must have really put on the high build and done it in a single application. Would explain the baking before and after with the water as well. Looks like the shoot the body hot as well which would make them flow out really well. You can see that they did the final polish after door fitment in the video as well.

Gives me some things to think about. Very limited lacquer colors out there but gives me some things to go one.