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1975 Chevy Laguna S-3 Gets A Paint Job- Bad In Black

1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Saw
To bring the rear bumper in... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Saw
To bring the rear bumper in closer harmony with the surrounding metal, the bumper was sectioned, allowing it to hug the corners of the car more closely. The mounting will also be revised to bring the modified unit in tighter to the rear of the car.
Item: Part No.: Quantity: Unit price: Amount:
Primer P30A (2) GAL $226.15 $452.30
Hardener H38 (2) QT $87.30 $174.60
Reducer US3 (1) GAL $ 53.65 $53.65
Base (GM black) B7-33756 - 00 (1) GAL $285.65 $285.65
Base (GM black) B7-33756 - 00 (2) QT $86.15 $172.30
Stabilizer RHF95 (2) GAL $94.15 $188.30
Matte Clear CC947 (4) QT $57.05 $228.20
Clear CC950 (2) QT $227.65 $113.83
Hardener UH904 (2) QT $82.00 $164.00
Converter S41 (2) QT $73.30 $146.60
Total: $1979.73

1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Welds
Once the offending extra section... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Welds
Once the offending extra section of girth was removed, the bumper was trial-fit and welded back together. For a cleaner look, the rubber bumpstrip was also removed and the fastener holes welded shut. These welds will be dressed, and the bumper finished with a matte silver rather than chrome.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Stripping The Car
Stripping the car to the bare... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Stripping The Car
Stripping the car to the bare metal would greatly bloat the budget, so the decision was made to sand the finish already on the car. Rather than attacking it with power tools, the crew at Jackson carefully blocked the existing paint, using the existing material thickness (there were at least three prior paint jobs, plus their related primer layers) as a base to cut to a level surface.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Sanding
Using a hard board and 80-grit... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Sanding
Using a hard board and 80-grit paper, and using a crisscross sanding pattern, the existing paint was worked as though it was a primer layer, bringing even these large curved quarters into shape.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Guide Coat
The glossy surface of the... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Guide Coat
The glossy surface of the old paint acts as its own guidecoat, clearly showing flaws such as depressions or dings in the metal as shiny spots. These can be lightly bumped with a hammer and dolly, and filled.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Raised Spots
High or raised spots will... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Raised Spots
High or raised spots will manifest themselves as cut-throughs in the paint to a deeper layer. This area was worked by blocking to the limits of the available material thickness. Once bare metal is reached, no further leveling can be achieved without adding either primer or filler material.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Blocking Tool
For some of the more intricate... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Blocking Tool
For some of the more intricate areas of the body, improvised blocking tools are often the best for sanding. Here, the distinctive S-3's slant nose is being blocked using a section of rubber tubing as the backing board for the 80-grit paper.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Shaving Lock
This is the time to do the... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Shaving Lock
This is the time to do the various metal-working mods, which for our project included shaving the trunk lock. (We'll be adding billet hood pins for the trunk and a bunch of other cool custom stuff in next month's coverage.) After grinding the area to bare metal, a filler patch of sheetmetal was cut to fit.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Mig Welder
A MIG welder is the best tool... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Mig Welder
A MIG welder is the best tool for welding in steel patches, since the heat zone is tight for minimal warpage. The plug was tacked in place, and then welded solid with a series of alternate tack welds until it was fully welded.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Ground Surface
After grinding, the repaired... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Ground Surface
After grinding, the repaired patch is nearly perfect to the surrounding metal. Very little filler thickness will be required to blend this area in.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Filler
Since the filler required... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Filler
Since the filler required on this car consisted primarily of very light skims, the product used was Evercoat Metal Glaze, which is actually a spot and finishing glaze. It mixes just like regular body filler with the supplied hardener.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Light Wipe
A light wipe of filler will... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Light Wipe
A light wipe of filler will be enough to provide the fill here, and will minimize the time required to block the fill area smooth. A plastic Bondo spreader is used to apply the material.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint 80 Grit
Ricky used 80-grit on a block... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint 80 Grit
Ricky used 80-grit on a block for the first cut, followed by 180-grit for the final smoothing. The end result should feather uniformly and seamlessly into the surrounding paintwork.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Spots Of Rust
There were a few isolated... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Spots Of Rust
There were a few isolated spots of rust that were apparent from bubbling and blistering of the existing paint-and fortunately for us, all of these were on the passenger-side door. These spots were previously just troweled with filler and painted; an improper repair. The right way is to cut the offending rust out.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Rust Seal
Once the bad metal was cut... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Rust Seal
Once the bad metal was cut out, the loose surface scale inside the panel was cleaned and treated with SEM Rust-Seal, which will arrest the further progress of rust in the panels. A patch was made and welded in place, and then finished with a technique similar to that used to blank the trunk lock.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Door Jamb
Sanding in the contoured areas... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Door Jamb
Sanding in the contoured areas of the jambs is always the toughest, but removing the door provides the access to get the job done. The existing paint in these areas was the roughest, and most of it came off before the areas were smooth enough for primer.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Rear
With the block-sanding done,... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Rear
With the block-sanding done, and the various dings and damaged areas massaged and filled, the Laguna was given a thorough cleaning, moved into the booth, and masked for primer. Taking time to do a nice job pays off with a better-quality result in the end.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Primer Solution
For the first primer application,... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Primer Solution
For the first primer application, Ricky mixed a batch of Sherwin-Williams P30A Spectraprime, using H38 hardener and US3 reducer. The primer is used as a surfacer to allow further block sanding. A straighter car will be the result.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Driver Side
Before the primer was applied,... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Driver Side
Before the primer was applied, the car was wiped down with a cleaning wax and grease solvent, and then wiped with a tack cloth to remove any dust or lint. Three medium coats of primer were applied to give an adequate build of material.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Primer Coat
Once cured, the Spectraprime... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Primer Coat
Once cured, the Spectraprime was block-sanded with 180 grit for an aggressive leveling of the surface. Then a second primer coat was given using SpectraSeal, a conversion of the same primer that allows it to be used as a sealer. The SpectraSeal was in turn wet-sanded smooth with 400-grit paper to achieve a surface ready for paint.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Black Coat
Although the car was getting... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Black Coat
Although the car was getting a satin finish, the basecoat application is just like normal. Ricky shot three coats of Sherwin-Williams Ultra 7000 base, giving the body a nice consistent paint coverage.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Holley
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Painting
Once the base was given sufficient... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Painting
Once the base was given sufficient flash time, the final step was the application of the satin clear. The clear is a mixture of Sherwin William's No. 950 production clear, and their No. 947 Matte clear. The ratio of the mix determines the gloss level. Rickey used four parts 947 to one part 950. The application technique, temperature, and solvent will also play a part in how glossy the final result will look. Once sprayed, the clear will lose its gloss as the solvents evaporate.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Trunk
The loose panels were painted... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Trunk
The loose panels were painted off the car with the same exact mixture. Here, the inside of the decklid is getting the satin black treatment.
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Paint Products
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Glass
If your windshield is as old,... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Glass
If your windshield is as old, hazy, and pitted as ours was, it should be replaced. If you're doing a major body and paint project, this is the perfect time to get this job out of the way. Here, the guys from A & E Auto Glass in Mesa, AZ (480-228-5390), are installing a new windshield at the job site at Ricky's Customs. Thanks for the freebie, guys!
1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Finished Paint Job
Rolled out of the booth, preliminary... 
   
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1975 Chevy Laguna S3 Paint Finished Paint Job
Rolled out of the booth, preliminary assembly of the Laguna began with replacing the trim and panels. Although it is still naked-looking in its plain satin hue, once the spoilers, graphics, tires, and wheels are added, the effect will be dramatic.
A & E Auto Glass Ricky's Customs & Restorations
Heath Elmer Restoration Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes

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