Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rootes75]

I am in the process of buying the timber to make a flat body for my vintage lorry. I've been thinking about how to paint the timber sides etc.

Its a good hardwood, does it need to be sealed before painting?

Also, do you apply paint straight on the timber and then varnish or the other way round?

[Old Wrench]

Interesting area, this.

Originally, commercial vehicles were finished by Coach Painters.

As the name implies, their skills were a carry over from coach painting; i.e. the process of finishing horse drawn coaches. Indeed, early self-propelled lorry, truck and wagon commercial body builders simply moved over to the new skills, transferring their skills and in many senses, art.

The process was all completed by hand; brush painting. The ground (base colour) was applied and then multiple coats of varnish, over the top. All paints in those days were lead-based. Now, of course, not allowed.

The old painters (including house painters) used a base paint made from white lead and linseed oil plus turpentine with pigments, ground by hand on a sheet of thick glass.

It was all brush-applied.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/Library_Bulletin/Apr1996/LB-A96-Zea.html?mswitch-redir=classic

Interesting little bit of paint spraying history, here.

http://finishingacademy.com/training/Refinish/Module1/mod1_booth_history.html

Now, to your task, after my digression!

Question One: What type of finished body are you making? (i.e. slat-sided; Solid "plank"?);

Question Two: What type of hardwood are you using?

Question Three: What final colour will you use?

[goneps]

Since this subject has cropped up, perhaps I could briefly hijack it to enquire of Old Wrench and other experts what paint was used on ash body frames and floorboards during the 'thirties; and, more to the point, what would be the most suitable modern equivalent.

All timber components of my Morris Eight are so treated, and since I'm about to correct minor framing details overlooked during restoration, some guidance would be much appreciated.

Richard

[Rootes75]

Old Wrench, in answer to your questions;

1. It will be a flat deck body, the deck will be left unpainted just varnished but the sides and riggers etc will be painted.

2. The hardwood being used is 'Sapele', an African hardwood similar to Keruing but a little cheaper.

3. The riggers will be the same colour as the chassis, that is Signal Red and the Sides will be the same as the cab, that will be Copper Brown.

I will be spraying the cab in Cellulose but not sure yet whether to spray or brush paint the timber.

[colwyn500]

My pre-war Austin, has a semi coach-built body having timber to "help" the bodywork rather than an independent wooden frame.
The timber had been simply splashed with the same bituminous chassis paint used on the frame, the insides of the doors and the boot area.
I am pretty sure they weren't treating it with the expectation of it still existing nearly eighty years later....but it does.[/u]

[baconsdozen]

A long while ago I did some work for a company building and repairing wooden boats. The paint on these has to survive in water and repeated drying and then soaking. They used a primer (first coat diluted),then an undercoat,two coats of top coat then sometimes varnish. The thing I remember most is that they insisted all the paints were from the same maker and range so that they were compatible.
Most of the underwater surface was protected by a black paint called 'Tarvarnish'.
_________________
Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

[ukdave2002]

15 years ago we had new wooden window frames (soft wood) made for the house and paid for the optional vacuum preservative treatment. There is not the slightest sign of any deterioration in the wood, however trying to get a paint that stays on for much more that 18 moths has been problematic, our decorator (who has 50 years experience) has tried all sorts, they looked great for a year or so after he has painted them, but then the paint begins to come away leaving the bare wood.

So the preservative is doing a sterling job, but cosmetically its a different story!

Dave

[Old Wrench]

[Old Wrench]

[Old Wrench]

[Rootes75]

Thanks very much Old Wrench. Very helpful, i shall check out the websites.

[Old Wrench]

My pleasure!

When I first horrified my family by leaving the City and joining a local car and heavy commercial dealer (mainly to learn as much as I could!), one day I watched a local sign painter finish a brand new delivery van for a local piano and organ dealers.

The van (mini-pantech) had been built in the company's coach building division, painted and delivered to the main showroom, where I was based, for signing.

I was utterly amazed to watch this man create a full-sized grand piano on each side, replete with wonderful reflections from the three brass foot pedals and the reflection from the woodwork too.

He was also an expert at lining in gold leaf.

Strangely enough, quite a few years later I came to know him quite well, socially and learned he had been an erstwhile artist in Paris in his youth and in order to earn money, once back in England, worked for coach painting firms.

He was able to give me lots of priceless information and knowledge.

I have never ever in life been slow in coming forward and found older men were delighted when youngsters were keen to learn about skills and most important of all, wrinkles!

For example, one of the very best concerned re-finishing accident repairs and lead loaded or "Pudden" filled spots.

No matter how hard I tried, and followed the ICI Belco technical data sheets, I always finished up with a "Shrink-line" around the edge of the repair!

One day I asked a grizzled old paint sprayer where I was going wrong. he gruffly stated, " Huh! Don't listen to all that old "B******s about primer! Lay it on like Snowcem, thick as ol' boots! Let it dry overnight and then nib it down, son!"

(n.b. De-Nibbing is the simple the process of flattening the last coat.)

[goneps]

Many thanks, Old Wrench—your advice much appreciated.

Richard

[Bitumen Boy]

[ukdave2002]