Re: [Chrysler300] Conflicted viewpoint: body paint gloss level for 1957 300C

[LabLoverDC@xxxxxxx]

I just asked our painter, who has been in the business for 40+ years, and  
he strongly advises against it, aesthetics aside.  He thought there would  
be a good chance 3-4 years down the road that the clear would start to either 
 peel or craze, because paints from that era were not designed to take 
clear  coats like modern paint.  So, he thinks it would be a big mistake, and 
said  if the paint is good, leave it alone, and if you absolutely must have 
more  shine, take it down and put on a two-stage paint designed for that  
purpose.
 
Shannon
 
300 F Convertible
 
 
In a message dated 4/22/2013 2:27:05 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
rfmelton@xxxxxxx writes:

 
 
 
Hello Group -

I am pretty deep into restoring my late father's 1957  Chrysler 300C
convertible, and am encountering an emotional conflict  regarding gloss 
level
to attain on the Gauguin Red exterior paint. All the  exterior trim is still
off and now is the time to decide what to do with  the underlying body color
paint. The body is almost perfectly straight and  the old alkyd enamel was
apparently applied very thick; it has easily  withstood color-sanding to
remove any original orange-peel and attain a  smoothness and gloss level
never achieved by the factory on even its best  day. It buffed out
brilliantly and looks great; however, I know that a few  layers of a modern
color-sanded clear overcoat could bring it up to an  extra-deep 2013
high-gloss level even better than it is now. I am totally  happy with the
way it looks right now, but I wonder how important it might  be in the 
future
to pursue that extra "WOW!" factor with a modern  super-smooth high-gloss
clear coat. 

I have observed that most of  the early 300's (and other cars from the '50's
and '60's) that have brought  the best prices at high-end auctions are those
with modern high-gloss  finishes, and although my general impression is that
they have been  "over-restored", it is clear that the market loves them that
way. Although  I am not at all interested in obtaining a maximum sales
price some time in  the distant future (probably at least ten years from 
now,
by which time I  will be over 80 years old and probably not likely able to
enjoy "Big Red"  as much as before, and won't need the money by then 
anyway),
I would want  to maximize the value to the next caretaker of this really 
nice
piece of  automotive history.

The cost of the new clear overcoat and color  sanding/buffing would likely 
be
less than $3,000, and would probably add  that much to the eventual sales
price a decade from now; however, since I  know that's not how it could ever
have come out of the factory, I am  somewhat torn between "best possible
old-school original finish" or "best  modern 2013 finish". 

Your perspectives on this issue would be  appreciated.

Ray Melton

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