I was living in England in the early 60's and participated in a ritual that
could only be found in eccentric Blighty.A friend of mine who owned a very
nice 1937 Austin Seven asked me to help him in painting the car.By the way,
that car was his daily transport and served him quite faithfully for as
long as I could remember.He wanted to paint the car in a new scheme of
slate blue and black,and did that with a brush and some extraordinary
enamel that was (is ??) called VALSPAR. The technique was quite simple:the
existing enamel was rubbed down with #400 wet and dry and all nicks and
dents filled with what the net calls " Bondo " (Isopon in Berkshire ).
Then the fenders were given a coat of black Valspar and the rest of the
body and wheels a coat of slate blue enamel of the same make.A day later
the paint was quite dry,with nary a brush mark and glossy beyond belief.
Then this coat was rubbed down with #800 wet and dry using soapy
water and after drying,another coat of the same color was applied.Another
rubbing down with #800 and then the final coat was of clear enamel.This was
let to dry for a week,rubbed down with rubbing compound,and then
waxed.The finish was sensational,with a gloss and a depth that could rival
a good professional job.The cost was ridiculous.If I remember correctly
after so many years,the three tins of enamel,the Isopon and the wet and dry
cost less than five pounds.The brush was the most expensive item.He had a
pair of very good used ones (2" and 1"),that were treasured and cleaned
carefully for each job.Each painting and sanding session,pleasant even
in a cramped little garage near Wallingford,Berks,ended in the local pub.I
am sure we spent far more on best bitters than in paint.
Thinking about the possibility of applying some day this technique again,I
have inquired in Australia about VALSPAR,with no success.Thus my query. Is
there still such thing as VALSPAR in England ? A modern English or American
equivalent ? Has anyone experience in brush painting cars ("coach-painting"
in British parlance)? I would be quite interesting to hear about it.
Sergio Montes Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
University of Tasmania
Box 252C,Hobart 7000,Tasmania,Australia
Ph. 56-02-202113 (Int) 002-202113 (Australia)
Fax 56-02-234611
e-mail montes@cmech.utas.edu.au
**** Errare humanum est ***
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