Can you give me advice on paint quality? | FerrariChat
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Can you give me advice on paint quality?

Discussion in '308/328' started by nicolaprince, Jan 30, 2024.

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  1. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
    Full Name:
    Nicola Principato
    #1 nicolaprince, Jan 30, 2024
    Hi everyone, I need paint advice please.

    I chose my red 208 GTB with my heart, and regardless my engineering background I am not a true expert on anything too technical about cars. Yet I love them.

    As I checked my 208 prior to the purchase I appreciated that it had very uniform paint everywhere with the exception of the roof. If you look at the paint from up close all the car it is as flat and reflective as a mirror, On the roof there were just few tiny bubbles that you could spot from up close.
    Anyway I liked it, and I hoped that those characteristics were a sign of good paint quality, if not originality.
    But I wasn't too obsessed by originality, because I just loved the car in general, being original in any single part and identical to the very first 308 presented at the Paris Motorshow in 1975 - 14" wheel, Vitaloni rear mirrors, no A/C, single pipe exhaust, and just 35.000 km.

    Now I am checking a 328 but it made me think more: the front fenders and nose, the rear of the hood (from the grills to the tail), the rear sides, etc. all look good but if you look at the paint from very close and very carefully in search of reflexions you can spot that kind of orange skin surface, whereas the paint of the front hood and the square in the middle of the rear hood grills are as flat and reflective as mirrors.

    Question: does this mean anything to your eyes?

    Should I assume that that kind of slight orange skin effect, and the fact that some areas do not have it, are signs of body repaint?

    The car looks good, I am not a maniac and I'd get it just for the pleasure of driving, but at least this time I'd like to understand better what I am getting...

    Thank you for any advice and my apologizes if I wrote a new post but in the old ones I didn't find similar info.
    Or I was too lazy.

    All the best!

    Nic
     
  2. gdl203

    gdl203 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 16, 2022
    294
    New York
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    Greg L
    #2 gdl203, Jan 30, 2024
    You can buy a paint thickness meter (they're pretty cheap) and measure the paint thickness around these different panels. If you see large differences in thickness, these parts could have been repainted.
     
  3. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    37,126
    Cowboy Capitol of the World
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    Brian Crall
    #3 Rifledriver, Jan 30, 2024
    328 was painted with Glasurit and was the best, longest lasting paint Ferrari has ever used. The factory paint shop left a lot to be desired and quality of application was poor to pretty good. Orange peal was the norm. But many cars of that period with little to no special care still look great.
     
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  4. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
    Full Name:
    Nicola Principato
    #4 nicolaprince, Jan 30, 2024
    Thank you very much! So you mean that orange peal might still be an original paint??? Hard to believe…
     
  5. kiwiokie

    kiwiokie Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2013
    1,539
    Tulsa, OK
    Full Name:
    John McDermott
    #5 kiwiokie, Jan 31, 2024
    The factory paint process resulted in sufficient shine to impress customers and was very durable so no money to be made in adding hours of manual flatting to remove any orange peel to get that show car shine. All new cars are built to a price point.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
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  6. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
    Full Name:
    Nicola Principato
    #6 nicolaprince, Jan 31, 2024
    Does anybody of you all own a 328 with original, orange peel paint?
     
  7. Portofino

    Portofino Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2011
    870
    Yorkshire UK / Switzerland/ Antibes France
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    Portofino
    #7 Portofino, Jan 31, 2024
    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login You need to post some close up pics .
    I wouldn’t over stress too much ,most 50;yr old cars have had paint added sometime during there life .

    Even new Ferraris are prepared to dealer show room standards , bumpers ,back of mirrors and wheels refinished .

    FWIW mine a Rosso Corsa 77 208 GT4 hasn’t got any orange peel .Buts there’s no way it’s original I accept that .

    The blue cars ( 1959 ) is totally restored .Doesn’t detract , Darn’t go out in it .

    The red car gets used all weather in classic rallye s. Over 100000 kms
    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  8. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    37,126
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    Brian Crall
    #8 Rifledriver, Feb 1, 2024
    I have a lot of clients with them. My own was repainted but not because the paint was bad.
     
  9. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
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    Nicola Principato
    #9 nicolaprince, Feb 1, 2024
    Wow! Thank you so much!
     
  10. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
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    Nicola Principato
    #10 nicolaprince, Feb 1, 2024
    Really?
    From your rating I assume you must be like a Ferrarichat king or something, but I do not know your business. Do you really mean that many 328 could be delivered factory new with orange peel?
    The one I am checking for example has orange peel on the front U shaped body around the front hood, while the hood is mirror flat… so strange…
    Many thanks anyhow!
    All the best,
    Nic
     
  11. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    37,126
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    Brian Crall
    #11 Rifledriver, Feb 1, 2024
    The hoods were very commonly repaired due to the hood strut kinking the hood.

    No, really they were not orange peal. Ferrari paint was perfect. I made it all up. I just get my kicks that way.
     
  12. Sergio Tavares

    Sergio Tavares Formula 3

    Nov 15, 2018
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    Sergio Tavares
    #12 Sergio Tavares, Feb 1, 2024
    Is there a snap to show please?
    I am unsure if you describe Orenge Peel or something underneath from old prep or contaminaton.

    Was single stage Lacquer used for full 328 run thro 1989?
    you can easily sand the two stage clear and remove the Orenge Peel, not sure about single stage
     
  13. Portofino

    Portofino Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2011
    870
    Yorkshire UK / Switzerland/ Antibes France
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    Portofino
    #13 Portofino, Feb 2, 2024
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2024
    Nic , you are missing the point(s) .
    Let me try again .

    The best paint jobs are not factory . GOT IT .

    see the pic of the blue car I posted close up I post #7 .The red one has zero orange peel as well .

    Both re painted to a far superior standard than factory back in there days .One was previously 1950 British workmanship, the other 1970 Italian workmanship on arguably Russian steel . Fair to say by todays standards when they both left there factories the paint finish was pretty dreadful . This is not new information.


    Full restorations are more desirable not less if done properly. Any defects are eliminated inc “ orange peel “ if any .
     
  14. nicolaprince

    nicolaprince Formula Junior

    May 16, 2021
    357
    Bologna, Italy
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    Nicola Principato
    #14 nicolaprince, Feb 2, 2024
    Thank you very much!
    Very insightful.
    I will get a paint thickness measuring tool and eventually try to share sole photos next week.
    All the best,
    Nic
     
  15. M. Brandon Motorcars

    M. Brandon Motorcars Formula 3
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    Sep 4, 2007
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    Michael Foertsch
    #15 M. Brandon Motorcars, Feb 2, 2024
    When discussing paint on a Ferrari, even late model cars, I tell my clients: you can have either original paint or perfect paint.
     
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  16. Portofino

    Portofino Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2011
    870
    Yorkshire UK / Switzerland/ Antibes France
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    Portofino
    #16 Portofino, Feb 2, 2024
    Correct .

    Way back in 2003 I bought a brand new 360 .Ran it for 6 yrs .Sold it to the trade with full Ferrari same supplying dealer history …..left the history file with it . This was before all this computer detail confidentiality 3 rd party gobbledygook .

    About a month later I got a rude email from the 2 nd buyer suggesting ( judging by the spray around the rear air vents for the engine ) that I had it painted .I assured him it was OEM .

    To be honest every time I cleaned it and rubbed a cloth inside the vents to dry them ……they did look like a kindergarten kid with a spray gun had painted inside them .

    The wheel arch edges were equally shocking as well …..another story !

    When you go to proper classic car shows and tap your fingertips on a proper paint job on a Ferrari from the 60 s 70 s and 80 s I can feel the paint thickness and what’s beneath it . There’s no shame Ferrari world in redoing Ferrari paint to modern standards .
     
  17. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    12,083
    FRANCE
    #17 nerofer, Feb 3, 2024
    All 328s were single-stage paint. Not one was in "base coat + clear coat" from the factory; not one: all were single-stage paint.

    Rgds
     
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