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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Automotive crinkle, bubble, splatter finishes on exterior

2006

Hi all,

I'm in the process of restoring a fairly rare 1969 Ford hearse. The coachbuilder was Abbott & Hast, and they used a paint in place of vinyl on the upper half of the car. Back then, each coachmaker had their own unique way of painting tops, so getting the details on this one would be near impossible. While most hard coat tops were done in a wrinkle finish, mine was done in a bubbly finish. The best way I can describe it is that it's like a vinyl top, no creases, just the raised bubble like texture. I'd like to recreate this if possible, but as a second option, I could go with an era correct wrinkle finish. What I've found is that over the metal were at least three layers: 1st is smooth green coat that match rest of body, 2nd is a black that is textured, and third is a different green that's thin and took the shape of the black layer. My best guess is that the green was a base when the car was painted, the black was the correct top, and someone later put the second green color on.

My questions are these:
Obviously, how can I make this texture?
What type/brand of paint will withstand weather the best?
What important prep work should I consider specifically for this finish?
If I go with a crinkle top, how do I do that?

Thanks!

Adam Borkat
hobbyist - Atlanta, GA, USA