I need psychological help....

[69only]

Hi again,
  I'm about to get my car from the paint shop and start putting it together. I have everything sitting, waiting in the garage.
I asked the painter to give me a good driver quality paint job, he said nothing. I continued, meaninglessly, when he told me it would be
about a month and a half. That was six months ago. I've been warned to never rush your painter, but it worked out well cuz rounding up all the parts
and info I needed took that long.
  Here my problem. The painter has actually done a show car level paint job, and now I want to know how you drive a car like this around and enjoy it and have fun
in it when it's this nice? I wanted driver quality so I could thrash it a little and not freak out over every little nick. I spend my spare time on a motocross bike, something you deliberately
beat on. This will be the car you see parked way over in the far corner of the parking lot. I'm already thinking I should just sell it. Any advice?
Desperately,
Nervous Novice

[KevinW]

Novice, just keep the car clean and drive it.  After your first nick (remember to get touch-up paint from his leftovers!), you will stop worrying about it.  I got my car back from paint and had to take it apart to fix the heater core.  I was nervous about that!  Ever take the hood and pass fender of a freshly painted car, then put it all back together and line it back up?  Was very concerned about damage when they were off the car.  It has been about 6 years since then, I drive it all the time during the warm weather, just keep it clean/waxed and put a cover on it and it will look good for a long time. 

[lakeholme]

Did the painter charge you driver costs for a show quality job? If so, then smile a lot no matter what you do. That is a rare piece of luck!
In the end it is your car, do what you want.... And be happy.
Perhaps a good alternative to selling it would be to show the car for a year or so; then, drive it.

[Mike S]

"....Perhaps a good alternative to selling it would be to show the car for a year or so; then, drive it."

  That's what I did with my convertible back in the 80-90's. It was the best of both worlds.
Life is short so enjoy it while you physically can.
Don't be one of those people who, many years from now, lay in their death bed saying "I wish I had done this". Be one of those who say "I'm glad I've done that". 


Mike

[69only]

Thanks for all the good tips.
I will suck it up and look forward to that first nick, because yes, I did get
show quality for driver prices. I've never shown a car, but we do have a lot of local shows
here in the South Bay area. If any of you members live in the Los Angeles area, El Segundo Auto Body
did the work. It would be a rare treat to have any of you stop by and give me your "two cents" (which would be worth
vast fortunes to me!).
And I wouldn't have thought about the touch up paint-great idea-will do.

[69houdini]

69 only,
   I was at the El Segundo show on Main st. I brought the 69 butternut convertible and the 68 rally green Z28, did you stop by and chat with me? Would like to see your 69 sometime and invite you to come out and meet some other Camaro owners in the area, Enjoy your car, we're lucky out here in sunny so. cal, hope to see you soon.

[vtfb68]

Enjoy driving it, and don't hit anything. There will be a daytime show in a few weeks at Ruby's, The Saturday morning show at Starbuck's, (Artesia & Hawthorne) bring it out,
  would love to check it out.
    VT

[BULLITT65]

69 Only there are a handful of us down here, and we all have an opinion....

There is at least 3 CRG guys in the Temecula area here, I think Houdini also has a few first gen friends by him.

 Post some pics of your car!  (please)

[Rufcar]

69 only,  I did the same thing but I always say "That's why god created paint" every winter I put my cars on my lift and go over every inch top to bottom I touch up and buff out everything. Then in spring I drive the hell out of them again.
Remember the day after the restorations complete it now starts day by day as an older restoration!

[dale_z28]

69only: How could I not read a post that starts "I need psychological help"?? You're lucky, bask in it!
When I took my car to a body shop in the '80's I told him I wasn't worried about how long it took (NEVER say that to a body man!!!), "just do a good job". Well, 2 years later I had a car with some new parts but several areas where my burgundy paint was pink from being nearly buffed-thru. I had a new vinyl top with indentions all over it from tools, pop bottles, you-name-it being laid on it while it sat between his better-paying insurance jobs. I wound up suing him which replaced the $$ I had spent, but I was so sick over the mess I parked it and wanted no part of the car for several years.
Enjoy your car, and just think of the memories that will be tied to every nick you find!

[68camaroz28]

I think its most interesting the theory of how a shop and customer determine what is driver quality or other words they both be on the same page, wave length, etc. on what that is supposed to look like.
People I've met that want or wanted a driver quality paint job for however they determine what that is, is predominantly a cost factor which I understand due to the money that can be spent on body fit up, block sanding and prep prior to paint.
Be happy and enjoy that paint job cause I can almost assure you anything else long term you would be disappointed especially if you go to some local shows. Enjoy and have fun putting that rascal back together.

[X33RS]

You don't need psychological help    there are many of us that worry about the same thing, it just comes with the territory.  If you didn't worry about a high dollar car you wouldn't be human,,,,or you just have so much money you don't care, lol

Quality is different to different people.  I've been approached to do the same sort of thing, people wanting to cut corners and save money.   The issue with that path with many shops is they really don't want their name on anything less than a show quality job.  Doesn't look good for them to have a "so-so" paint job on something with the owner telling enquiring minds who painted the car.  Not necessarily good for business.

I pain over the same things you're worried about.  I have cars I rarely drive because of it but I also keep cars in a certain state of disrepair so I can enjoy the heck out of them without worry.  My Z is a perfect example.  I have no interest in painting the car right now nor am I going to install the new interior I have sitting here.  My wife is going to drive it daily to work and on the weekends it will serve as our family car to run errands.  That's why it's staying in primer, no worries about rock chips and door dings.  I'll still take it to cruises, it will still grab more than enough attention, it doesn't have to be shiny for me or my wife to enjoy it, and that's all that matters.  Over the years I've kind of gotten sick of the whole cleaning and spit shine process and then worrying about it every where I take it sort of thing.
    In a few years when she is tired of it and I know it will spend most of it's time sitting in the garage, then I'll blow it apart and paint it. 
  Funny, my nomad still sits in the same state it did when I was daily driving it in the 80's, half primer, half original paint, and I had more fun in that car daily driving it than I can ever remember having in anything else.  Even back then it grabbed attention looking like it does.  Now that I'm getting it back on the road again after almost 30 years,  I really have no interest in painting that one either (I will eventually) but I think I'm going to drive it as is and have some fun with it for a while.

[69Z28-RS]

A Hemmings article today addresses some of this...   automotive perfection?  or 'automotive blemishes and a little dust/dirt'..

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/01/11/the-drive-home-woodward-avenue/?refer=news

[X33RS]

Haha that's funny.  I don't know if this whole rat rod craze the last several years has started a new interest or what, but I've always been a fan of driving cars that still need restored.  That level of stress you have when driving a completely restored car just isn't there.

It's never bothered me one bit to roll into a cruise with a well used muscle car, and sometimes even pay an entry fee at a local car show, I got disinterested in trophies a long time ago to even worry about that.  I just like to hang out with like minded people and say hi to friends.  And if a rain shower or storm breaks out, I'm not running for cover either 

[69Z28-RS]

I totally agree with that sentiment...  I usually enter my car, just so I can park close, but generally don't even clean my car.. I just like talking to other car enthusiasts and seeing other cars.   I get more flak from my wife and daughters from driving 'cars needing repaint' than I do from anyone else..  if it weren't for that, I'd probably always just drive them the way I got them..