Project Shovelle: Into the Paint Shop We Go!
Story and Photos by Dean Washington
During the process of restoring a vehicle, there are a number of decisions you make that can cause your hair to fall out. Should I go with an automatic or manual transmission? What kind of wheel-and-tire package should I choose? Both tough decisions, but in my opinion, neither of these or any other, for that matter, you will make along the way compare to choosing the exterior colour. There are just so many things to consider as you begin looking at the seemingly endless amount of paint chips available. I don’t know how long I spent looking them over before realizing I really didn’t like any of them. Then I met the boys at “The Little Shop That Could” named RODZ Custom Motorcars in Maple Ridge B.C., and everything changed from there on out.
RODZ is a small shop specializing in restorations and custom paint, operated by longtime bodyman and painter Chris Radke, who grew up in the area. RODZ, which can only be described as controlled chaos, was taken over last summer by Radke and has enjoyed steady growth as the shop floor is stuffed with classic Corvettes, Mustangs and even a dune buggy or two awaiting restoration or repair. When I met with Radke, I explained that I wanted to paint the Shovelle the same green as the artist’s rendering because the car was already green and being a budget build, it would save a considerable amount of money by not doing a complete colour change. I went on to explain how I had been unsuccessful at finding the colour that looked remotely close to the rendering. That’s when he introduced me to his longtime friend, Randy “The Colour God” Vickers.
Also a bodyman and painter by trade, Vickers works for a large bodyshop chain by day but loves coming by some nights and weekends to lend a hand and bang on the same sheet metal they did in their youth. As soon as I showed Vickers the rendering of the car, you could see his mind jump into gear. Off to the colour sample rack he went, going in and out of the building trying to see how each example looked in different light in search of the perfect match. After an hour or so of back and forth he turned to me and said “Give me till Monday and I will find the right one for you.”
A few days later, I stopped by the shop and he looked at me with a big grin and said “I got it!” We went outside and he showed me how this sample changed colours from brilliant to dark depending which way you held it up to the light, and I knew right then he had nailed it. The colour: Emerald Fire which can be found on the 2007-10 Jaguar line. To the untrained eye, it looks like it has metallic flake in it, but I was quickly corrected by Radke and Vickers that it was pearl I was seeing and there was no metallic present at all. They went on to inform me that metallic was the eighties and the Emerald Fire would not only make the car look fantastic, but give this forty-year-old a modern look.
Now, as you may recall, our project started out pretty straight, so other than having to fix our little shop accident, the bodywork should be fairly straightforward. So after a quick stop at Gasoline Alley to pick up some new sheet metal, grille and bumper for the front end, Radke got to work filling in any problem areas. There were a few surprises such as the roof area behind the rear side windows, but all-in-all the car was pretty solid. After filling and sanding these areas, it was time to lay down a coat of Sikkens grey base primer, primer filler, a final sand with 400 grit and then the epoxy sealer which hides any imperfections plus provides a solid ground coat.
Next, Radke did some experimental mixing to come up with the titanium colour, and then sprayed down the side of the car that the stripe design would occupy. Then the fun began, as Radke and Vickers painstakingly laid out the design on the front quarters and doors. It was quite something to witness them using simply quarter inch masking tape and some paper to create and duplicate our accent design. After masking off the stripes, Radke began to spray the first of four base coats of Sikkens. From there, the masking was removed off the stripes and three coats of Sikkens clear were then applied, really bringing the Emerald Fire to life.
Our budget for paint and body was set at $8,000 and I am happy to report that the total bill from RODZ was $6,000 which included the new Cowl Induction hood. Since we came in under budget, we decided to pick up a new replacement rear bumper (as the front was replaced in the insurance claim) and right inner fender which ran us $600 from Gasoline Alley, bringing the total to $6,600 for paint and bodywork...not too bad at all!
The whole job turned out fantastic thanks to the care and attention of the RODZ crew. They can be reached at 604-460-6681 if you would like additional information on this part of the build.
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