Corvette paint protection has deep roots

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By COREY EBERHARDT President, CoaterZ Few vehicles in American history have had a bigger influence on paint quality than the Corvette. And there’s several reasons for that. Perhaps the most obvious reason is the Corvette’s fiberglass body.

Of course, that fiberglass bodywork was revolutionary in and of itself in 1953. But General Motors quickly learned that it would have to up its game when it came to applying paint to those bodies, too. Adherence of the paint Unlike steel, fiberglass expanded and contracted differently in changing temperatures, and some imperfections in the fiberglass could be seen through the paint.

Also, paint didn’t adhere to the fiberglass in the same way that it adhered to steel. GM learned that the fiberglass needed extensive hand-finishing before the paint application stage. Something else that General Motors had to learn was that Corvette buyers were different.

They were pickier than the typical Bel-Air buyer. They expected quality; they were buying a unique automobile, and they expected it to look as good as it performed. Long before ceramic coatings and Paint Protection Film, Corvette owners could be found on weekends in their driveways with their Corvettes, elbow-deep in polishing compound and Simoniz, pursuing gloss, depth, color, and shine.

In that way, those early Corvettes (and their owners) helped create America’s modern culture of automotive paint perfection. Spectacular results While GM struggled in those early years with fiberglass and with the issue of painting it properly, the results were spectacular. Designers could create sweeping curves and dramatic body shapes that had not been possible with stamped steel.

And when those body panels were finished with eye-catching paint, the results were extraordinary. So, the Corvette became a kind of rolling paint showcase for General Motors. During the 1950s and 1960s, Chevrolet used the car to experiment with vivid colors and richer finishes.

The results – Roman Red, Riverside Red, Marina Blue, and Sebring Silver -- became deeply associated with the Corvette’s identity. Under bright sunlight, the colors and curves worked together to produce a car that was far ahead of its time. Back in those days, Corvettes sported lacquer paint systems that produced astonishing depth.

The finish could be wet-sanded and polished over and over again, and each of those procedures made the finish better than before. Today, many Corvette enthusiasts argue that modern finishes simply don’t measure up to the paint jobs on mid-1960s Corvettes. Of course, that beauty did come at a price.

Oxidized paint Lacquer paint oxidized quickly, and strong sunlight caused it to crack and fade. In those days, Corvette owners worked hard to avoid the tiny stress cracks that sometimes developed in the fiberglass beneath the painted surface. In Florida, the combination of heat, ultraviolet radiation, and coastal air could be especially punishing.

And then came serious changes in automotive paint technology, much of it the result of environmental concerns. Solvent-based paint was replaced with water-based paint. Paint and clear coat layers became thinner.

While paint quality declined, Corvette owners continued to demand the high-end finish quality they had become accustomed to. At the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, General Motors invested heavily in improving paint consistency and surface preparation. Robotic spraying systems and better fiberglass finishing techniques dramatically improved appearance quality during the C4 and C5 generations, and Corvette buyers responded enthusiastically to the new colors that GM introduced -- Torch Red, Admiral Blue, Electron Blue, and Millennium Yellow among them.

Extraordinary finishes Modern Corvettes, particularly the C7 and C8 generations, are capable of extraordinary factory finishes. But there is a downside – water-based paints and thinner clear coats have made modern finishes more environmentally friendly, but also more vulnerable to rock chips, swirl marks, and surface scratching. At CoaterZ, we see a lot of Corvettes in our shop for ceramic coatings and Paint Protection Film installations.

The Corvette’s low nose, aggressive fenders, and wide stance expose the paint to road debris and sand/gravel damage. Owners realize the importance of protecting factory finishes, and especially such premium colors as Red Mist Tintcoat, Rapid Blue, or Sebring Orange. Certain factory colors can dramatically increase a Corvette’s collector value.

Enthusiasts memorize paint codes, study factory overspray patterns, and debate subtle year-to-year changes in pigment and finish quality, and they work hard to protect those factory finishes. To them, paint finishes are more than decoration; they are history, craftsmanship, engineering, identity, as well as a source of personal pride. -0- CoaterZ offers the highest-quality PPF film and coatings as well as factory-trained technicians.

It’s a wise investment – your car or truck will look as good at trade-in time as it did when it rolled out of the new-car dealership. Three locations to serve you: 2824 Alt19 16235 N Florida Ave 2321 Bee Ridge Rd. Palm Harbor, FL 34683 Lutz, FL 33549 Sarasota, FL 34239 727-935-4621 (813) 467-8149 (941) 297-0125 www.CoaterZ.com https://coaterz.com/lutz/ www.Coaterz.com/Sarasota/