Once the guidecoat was sanded off and the imperfections were corrected, it was back into the booth to lay down the basecoat. The Sikkens paint system uses a scale to measure out the exact amount of paint and additives needed to mix the correct color. In many cases, there are a variety of different shades of the same color on factory-painted cars. Sikkens has formulas for all of the different variances, and in some cases, there can be as many as 10 variances for the same color. To avoid any problems with matching colors, Mazur sprays a sample of the red basecoat onto a spray-out card to compare it to the rest of our S197. In our case, the color was close but not perfect, so Reinhardt called Sikkens, and its staff brought an Automachic camera to help match the color. The camera is designed to take a picture of the color so the computer can make adjustments and fine-tune the paint mixture to achieve the correct color.
Bodymotion uses the Sikkens...
Bodymotion uses the Sikkens paint system on all the vehicles it paints. The system uses a scale to precisely measure the correct amount of paint and additive to ensure the color is correct.
Back in the spray booth, Mazur prepped the pieces for color, and the parts were again washed with an antistatic degreaser in preparation for paint. Mazur used a wet-on-wet-style application and started with a fresh coat of sealer as a solid foundation for the red hue soon to come. After waiting about 10 minutes, the first coat of Sikkens Autobase Plus Colorado Red paint was laid on both panels. With about 10 minutes between coats, two more layers of base color were added, followed by three coats of Sikkens Autoclear III clearcoat.
After the paint was sprayed, Bodymotion gave both pieces about 24 hours to cure before they were given back to Ganz for final assembly. Ganz went to work bolting on the hood and checking the alignment. Once the hood was tightened down in its proper place, he began reinstalling the stock Mustang GT grille and marker lights, then slid the new front fascia into place. After everything was tightened, the inner fenders were reinstalled, along with the windshield washer fluid hoses finishing off the install.
Although the process takes a few days, it's well worth the wait. The combination of quality parts with quality workmanship is a recipe for a beautiful final product.
Mazur sprays a sample of the...
Mazur sprays a sample of the Colorado Red paint on a spray-out card. This sample allows the painter to make sure the color of the new panels match the factory color. Some factory colors can have as many as 10 different shades of the same color, so this step helps prevent a mismatch.
Using a wet-on-wet-style application,...
Using a wet-on-wet-style application, Mazur first sprays another coat of sealer followed by three coats of basecoat and three coats of clearcoat.
After giving the freshly painted...
After giving the freshly painted hood and bumper about 24 hours to cure, Ganz and Reinhardt carefully begin the final assembly. The grille and marker lights are reinstalled, and the hood and bumper are adjusted and tightened up.
The final fit is straight...
The final fit is straight and even thanks to the time spent in the first stage of trial assembly.
The Steeda Street Cowl Hood...
The Steeda Street Cowl Hood comes equipped with windshield washer squirters to replace the factory unit. The squirters are built into the Steeda hood and require nothing more than trimming the tubes and securing them to the hood.
The before-and-after pictures...
The before-and-after pictures show the subtle yet aggressive looks of the Steeda parts compared to the stock counterparts. The larger lower opening allows more air in for better engine cooling, and also has openings for driving lamps and brake coolers.