Let's Paint Some Flames!
If you've ever wondered how flames get painted here's your
chance to see it done. The following pages will follow the process as we
flame Jim Burgess' Minotti.
The first and most important part is masking. There are a
number of techniques, our custom painter, simply lays the tape out freehand.
He doesn't draw the flames on the paint or anything like that. He just runs
a thin strip of tape down the centerline of the hood, which serves as his
reference point, and then goes to work. He so good at it, and so fast, that
by the time the Hot Rods photographer and webmaster was able to get to the
paint shop, he was done. We'll catch him next time though.
The tape used for the edges is very narrow so that it doesn't
crimp or buckle when making the turns and twists that will become the outer
edge of the flames. A wider tape is used to fill in the gaps.
Once the car is moved into the freshly washed paint booth,
Pete finishes masking the wheels. The paint booth is washed down so that
no dust will be picked up and deposited onto the paint when the paint booth's
exhaust blowers kick on.
The first step is to "prime" the areas to be flamed
with white paint. This will keep the red from showing through the colors
chosen for the flames. The paint being used is PPG and is applied in three
quick, lightly applied coats that will dry in the time it takes Pete to
work his way from one side of the car to the other. Applying the paint in
this way helps it dry quickly and prevents possible build-ups that might
run.
Since the flames will gradate from a light color to a dark
color at the tips, it is not necessary to have complete coverage all the
way to the flame tips. Remember the rule of applying light colors first?
The last color to be applied will be darker than the base red.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, 2324 Auto Park Way, Escondido, CA.,
1-800-HOT-ROD-5.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff - builds, restores, paints, services
and sells parts for classic autos, cars, trucks and street rods.