A couple of restoration questions. Shocks and painting...

[Andiroid]

Hi all, just a couple of questions for you all. I have a '92 33 16v.

I'm looking at replacing or re-gassing my shock absorbers. Has anyone had any experience with re-gassed shock absorbers? Opinions?

Next...

I had my car in the panel beaters getting a car park ding out of my front guard. While it was in, I asked if they could quote me on and fix the peeling paint on the spoiler and cut the tiny bit of rust out of the left hand side where the spoiler attaches to the hatch. I was called the next day to say they don't want to do the spoiler because it is plasticky and they can't guarantee that paint will stick to it. "It's not something we want to get involved with" were the words.... Which actually left me thinking if I really wanted my car in their workshop any way!

I asked them if paint technology had declined over the last 20 years, as they had obviously gotten the paint to stick somehow back when the car was built... I just got a grunt.

So, has anyone ever had a repaint of their 33 spoiler?

Thanks!

Andrew

[colcol]

What type of front shock absorbers do you have?, the high end shocks can usually be rebuilt, such as Koni, Billstein etc, the cheaper ones are not worth stuffing around with, as they are cheaper to buy new.
If the paint is peeling from your spoiler, then there is something wrong and for a good job it would need all the old paint stripping off and starting again, for the painting of plastic parts the paint has to have a flexiable additive mixed in with it, so things such as bumper bars and spoilers that are not rigid like steel, it allows the paint to flex without cracking, when you have a prang  you notice all the paint splinters and cracks as there is no flexiable components in it.
Some paintjobs on roofs, bonnets, boots and hatches are terrible as some are hail damaged and the insurance companies authorise a quick and cheap job, yours may have that problem.
Repair shops just want to paint a door or a gaurd and get the car out of the door and get paid, they don't want the hassle of stuffing around with rust repairs and fixing up someone else's shoddy work.
Take your 33 to a restoration place where they are not doing insurance company smash repairs, but expect to pay for it as you only get what you pay for.
Someone from your state may wish to reccomend a good resto place and have a look in your states Alfa club magazine, Colin.

[VeeSix]

Yes I agree with what Col is saying, I have resprayed a 33 16 valve spoiler plus a GTV6 Zender and a couple of 75 Zender spoilers plus numerous bodykits and whole cars, yes some spoilers are the rubber type and yes for a perfect job you have to take it all the way back but if you just want it looking good again you can get away with a light sand and respray and it will look fantastic, some PPG base coat and a nice few layers of clear over the top, like Col said most spray shops are there for the insurance work, top dollar in and out of the workshop as fast as possible, rip the insurance company off to the max, include parts they do not even purchase and repeat, that is the smash repair game and it is the same everywhere, you have to keep hunting around till you fond a shop that is not scoring alot of the insurance work and if they do agree to do it, expect to pay alot and wait alot of time, the I do not want to touch the rubbery thing and it may crack later was just your brush off and the grunt was I do not give a crap, do you think insurance company cars do not have rubbery things? They are happy to do them because they are ripping them off to the max therefore happy to say well yeah well warrant the work, if they give you the cost they give to the insurance company you would tell them where to go 

[Ricky Ricardo]

Agree with every thing said about crash repairers and painting.

I just did a lot of respraying to my 33 including the spoiler. I swear by Protec products and I used there Flex Add product on my front bumper and a higher mix ratio for the spoiler. I can squish the spoiler as much as I can with my fingers and the paint just flexes. All crash repairers now this and are just looking for easy money!

I don't trust other peoples work so go by the idea "if you want something done properly do it yourself" but understand it's not always practical for many people.     

[colcol]

"If you something properly, then do it yourself", the only problem with that is that i am the worlds worst Spray Painter!, you may have to do a bit of searching, but there are body work people out there that just do these one off odd jobs, because they don't want to get involved with insurance companies that won't allow a good job to be done, Colin.

[Beatle]

Don't be afraid to ask at shops specialising in Hot Rods and the like.  Often they may have short time periods between larger jobs that they fill with this type of work, but you may have to wait until an opportunity arises.