Replacement woodgrain di-noc: I likey

I have a friend who is known as one of the best painters around (custom work) and I've been considering going that route when I get to restoring my Caprice. I thought painted would be easier to maintain than Di-Noc, too.

 

Not cheap to have done, but much easier to "repair" if you get a dent and definitely easy to maintain.

 

So, as a "newbie" and just for kicks, assuming I could find somebody to paint the woodgrain, what could that particular part of the job cost? $2,000? $5,000? I have no idea. Keep in mind, not for a museum either but for a nicely restored rolling example.

 

Zal, I haven't priced it out, but I'd bet it would to run into the multiple thousands

 

True. I have a big dent that needs repairing, as it is.

I'm fairly certain that if I gave Johnny a couple cases of beer, he'd do it for the price of materials. He's a good guy.

 

Sounds like a deal to me!

 

Just my own humble opinion here - and I am not knocking anyone's product. But one would think that of a comapny is going to try to market an item like this replacement wood grain panelling, that they would try to have the grain and colour closer to one of the originals that have been produced. With all due respect, I agree that the material shown is too red compared to the more natural looking darker brown on the car shown.
I understand that there were various shades of this panelling on different makes and years and that some of it had lines to replicate boards ( my guess ) and some didn't.
A friend of mine worked in a sign shop for years and he swears that a good sign shop could prinit out wood grain panelling on sign vinyl and he claims that it's the same material used originally on cars made by 3M. I know for sure that my son has a 1980 Camaro with a factory striping package ( not a Z28 ) and a local shop here said that they needed measurements and pictures and they could duplicate the striping which is definitely a striping package meant for that particular style of car as the rounded corners are a part of the decal and not just some stick on pin striping applied and bent to make the corners. Everything is too precise and fits to well to be an after market application. The sign shop claims thatyes, they can duplicate it on their computer and cut it - no problem. Maybe this is not so as I have not looked into it but it's a thought and may be worth asking for our wagons but it's worth checking out, They do print woodgrain onto some signs and Ron says a full width print is not an issue. Hope this helps a bit.

 

Thanks Boo. Worth checking out.

 

I'm looking at a black '90 CP.
Has a big rip in the woodgrain on the left rear door. I'm going to have to find some original stuff or do it all over if I buy it.

 

I didn't realize you still had an interest in that car, KK. More later....back to the Indy 500 now.

 

Keep us posted and pics if you have them

 

I've seen two woodgrain wagons that were painted by their OWNERS in their garages, and they look fantastic. I'm going the same route with my '91 GM CP wagon. I drive my car every day. I figure I can do the car in a weekend, once the old woodgrain is stripped off, and have a hundred bucks in materials. Restoration is not really my concern. The darker pattern my car had stock is not something I wish to replicate, and the lighter decal a PO put on is peeling off after just two years...mostly from a lack of proper prep work and NOT taking off the old decal first! I want a light pattern, and I figure what have I got to lose by trying it myself??? Best thing is that it'll look great! Worst thing that can happen is that it'll look like crap, I'll strip it off and try again!

 

Thread in the 'Auctions, Craig's List etc.' section.......with pics
http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19198

 

Can't wait to see how the woodgrain painting project turns out.

Thanks KK. Nice looking almost twin to mine. I wouldn't re-do the di-noc because of that scrape. I have a little OEM di-noc for my Colony that I could send you if you wanted. You would have to use some sort of extra adhesive, because the vinyl I'd be sending is almost 23 years old.

 

I checked out a company called "Signs By Tomorrow" in Shrewsbury, NJ and they would be able to custom design a woodgrain vinyl with input from me on what color and pattern I wanted. Something that I'll consider as an option (when the time comes) in addition to the painted woodgrain and the woodgrain4wagons product options.