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Detroit, 10:02 PM
Sun Nov 8
8 posts in the last 24 hours
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07/24/09
Re: matte black...
When a look with a meaning behind it becomes a popular fashion statement, things get tricky.
Originally, old-skoolers went flat-black because it was cheap and you could do it yourself with halfway decent results.
Turns out, it's actually pretty good looking on high-end cars, too.
Who has a leg to stand on to tell someone they shouldn't paint their car in a way they think looks good?
(whew...almost clicked outside the box before hitting "submit")
07/24/09
Clack can matte black on a track toy / beater = Cool
07/24/09
Oh, forgot that is normal for you.
07/24/09
07/24/09
This isn't.
07/24/09
Time for another coat of Rustoleum.
07/24/09
I like matte paint and matte wraps.
07/24/09
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07/24/09
Who knew the self-appointed elite had something in common with mere plebians?
The only difference is, my matte finish would cost maybe $15 in rubbing compound, $20 for a proper bottle of courage, and a couple hours with an orbital buffer I got for free; "theirs" cost even more my entire car would be worth when I'm done.
But they'd still get all the accolades for it anyway, while I'd get laughed at by the greaseball behind the Napa counter who faps to Lohan pics every night.
I say it's time to take BACK the noble, honest name of cheap primer and hoopty goodness. Via la Krylon Revolution!
07/24/09
07/24/09
What we don't have a right to is that everyone is going to like it. We don't have a right to have our feelings spared when we put something so public as a car out on the street with a crazy paint job. And everyone else has a right to comment on your "art".
So, go ahead and express yourself, but don't expect everyone to like it.
07/24/09
A car project is never done. There's always something more to add, another detail to include or custom touch to set it off. There's no point with a custom car project when you put down the wrench and walk away. A project car is a way of life. To me the matte black paint symbolizes that way of life. If it were done it would have a shiny paint job and I'd be swigging beer at a car show 'bout now, but it's not done, so I'm swigging beer in my garage with my buddies. The matte finish says "that's right, I'm this badass already, but I'm not content to stop there."
To that end I believe LiLo's Rolls, random dealer's S-Class, and the LP460 are demeaning to an otherwise proud expression of car culture. Matte black belongs on hot rods and custom cars... Perpetual project cars. Not on classic cars, not on exclusive luxury cars, not on new cars, not just to be trendy.
It's not a trend, it's a way of life.
07/24/09
I thought matte black hoods originated on East Africa Safari Rally cars in the 60's, as a means to reduce sun glare in the drivers' eyes.
07/24/09
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07/24/09
Or when muscle car owners swapped to fiberglass hoods and were too lazy to paint them.
07/24/09
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07/24/09
(There goes a dark green one now.)
Aside from the occasional bright red or teal early-mid-'90s example (there's a teal one in town with Explorer wheels), though, you're right - most of them are a bit boring. Maybe go for orange? Not metallic burnt orange, those existed, but construction-sign orange.
You could definitely rock a purple one, too, if you seriously off-roaded it.
07/24/09