Everything you need to know and everything you need to do to have perfect paint on your specialty car. Whether it’s a concours-quality restoration or a ground-pounding hot rod, this book will fit your painting interests. The auto body and paint business is changing at an incredibly fast rate, mainly in response to environmental rules and regulations. This book emphasizes what parts of the job a hobbyist can, and should, do himself and what should be left to the pros.

Topics include:

• Tools, equipment, and safety
• Planning the paint job
• Environmental concerns; Types of paint and materials
• Removing trim
• Repairing damage/rust
• Prepping metal for paint/bodywork
• Applying fillers
• Applying sealers and primers
• Final paint options; custom paint options
• Custom graphics, flames, pinstriping
• Paint care and touchup

There are 275 color photos in this book.

Buy from Amazon
UK : How to Paint Your Car: Bk. M2583 (Motorbooks Workshop): 1 (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : How to Paint Your Car (Motorbooks Workshop)

Just Customz Review

When creating that head turning-jaw dropping project there is nothing that catches peoples attention more than a fantastic paint job. Unfortunately creating that awesome finish is often out of most peoples budget. This book is packed with photos and the latest information that will help the reader perform a lot of the manual labour and preparation or even spray the car themselves. The book covers a lot of information from buying the materials right through to spraying and finishing.

The book is divided into 11 easily digestible chapters each with lots of color photos supporting the text. The chapters are as follows;

• Automotive Painting Defined
• Automotive Paint Chemistry
• Supporting Products
• Tools, Materials, and Safety
• Bodywork
• Surface Preparation
• Masking
• Paint Application
• Extra Details
• Part Replacement and Reassembly
• Cleaning, Detailing and Maintaining

If you are looking to build a project on a tight budget (or even if you’re not) this book has lots of invaluable expert advice that will prevent the novice from falling into any unforeseen pitfalls that only an expert maybe aware of.

About The Authors

Dennis W. Parks began his professional publishing career as a freelance magazine photographer/writer in 1985. His work has been seen in more than 160 articles in Street Rodder, Rod and Custom, Hot Rod, Rodder’s Digest, Super Chevy, and Custom Classic Trucks, as well as several other publications. Dennis is the author of How to build a Hot Rod. Currently employed as a technical writer for a worldwide automotive service company, Dennis lives with his wife in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.

David H. Jacobs Jr., has been busy writing books about different automotive topics since the 1980s. He like to talk to and hang out with experts in the field to learn how they best accomplish their work in automotive detailing, bodywork, painting, and the like. He appreciates and especially enjoys writing about their tips, advice, and tricks of the trade.

Even before the heyday of Von Dutch and Big Daddy, the ultimate way to personalize your car or motorcycle was to lay some wicked lines on top of the paintwork. Done with a steady hand and an eye for style, pinstripes speak volumes. In How to Pinstripe, acclaimed veteran striper Alan Johnson teaches you everything you need to know to get started, to further your mastery of the form, or to simply understand how a good design comes together. Following a primer on the history and evolution of pinstriping, this book launches into a step-by-step guide to the pinstriping process–from choosing paint and brushes that suit your style and abilities, to preparing surfaces, experimenting with symmetrical and asymmetrical designs, striping freehand, and using grids and patterns. While stressing the importance of finding your own style and having fun with the hobby, Johnson also explains the basics of color theory and unique considerations for antique and classic cars, hot rods and customs, and motorcycles. For more advanced pinstripers, there is also tried-and-true advice on apprenticing and working car shows. Illustrated with color photography throughout, How to Pinstripe is the perfect source for beginners and veterans alike.

Buy from Amazon
UK : How to Pinstripe (Motorbooks Workshop) (Motorbooks Workshop) (Motorbooks Workshop) (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : How To Pinstripe (Motorbooks Workshop)

Just Customz Review

In the foreword Roger Morrison says “In my opinion, a great pinstripper is like a sensitive piano accompanist for a solo vocalist. The piano supports and enhances the soloist’s performance without calling undue attention to him or herself.” which is very true of any good pinstripper. Alan Johnson has always produced some fantastic work which has enabled him to become Artisan of the pinstripping world.

The book covers all aspects of pinstripping from a brief look at the history, the tools required, design through to flames and inspiration. Every page in the book has one or two high quality pictures supporting the text to help the reader understand exactly what is being discussed.

While this book isn’t going to turn you into a pinstripping legend overnight it is certainly a good starting point and will give you the foundations to build on.

About The Author

Alan “AJ” Johnson caught the pinstriping bug at age 11, when his father took him to see Ed “Big Daddy” Roth at the New York Coliseum. After graduating from Newark School of Fine Industrial Art in 1968, Alan landed a job as art director at a New York City ad agency. In 1974 he moved his family to the country and started his own business, which still thrives today. Alan is also a consultant for automotive paint manufacturers and author of several how-to articles for trade periodicals. He has taught and demonstrated his pinstripping techniques throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and Finland. He recently launched his own line of signature brushes with The Mack Brush Company. Alan also offers his own limited edition prints of this unique American art form.

You can see more at http://www.alanjohnsongrafix.com.

Custom paint jobs are more popular than ever, and no form of custom painting is “hotter” than the flame job. This book will explain how to design the best-looking flames for a particular vehicle, how to transfer that design to the vehicle, and how to apply the paint. The process of painting the flames will be broken into major segments so that the reader can go as far as they feel their skills and confidence will allow.

- No other books focus exclusively on the art of painting flames
- Color photography and photo-heavy approach boost the visual appeal of the book
- Part of the fast-growing Motorbooks Workshop series.

Buy from Amazon
UK : How to Paint Flames (Motorbooks Workshop) (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : How To Paint Flames (How-To)

Just Customz Review

Whatever style of flames you are looking to paint on your customised vehicle this book will cover it. It includes painting of tribal flames, realistic flames, ghost flames and pinstripe flames in 16 extremely detailed chapters. The book starts with the basics such as design and inspirations through to the tooling that is required then 8 chapters showing the different flame styles and finally a chapter showing how to make those final finishing touches.

The Author, Bruce Caldwell, has been interested in the flame paint job since he was a young child and has pictures dating back to when he was 6 or 7 years old. Over the years he has painted many vehicles and this book aims to distill what he has learned to give the reader the right ingredients to feel confident in painting flames for the first time. The key things that he has learned are as follows;

• Design: The flames must be well designed.
• Flow: The resulting flames must be smooth and organic and have a natural movement.
• Color: The flames must be painted in a color scheme that works well with the vehicle that it is being painted onto especially if the flames are to be pinstriped.
• Tape: Masking off a good set of flames can take many attempts and the design shouldn’t be sacrificed for a few rolls of masking tape.
• Mistakes: Mistakes happen and this is usually what separates the professionals from the amateurs. Professionals will know how to fix them but hopefully this book will help.
• Clarity: A good clear top coat is the key to a fantastic paint job.
• Buffing: This is an art unto itself and is the point that the whole paint job comes alive.
• Striping: The majority of flame jobs are pin-striped as the final stage of the design that makes them appear to leap off the background paint.

This is a great resource for any budding artist or amateur looking to paint their first custom paint-job.

About The Author

Bruce Caldwell has been an automotive journalist and photographer since 1975 when he became and associate editor of Car Craft. He was feature editor at Hot Rod and editor of Chevy High Performance, Mustangs and Ford, Muscle Car review and Street Rod Quarterly. His work appears regularly in major truck, street rod, and performance car magazines. He has authored several automotive how-to-books. He lives with his wife in Woodinville, Washington.

Ford’s Mustang is the most popular American performance car of all time, and it’s supported by a huge aftermarket devoted to increasing its performance and improving its looks. Yet with all the parts available to the enthusiast, many owners are unsure how to go about modifying their car. That’s where Weekend Projects for Your Mustang comes in. It breaks 52 performance projects into doable chunks that the average enthusiast can manage in a single weekend. Projects include installing a supercharger, upgrading shocks, carbon fiber kits, and more. Each project is illustrated with clear step-by-step photographs to help the reader understand each step and captions that provide time-saving tips. Make your Mustang faster and better looking beginning this weekend!

Buy from Amazon
UK : Weekend Projects for Your Mustang 2005-today (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : Weekend Projects for Your Mustang 2005-Today (Motorbooks Workshop)

Just Customz Review

Dan Sanchez and Drew Phillips have written this book to accompany the massive amount of aftermarket products that are available for the latest Mustang since its launch in 2005. In all they have created a massive 52 projects to keep the reader going through the year. The book covers minor enhancements to the Mustang such as fitment of new body trim right through to some major work like installing a performance torque converter.

The book has 6 main sections which are:

• Engine
• Suspension
• Brakes, Wheels and Tires
• Drive-train
• Body and Exterior
• Interior

Each of the sections is sub-divided into a set of projects that can be performed and includes and estimate of the time taken, the cost, the skill level and the tools that will be required. In order to explain how to perform the task there are a series of pictures and short descriptive text. At the beginning of the project information there is also a useful sources section that can be used to locate the parts that are required which is something that is often overlooked in other books.

This is a great book for any Mustang owner that wants to improve the looks and performance of their car.

The trick parts and customizing magic used on the cars of The Fast and The Furious comes to sport compact car enthusiasts in this Universal Studios-licensed how-to book. Authored by Eddie Paul, the man who built the cars for The Fast and The Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious, this technical book shows how to transform a sport compact car into one of the flashy custom cars in the film. The book is a step-by-step how-to book, with color photographs taking the reader through the process of installing components and customizing parts. The 25 projects in the book include installing body kits and wings, installing high-end stereo and computer equipment, nitrous oxide kits, exhaust systems, applying graphic kits, selecting wheels and tires, installing underbody lighting kits, and much more.

Buy from Amazon

UK : The Fast and the Furious: 25 Hot Projects for Your Sport Compact Car (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : How To Build the Cars of The Fast and the Furious (Motorbooks Workshop)

Just Customz Review

There can’t be many car enthusiasts that aren’t familiar with the Fast and the Furious series. This book details how to create the cars of the Fast and the Furious with 30 projects that will change your car to a tuner car.

The book is written by Eddie Paul a former stunt man that has also created cars for xXx, Terminator 2, Gone in 60 seconds and Wild at Heart so he is writing from experience.

The book contains a blend of projects that you may want to undertake yourself or may want a professional to undertake depending upon your skill level. Each project has a 6 T guide associated with it to help the reader estimate the time and skill level required to perform the tasks. The 6 T’s are as follows;

1. Time : How long will it take to complete
2. Tools : What is needed to complete the project
3. Talent 1-5 : The skill level required
4. Tab: How much will it cost
5. Tip: A nice trick that will help the reader
6. Tech : What the desired outcome of the project is

The book is broken into 4 parts which are Tuner Basics, Interior, Exterior and Performance. The Tuner Basics part covers selecting a car to modify, designing the look and how to get your car in a movie. The Interior part covers the stereo system, plate flooring, gauges and roll-bars and cages. The Exterior part covers painting, graphics and body modifications. The final part, Performance, covers suspension tweaks, nitrous oxide, vertical doors and much more.

Although this is a smallish book it does cover a lot of topics in clear and concise way. There are lots of pictures to help the reader backed up by clear steps to complete the work.

Incidentally the Fast and the Furious collection can be bought from the following Amazon links;

Fast & Furious (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
2 Fast 2 Furious [Blu-ray]
Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift

If you are looking for free car wallpaper then please visitor the wallpaper section at Just Customz.

About the Author

Eddie Paul is a former Hollywood stuntman, special effects man, motorcycle fabricator, car builder, inventor, and president and CEO of five companies. He is the builder of cars and motorcycles in more than 100 feature films, including the Fast and the Furious, xXx and 2 Fast and the 2 Furious. He is also author of The Cars of the Fast and the Furious. Paul has appeared on the Discovery Channel show Monster Garage and has worked for Jacques Cousteau for seven years, as well as many of the biggest film producers in the world. When not busy on one of their projects, he and his wife Renee can be found riding their Boss Hoss motorcycles.

Whatever the vehicle – from classic hot rod to pick-up to chopper – a custom paint job sets it apart. But not all paint jobs are created equal, so how can you tell which style, technique, or scheme will suit the unique demands of your vehicle and budget?

Before making a big investment – whether you’re hiring a painter or doing the job yourself – turn to this book for a clear idea of what works and what doesn’t. Drawing on years of experience running her own custom painting shop,

JoAnn Bortles reviews the full array of options for paints, graphics, and effects. In an easygoing and engaging manner, and with photographs to illustrate her points, she explains the tools and techniques that apply in various paint schemes and shows what might work especially well in certain situations and for particular vehicles. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, considering color combinations or graphics, or simply wondering what to look for in a local paint shop, this book will answer your questions–and help you get the custom paint job that’s perfect for you.

Buy from Amazon

UK : Custom Painting Idea Book: Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks (Motorbooks Workshop): Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks (Motorbooks Workshop): Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks … Motorcycles, Trucks (Motorbooks Workshop)
US : The Custom Painting Idea Book: Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks

Just Customz Review

This is another superb book by JoAnn Bortles in the Idea book series. The book follows the same outstanding recipe as the other books in this series. Each of these books are highly visual and they are packed with stunning pictures guaranteed to inspire you.

The book is a good blend of motorcycle and custom car artwork ranging from the simple and effective to the more outrageous paintwork. JoAnn has broken the book into 15 easily digestible chapters which are as follows;

• What makes a great paint job
• How to choose your paint and painter
• Finding the right color
• Finding the most effective design
• Color and design
• Solid color as an Art Form: Motorcycles
• Solid Color as an Art Form:Cars and Trucks
• Flames and Motorcycles
• Flames on Cars, Trucks and Street Rods
• Graphics on Motorcycles
• Four-Wheeled Works of Graphic Art
• Murals on Motorcycles
• Murals on Four Wheels
• The very best

In the first chapter JoAnn outlines 5 simple rules to guide you in the custom design process. These rules are not only about the paint but what lies below the paint. After this she goes on to explain how you can select the right paint and painter for your vehicle. She explains the different kind of paints that are available and how they can accentuate the vehicle’s character in different ways. After this she covers the selection of the color and how colors complement each other with the use of a color wheel. The remaining chapters all give many examples of ideas that may help you decide on that jaw-dropping paintwork.

If you are thinking about painting you car and want to create a vehicle that will really stand out from the crowd then this book is a must.

About the Author

JoAnn Bortles is a nationally recognized and award winning custom painter. Her work has been featured in dozens of magazines and she has written four books on custom painting techniques for Motorbooks, including the best selling How to Master Airbrush Painting Techniques. She lives and works in Waxshaw, North Carolina, running her own custom painting shop, Crazy Horse Painting.