Project MKIV Supra: Part 17– Back in Blue with TwinZ Design
The Supra is out of the paint shop, and ready for action
I know it’s been a while since our last report, but quite honestly I’ve been busy starting up a new business venture, while also trying to enjoy this Supra with its fresh coat of blue paint before the weather got too cold. With 60F for a high less than two weeks ago, I had the car out a couple of times. Even in 60F, I have to be careful since we still haven’t gotten around to getting the traction control set up, and we especially have to be careful on anything other than concrete. Asphalt is downright scary at any double-digit speeds. Today is New Year’s Day, and it was -6F when we returned from our festivities, so, “yeah right—no thanks!” I have disconnected the battery, and the Supra is now parked for the KC winter.
Today, it’s a great feeling to be able to look at the Supra and not see any real flaws in the bodywork. I don’t think I’ll have that “Gee, I hope nobody notices that” feeling at the next car meet. After its paint job and vast detail work from Irwin at Blue Devil Paint Works, the car looks practically new. What we’ve done on the inside, you may want to check out in Part 11, Part 12, and Part 13.
Having been a while since our last update, this picture should remind us a little bit of this car’s history, which includes original white paint. I know for many that white is the “new black,” but for me it was never so (well, maybe on a 911 Turbo or Ferrari). While I also enjoy looking at well-kept Supras painted in red, it’s always been BMW’s “Estoril Blau” blue that has always caught my attention. I’ve owned two E36 M3s in this color as well. For this respray, I went back to my original hood and bumper cover, along with TwinZ Design’s lower body kit.
When Irwin had pulled some of the weather stripping off, he’d discovered that the guys who painted my car last (in 2004) hadn’t gone down deep enough in the crevices. Notice the residual white paint still on there.
In order to get well inside the creases, Irwin uses a stiff back masking tape. This ensures that he gets the blue deep behind the weather stripping, but also off of anything he doesn’t want painted…