KEEPING
DELTAS
DRIVING
Lancia Delta Integrale specialists and enthusiasts
More pictures of the painting process are shown below, click on any image will take you to
the complete paint process in a larger view, scroll through to see full project.
The internet led me to Makela AutoTuning, they are in Finland. The standard of their work is top class, and I was very impressed with this Integrale Martini replica paint job, so I'll share it here.
My hobby is Deltas, my work is signs, so I was happily surprised to see these 2 cars having the livery painted on, when so much modern work is cut and printed vinyl graphics. The original factory cars would have been painted, it's a more durable technique, and Lancia wouldn't be worried about removing the livery to sell the car later.
In the first photo, the worker is laying out the curves, this isn't too hard to do in a bright, warm workshop, using good flexible tape. It's tricky getting the curves even, but you can do the taping, then have a look and do it again until it looks right. The problem is doing it the same on the other side! This is made even worse by having 2 cars to do, you can't see both sides of a single vehicle livery at the same time, but you can see 2 together. The young man doing the taping here is obviously very skilled, and experienced at his work, compound curves like he's doing are very difficult to replicate.
However, visit Makela's website and you'll see their paintwork graphics are fantastic, so they are experienced in this kind of project.
Click on this link to visit MAT
A fantastic paint job
The car has already been repainted white, the stripe area is now masked off ready for paint.
Base dark blue on first
Careful measurements needed here before masking for next colour
Centre area masking removed for red application
Next colour, light blue now applied
Red basecoat being applied
All stripe area demasked and being clearcoated, the white areas still masked up
The full beauty of the stripes revealed, 3 layers of
basecoat matt colour brought together perfectly
with a clear gloss lacquer coat
Car now demasked, ready for decals and build-up
At the vinyl printer, the decals look like prints onto clear, rather than cut out vinyl lettering of the original car
Here's the finished car, a perfect replica of the 1990 Group A Delta 16v, driven by Miki Biasion in the 1990 Monte Carlo rally, I'm not sure, but I think it is the actual car Biasion drove in the Monte, either way it's a good 'un.
We've seen some cars with the printed Martini decals from Italy fitted, they're good, but not this good. Painting the stripes on is a real commitment, there's no changing your mind once that's done! The painted stripes seem to become part of the car, stickers are only ever just a sticker.
One can only admire such a great job, a highly skilled operation at MAT, and an inspired project by an enthusiastic owner.
