0:00 / 0:00
Exploring Car Paint: The Art and Journey with Randy Borchiding

Exploring Car Paint: The Art and Journey with Randy Borchiding

0:00
0:00

About this episode

Randy Borchiding from Painthouse shares his fascinating journey into the world of automotive paint, starting from childhood model building to becoming a successful paint engineer. He discusses the evolution of his craft, the importance of a clean painting environment, and the art of creating custom colors. The conversation also touches on the challenges of painting cars, the significance of temperature control, and his latest projects, including a unique 1968 Oldsmobile. Listeners will gain insights into the intricacies of car painting and the creativity involved in color mixing.

Filter:
|
Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Mazda Mx5

"Welcome to another in-wheel-time podcast. The 30-minutes version of the in-wheel-tune car. I guess we'll put that item away if you remember correctly. You didn't need it. I made a big mistake, didn't I? I can't let it down. I'm always reminded of these mistakes that I make, but whatever. Hello and good morning everybody and welcome to the in-wheel-time car talk. Shut up, shut up. In-wheel-time car talk. Talk show, it is Saturday, September 27th, 2025. Glad you could join us today and we welcome you. Coming up, Painthouse's Randy Bortjeding, talking about his journey to become a successful paint engineer and mixologist. And those are my words today. Yeah. I'm going to give him a minute. Sure. Jeff has this week's motor minute. I'll also give you my thoughts on driving the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata. All of that more coming up in this segment of the in-wheel-time car talk show. With Mike out of this world Mars, who if you're watching on video, you can see him over there on the right hand side of the screen. Is he frozen again? Yeah. Yeah, he is. And then over on the left hand side, live and in living color. There he is. Me and my pocket Jeff. And then they're at the bottom of the screen. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen. Our man of the hour, Randy Bortjeding. Painthouse. And good to see you, Randy. Thanks for joining us today. And I'm not going to get sidetracked today because the only reason that we had you back so soon is because"

The Mazda MX-5, or Miata, is a small sports car that’s really fun to drive. The RF version has a roof that can open and close, so you can enjoy the sunshine or keep it covered. People talk about it because it's known for being a great car for driving enthusiasts without costing too much.

Car

Mazda Miata

"...ve you my thoughts on driving the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata. All of that more coming up in this segment of th..."
Car

Mazda MX-5 Miata

"...my thoughts on driving the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata. All of that more coming up in this segment of the in-wheel-time car talk show."

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a small sports car that is fun to drive. The 2025 version is the latest model and is known for being light and easy to handle, making it great for driving enthusiasts.

Car

Buick Grand National

"...ctually did pretty good work. We took cars to the Grand National Roaster Show that were painted in a homemade pain..."

The Buick Grand National is a fast car from the 1980s that looks pretty simple but can really zoom. It has a special engine that makes it powerful, which surprised a lot of people back then. It's talked about because it’s a cool example of a car that doesn’t look flashy but can really perform well.

Term

overspray

"Well, I would say two reasons. Number one is you don't want all the over spray going everywhere. It's your neighbors probably aren't going to like it and it tends to land on things and not want to come off."

Overspray is when paint accidentally gets on things that you didn't want to paint. It can make a mess and annoy your neighbors if you're painting outside.

Term

metallic paint

"A lot of these finishes are very sensitive to that. Metallics and pearls. Any time you get something that lands in the paint, they tend to amplify themselves and you see them bigger than they actually are."

Metallic paint is a type of car paint that has tiny pieces of metal in it, making it shiny. If dust or bugs get in it while it's drying, they can show up more than they would in regular paint.

Term

urethane paint

"True. In the world of urethane paint, which is what I live in, it's a 50 degrees to however hot it is window, but you get under 55 or 50 degrees."

Urethane paint is a strong type of paint used on cars that lasts a long time. It needs to be applied at the right temperature to work well, or it won't dry properly.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...this silver that they've come out with this on the Corvette. But can you start there and let's customize it a little bit?"

The Corvette is a fast and stylish car made by Chevrolet. It's famous for being a sports car that many people love to drive.

Concept

SEMA

"...Did any of you take any of those to SEMA? The big model cars..."

SEMA is a big car show in Las Vegas where people show off customized cars and aftermarket parts. It's a place for car lovers to see the latest trends and innovations.

Car

1968 Road Runner

"...MTI up in college station has done a beautiful job on the 68 road runner. It's a I'm going to call it a hot pink..."

The 1968 Road Runner is a famous muscle car from Plymouth. It's known for being fast and affordable, making it popular among car enthusiasts.

Car

Dodge Road Runner

"...came up with a very loud color and put it on this road runner and hopefully it gets people's attention. We'll s..."

The Dodge Road Runner is a classic car from the muscle car era, known for being fast and powerful. It has a fun cartoon character as its logo, which makes it stand out. People talk about it because it represents a cool time in car history when speed and style were really important.

Part

bumpers

"...there's a few items that still need to go in the car, front rear bumpers, some lower trim panels..."

Bumpers are the parts at the front and back of a car that help protect it in case of a crash. They also make the car look nicer.

Car

Oldsmobile Convertible

"Yeah. Got it. Let's talk briefly here about what you got in the shop. Obviously that's a good looking oldsmobile behind you convertible. Sixty eight. What year is that? Sixty eight."

The 1968 Oldsmobile Convertible is a classic car that can be recognized by its open-top design. It's a symbol of American automotive culture from the late 1960s.

Term

LS3

"It's on a art Morrison chassis has a retro decorated LS three, but it looks like an oldsmobile engine."

The LS3 is a powerful engine made by General Motors. It's often used in sports cars and is liked by car fans for its speed and performance.

Concept

remanufactured kits

"So this car will have a much more traditional look and feel about it, but still drive like a modern hot rod. That's the best. Now when you do this, you don't you don't go outside an outside source to do like, you know, remanufactured door cards and stuff like that."

Remanufactured kits are parts that have been rebuilt or restored to work like new again. They're often used in older cars to replace worn-out pieces while keeping the car looking original.

Term

reproduction

"In this case, there are good, you know, repop or remanufactured kits out there, particularly in the GM and forward world, where you can get a very nice reproduction of the original and it's quality stuff."

Reproduction parts are new pieces made to look and work like the original parts of a car. They help keep older cars looking and functioning like they did when they were first made.

Brand

GM

"In this case, there are good, you know, repop or remanufactured kits out there, particularly in the GM and forward world, where you can get a very nice reproduction of the original and it's quality stuff."

GM stands for General Motors, a big company that makes many different car brands. They are known for their classic cars and parts that help restore them.

Brand

Ford

"In this case, there are good, you know, repop or remanufactured kits out there, particularly in the GM and forward world, where you can get a very nice reproduction of the original and it's quality stuff."

Ford is a well-known car company that makes many types of vehicles, including trucks and cars. They also provide parts for restoring older Ford cars.

Term

LS engine

"Well, I'm curious as to the look that you achieved the stock look under the hood with an LS engine."

An LS engine is a type of V8 engine made by General Motors. It's popular because it's powerful and reliable, making it a favorite for many car enthusiasts.

Term

crossover intake

"...it's got the original old mobile gold paint crossover intake. Yeah. It's got headers on it..."

A crossover intake is a part of the engine that helps air flow better into it, which can make the engine run more efficiently and produce more power.

Part

headers

"...it's got headers on it. And now we're the those those valve covers. They look like the old Corvette valve covers..."

Headers are special pipes that help the exhaust gases leave the engine faster, which can make the car perform better and be more powerful.

Part

valve covers

"...the old Corvette valve covers that I used to have. They're a little stout, aren't they?"

Valve covers are parts that cover the top of the engine to keep oil inside and dirt out. They can also make the engine look nicer.

Term

hot rod

"...it's a traditional hot rod valve cover that I don't know. It just look kind of cool..."

A hot rod is a car that has been changed to make it faster and look cooler, usually based on older cars. People often customize them a lot.

Term

NASCAR

"NASCAR is rumored to increase horsepower to 750 in the next gen cars in 2026. Check this out."

NASCAR is a big racing organization in the U.S. where cars race on oval tracks. It's known for its exciting races and unique cars.

Term

horsepower

"NASCAR is rumored to increase horsepower to 750 in the next gen cars in 2026. Check this out."

Horsepower tells you how powerful an engine is. The higher the horsepower, the faster and more powerful the car can be.

Term

next generation car

"NASCAR introduced the next generation car in 2022 season, and the horsepower changed comparatively to the Gen 6 vehicle instead of 550 horsepower and 750 horsepower, depending on the package and the track."

The next generation car is a new type of race car that NASCAR is using, which is designed to be faster and safer than the older models.

Term

Gen 6 vehicle

"...the horsepower changed comparatively to the Gen 6 vehicle instead of 550 horsepower and 750 horsepower, depending on the package and the track."

The Gen 6 vehicle is an older type of race car used in NASCAR before the new models were introduced. It was designed to be safer and faster than earlier cars.

Term

carburetor

"And the next gen cars size of the spacer, you mean underneath the carburetor?"

A carburetor is a part of an engine that helps mix fuel and air so the engine can run. Some older cars and racing cars still use them instead of newer fuel injection systems.

Concept

Daytona

"...I've actually been to Daytona."

Daytona is a well-known racetrack in Florida where many exciting car races happen, including the big Daytona 500 race. It's famous for fast cars and thrilling competitions.

Term

torque

"...181 horsepower, 151 pound feet of torque. But let me tell you this."

Torque tells you how much twisting force the engine can produce. It's important for how quickly a car can speed up, especially from a stop.

Term

power to weight ratio

"Power to weight ratio is awesome. What could use improvement?"

Power to weight ratio tells you how much power a car has compared to how heavy it is. If a car is lighter but has a strong engine, it usually goes faster and handles better.

Concept

road course racetrack

"...that can cut a rug around a road course racetrack. And if you want to go and have some real fun,"

A road course racetrack is a place where cars can race on a track with lots of turns and straight sections. It's different from an oval track and is used for testing handling and speed.

Car

Toyota GR86

"So here are the competitors. The Toyota GR86 starts at $30.400."

The Toyota GR86 is a small sports car that is fun to drive and has a rear-wheel-drive setup, which means the back wheels get the power from the engine.

Car

Subaru Brz

"The Subaru BRZ starts at $33.210."

The Subaru BRZ is a small sports car that is similar to the Toyota GR86, designed for people who enjoy driving and want a fun experience.

Car

Mazda 3

"... going to step up from that. It would be what the Mazda 3. To be a little bit larger."

The Mazda 3 is a small car that comes in two shapes: a sedan (which has a trunk) and a hatchback (which has a back that opens up for more space). It's popular because it looks good, drives well, and is good on gas. People like to talk about it because it's a smart choice for a daily driver.

8 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars