Automotive Spray Painter / Body Surfacer - Classic Vehicle Restoration
Finch Restorations was established in 1965 and is Australia's longest-established specialist vehicle restoration business.
We undertake comprehensive restorations of vehicles spanning more than a century of motoring, from rare European marques and Australian classics to vintage trucks and other significant vehicles.
Our new flagship workshop in Hindmarsh, housed within a c1940 historic industrial building just minutes from the Adelaide CBD, is becoming the centre of our expanding restoration operations. We are now strengthening our Body & Paint capability and are seeking an experienced tradesperson who takes pride in achieving high-quality surface preparation and refinishing outcomes.
Why Join Finch?
- Restoration-level work: Work on rare classic cars, vintage trucks and other significant vehicles rather than high-volume crash repair.
- Quality over production speed: Our work allows considerably more time and care for preparation, surfacing and refinishing than is normally practical in a production repair environment.
- Craft-driven environment: Work alongside experienced coachbuilders, panel beaters, painters, mechanics and other specialist restoration trades.
- Varied projects: Every vehicle presents different materials, contours, construction methods and finishing requirements.
- Central Hindmarsh facility: Work from our expanding flagship workshop approximately five minutes from the Adelaide CBD.
- Balanced work patterns: A nine-day fortnight option is available.
- Long-term stability: Join an established South Australian restoration business with a diverse project pipeline.
About the Role
This is a hands-on workshop role covering automotive body preparation, surfacing and refinishing. The precise balance of duties can be tailored to the successful applicant's skills and experience.
Our immediate priority is to find someone with strong capability in body surfacing and preparation. However, an experienced Automotive Spray Painter with excellent preparation and refinishing skills would also be very welcome.
Typical duties may include:
- Assessing body surfaces and identifying contour, alignment and preparation requirements.
- Surfacing and blocking vehicle bodies to achieve accurate contours and transitions.
- Applying and shaping appropriate surfacing materials and high-build primers.
- Undertaking repeated guide coating, blocking and inspection processes.
- Identifying highs, lows, ripples and other surface imperfections.
- Working with panel beaters and coachbuilders where further metal correction is required.
- Assisting with panel alignment, gap-setting and final fitment where appropriate.
- Preparing restored panels and complete vehicle bodies for premium refinishing.
- Masking, priming, sealing and undertaking final paint preparation.
- Mixing and matching colours where appropriately skilled and experienced.
- Applying basecoat, solid colour and clearcoat paint systems.
- Wet sanding, polishing and final finishing of painted surfaces.
- Inspecting completed work and maintaining a consistently high standard of finish.
- Maintaining photographic and written records of work undertaken.
- Contributing to project planning, progress reporting and quality control.
- Maintaining equipment and a clean, orderly and professional work area.
A highly capable Body Surfacer who does little or no final spray painting may be just as interesting to us as an experienced Spray Painter with strong preparation and surfacing skills.
About You
We are interested in hearing from applicants who can demonstrate:
- Substantial practical experience in automotive spray painting, body preparation, surfacing, refinishing or a closely related trade.
- Strong attention to detail and pride in the quality of finished work.
- An excellent eye and feel for contour, symmetry and surface quality.
- Experience with automotive primers, fillers, sealers and paint systems.
- The patience required to achieve restoration-quality results rather than production repair outcomes.
- The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with other specialist trades.
- Experience working on classic, vintage, prestige or high-value vehicles is highly regarded but is not essential.
- A Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology, Automotive Body Repair Technology, an equivalent relevant qualification, or substantial proven industry experience.
- Australian work rights.
Skills of Particular Interest
We would especially like to hear from tradespeople who have developed strong skills in one or more of the following areas:
- Long-board surfacing and blocking.
- Restoration body preparation.
- Show-quality or prestige automotive refinishing.
- Complex panel contours and transitions.
- High-level panel fit and gap consistency.
- Colour matching and blending.
- Premium paint application and finishing.
- Traditional metal finishing or lead loading.
You do not need to possess every one of these skills. We are particularly interested in finding people who are exceptionally good at what they do and who value craftsmanship over production volume.
To Apply
Please email your resume to
We encourage applicants to include photographs or links showing examples of previous spray painting, preparation, body surfacing or restoration work. A short note explaining the areas in which you have the strongest experience would also be helpful.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted confidentially.
