One step forward ... two steps back

[gfigms]

Body, bed, grill shell and sanded and primed ... well sorta. I started out with the idea of using bc\cc. The body was sanded and primered with lacquer high build and then sanded down with 400 to get glass smooth, ready for paint. Then I changed my mind and instead of bc\cc I decided to go with single stage urethane. I checked and rechecked every source I could think of about being able to shoot urethane over lacquer primer ... some said yes if I shoot a sealer over it first, others said absolutely no.

I called a friend of mine that paints airplanes (real ones, not toys)and all he said is "do you want to take the chance?" ... he said lacquer 'never' fully cures and with the car sitting in a hot sun, all bets are off. He said you got a 70% chance it will be OK, but then there is the other 30%.

Lacquer primer is coming off. Got the bed, grill and door done in about 3 hours and the body will get done tomorrow. Total set back about 8 hours, but peace of mind.

 

[EX JUNK]

You made a wise move, lacquer is a thing of the past. It is not compatible with the modern urethane finishes. For the best "long lasting" results, I am a firm believer in using the same name brand product from primer to sealer to finish for the best results.

Jim

 

[GizmoJoe]

Agreed. Match the materials.

Don't think of it as a setback. Think of all the block sanding you've been doing. That thing should be smooooooth.

 

[TubT]

Agreed. Match the materials.

Don't think of it as a setback. Think of all the block sanding you've been doing. That thing should be smooooooth.

Lacquer is great for expensive custom electric guitars. Other than that, the modern paints are immensely better.

The only advantage to lacquer, anyway, was that you could put it on with anything, even a Windex sprayer (if it didn't melt it!) and buff it out to a great finish.

Of course, it would start cracking the month after you did it.

 

[409T]

I agree with everything above, but I'm curious, why did you decide not to base coat / clear coat?

Jeff

 

[gfigms]

I had my sights\heart set on Candy Apple Green ... then after talking to several people and seeing some of these jobs up 'real close', I was faced with the fact that I am going to get rock chips, etc. and touching up a candy paint job is not easy if at all possible. This is my first paint job outside of patio furniture, so maybe Candy Apple was a bit too aggressive. I looked around and asked around for something more in line with my talent and objectives and settled on single stage urethane medium metallic green. I have visited a local custom paint shop a couple of times and picked his brain as to what I wanted to do and how to do it and feel I have made a better decision the second time around.

The guys at English Color have also been great and very helpful with this project and they even feel I am on the right track ... that is getting away from the lacquer and going with urethane.

This is a street car, not a show car. I wanted it to look good within the 50' radius. Chips, flakes, scratches are a fact of life with a street machine and Candy paint is not very forgiving unless you are outside that 50' radius ... my opinion, but heck, I've never done this ... yet.

 

[putz]

Just think the good side to all that sanding you burned enough calories to have a few drinks. If you go to a pub say Putz is buying the first one see what they say.