claypoolxx said:
I will be using a modern urethane paint (don't know which but a burgundy if that matters) and the car will only be occasionally driven and garaged. What do you guys think?
Jared
Hi Jared,
Noticed this was your first post to Autopia,
Welcome to Autopia! :welcome
Lots,
LOTS of really talented and experienced detailers hang out here and they are all willing to share their experience with others and that's real compliment to this forum and to them.
I'm not a painter so I practice never talking or posting over my head, I have painted a few cars but nothing lately. I have been watching a DVD I ordered from
Rich Evans from
Huntington Beach Bodyworks who was our Special Guest at Detail Fest this year and I'm planning on painting my next truck. My current 1975 Jimmy was rearended and is too bent to fix so I'm going to build a new/old truck to replace it.
That said, I'll give you my take on the single stage vs clear coat topic in the context of the single stage being a modern single stage, not an old school, lacquer or enamel.
Just some random comments...
When it comes to fixing problems, there are two factors that have the most affect or influence on what
--> you <-- can do...
- Top Coat Hardness (TCH)
- Paint Thickness or Film-build
Top Coat Hardness
Out of the two, paint thickness is the major factor and Top Coat Hardness a close second. You have to have enough paint on the car to remove a below surface defect and then once you establish that then as long as there's nothing quirky wrong with the paint, even if it's really hard, with a little patience you can do the necessary correction work and remove whatever the defects are.
Paint Thickness
Since you're in control of spraying the paint you can spend the money and take the time to spray or blow-on a few extra coats of paint, whichever you go with single stage or bc/cc.
Then when you sand and buff to remove the orange peel, since you're obviously in the loop, you can work smarter, not harder and use quality papers, compounds and pads to get the job done while leaving the most amount of paint on the car.
Looks
After the above, the next consideration is "looks", and that comes down to personal preference. A couple of quick choices will set your course, if you want a metallic or any kind of specialty paint like a color-shifting paint, then you pretty much need to go with a basecoat/clearcoat finish.
If you want flames or any kind of graphics, the best way to go is to spray them and then clear over them, so that again means basecoat/clearcoat system.
If you just want a solid color and you want the full richness of the color you choose, the go for the single stage finish. This part is just my opinion but I've read a lot of other people post the same opinion, that is spraying a layer of clear over a dark colored paint gives the paint a plasticy look. A single stage finish gives you a deeper, darker, richer looking finish. (In my opinion)
This is a truck I buffed out about 4 to 5 years ago and it won some awards and has been in a few magazines and one of the things that really gave it a "wow" factor when it came to the paint was the deep, wet look the paint had as it coated the curves of the body classic body style.
This 1956 F150 Ford Stepside Shorty has a black single stage urethane finish
Being a painter and now a member of Autopia, you'll surely have the knowledge and skills it takes to create a show car finish and tackle any problems that come your way down the road no matter which paint system you choose.
