Best Paint?

[Ooooner]

I am going to be painting my GT within the next 5 months and was just curious as to which type paints are better? Which would you use, Enamel or a Clear Coat type paint? Or maybe something else? What was the original used, Enamel? I have seen a lot of clear coats peeling off.
Also, what "brand" do you think is a good choice to use? I have heard Sikkens was a good paint but expensive.
Thanks for any advice!

[ungermm]

Roy, I used Kirker acylic enamel base coat with hardener and then an clear coat over with a wet look hardener. The acylic enamels are easy to use, forgiving, and are less expensive. You end up with a really good job if your prep work is good. It's all about the prep work and lots of it. Choosing the color may be the hardest part besides all the sanding.

You might want to check out this site for online paint. http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/
I painted my GT with their stuff. They will send you a catalog and a set of paint chips for free. If you haven't much experience painting, you may want to stay away from the metalic paints. Solid colors can be sanded for a mirror shine.

And for questions about auto paint check out
http://members.tripod.com/~bobstory/faq.html

Good Luck, Jerry

[Ooooner]

Jerry,
Thanks for all the information! I will check out the sites you posted. I am taking body shop classes at a local community college so I can learn to refinish my GT. I am taking the body class now and will take the painting class this coming Spring. The painting department has four brand new down draft paint booths!
Again, thanks for the information...

[Excelsior]

you could also try here....

http://alsacorp.com/company/news-sema-2005-vehicles.htm

[opelspyder]

Roy,
As far as paint brands, you need to stick to same brand (compatible) coats, such as Primer and Paint. If your using PPG paints, expect to pay $200.00 a gallon for the primer. They have several different codes of primers such as DP and K primers. DP primers have always been a body mans favorite because they really seal up everything for the color coat. Laquer primers tend to stretch after fully curing and can cause weird paint blemishes and such. I use a K36 primer from PPG, but honestly like the old laquer primers. I also use a primer filler which is like spraying a thin film of plastic filler over the panels, then sanding to get a perfectly flat smooth surface. These primers require a paint gun with a pretty large tip (2.5, 3.0, ect) As far as paint goes, I have used a cheaper brand of acrylic enamel single stage paint (no clearcoat needed) and had superb jobs done---example the yellow GT Spyder. Everyone thought that car was clear coated. The base coat clear is easier than most think, its 3 coats base and 3 clear; which if your doing a single stage, you'll have six coats also, so it is not more painting either way. Both need to be wet sanded and buffed to eliminate orange peel, but seems like single stage requires a little more elbow work. Either paint you use, the key is the body work, and the finish work, don't let them tell you that painting the car is the hardest part (those painters take all the glory) Call if you have any questions other than those. Also remeber, I may tell you how to do something, and another painter may tell you a different way; neither are wrong; usually both are right; you have to adapt to a way you want to do it. So always listen to peoples theorys, and common sense will tell you which ones to follow
Keith

[opelspyder]

Also on Sikkens paint, it is good paint, but our shop has had nothing but problems with their paint. usually is the speed of the hardner for the weather. They don't have that many choices. It took twice as long to dry than normal, seems like certain colors have to have the base (primer) sanded down to different levels of grit. I would pay the money to have PPG, if your painting yourself, whats 600.00 for paint, when you are saving 5,000-10,000 for someone else to paint the car?
Keith

[greensmurf20]

we use PPG at the shop i work at, as keith stated, very expensive primers and sealers. the whites and some of the other lighter colors seem to pinch up as the clearcoat dries. if using ppg, you only have to sand the sealer with 400grit paper or a "superfine" sanding pad made by 3M is very great for sanding in curves and sharp lines where you'd surely go through using conventional paper. be sure to use etching primer over any bare metal spots no matter what brand you are using. ppg is what we've used since i started, but the painters at the shop all give high praise to a german brand of paint called "spies hecker". the clear coat isnt supposed to run as easy as PPG, and the metalic colors lay out more consistently from what i've heard, but i personally have never used it or seen it used, just cars painted with it, which look equally as great as ppg.

[Ooooner]

Keith,
Thanks for the information! I may give you a call in January, when I am getting ready to paint the car. In the mean time, I am working on removing the dings and two small dents in the car. I have already removed the rear trim piece and have worked out the small dings and one "bigger" dent. So things are coming along good right now. As I go over the GT, I am finding more and more dings. I guess I am being anal about it. But at least there is no rust!
That's about what I figured about the Sikkens paint. A few people had told me is was great stuff but expensive. At the same time, PPG seems to get good reviews from people, too. Like you said, it's all in the prep work.
I'm still waiting on my bumpers, etc. to come back from Nu-Chrome. It's been about 20 weeks!

[GTJIM]

Originally Posted by greensmurf20 ... the painters at the shop all give high praise to a german brand of paint called "spies hecker". the clear coat isnt supposed to run as easy as PPG, and the metalic colors lay out more consistently from what i've heard, but i personally have never used it or seen it used, just cars painted with it, which look equally as great as ppg.

This is the paint system used on my Green GT - one of the best paint finishes I have ever seen "straight-off-the-gun" without a clear-coat or buffing it is near perfect. Their metallics are by far the best I have seen - and are reproducible due to their computerised mixing system which records the make up of each colour by weight of components in the mix.

http://www.smitsgroup.co.nz/spies-he...excellence.cfm

[markandson]

Although I am not a painter, from what I know the best paints are 2 part polyurethane, with a clear coat on top. They seem to be tough, chip resistant, and have a great finish. The shop that I use for my bodywork uses it exclusively, but I do not know what the brand is. I will be using House of Color paints to finish my GT when I finally get to that point.

[Ooooner]

It seems there are so many ways to refinish a car it's almost hard to try and figure out. But as Keith said, probably the best thing one can do when refinishing a car is to take your time and do the "prep" work. Like anything else, you need a good "foundation" for the paint to sit on.

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by greensmurf20 we use PPG at the shop i work at, as keith stated, very expensive primers and sealers. the whites and some of the other lighter colors seem to pinch up as the clearcoat dries. if using ppg, you only have to sand the sealer with 400grit paper or a "superfine" sanding pad made by 3M is very great for sanding in curves and sharp lines where you'd surely go through using conventional paper. be sure to use etching primer over any bare metal spots no matter what brand you are using. ppg is what we've used since i started, but the painters at the shop all give high praise to a german brand of paint called "spies hecker". the clear coat isnt supposed to run as easy as PPG, and the metalic colors lay out more consistently from what i've heard, but i personally have never used it or seen it used, just cars painted with it, which look equally as great as ppg.

@ Green Smurf, welcome back from hibernation

[baz]

hi jared welcome back this mean you a'nt pushing subs now and are doing what you do second best

[bq97]

Roy,

You've seen my car, it didn't turn out too bad for a home sprayed paint job.

I painted my car with PPG Omni AU base coat and PPG Deltron clear coat. I sanded the factory paint to the primer then used a light coat of PPG urethane primer, blocked the primer, followed by the base/clear coats.



Brian

[GTJIM]

Jared and I have been 'PM'-ing ... there is a line of bow-legged Posties between here and Gobles, MI carrying a 1.1L engine and gearbox all in parts!
Most of it here now - just the block (55 lbs!) and misc. engine items still travelling - or hidden under a hedge, by tired Posties - somewhere in the "Economy" (Surface) Postage system. Only takes 10 to 13 WEEKS for stuff to make the journey.

Great work, Jared - Thank you!

BTW: Is it ppg paint or pGp paint? (Pretty Good Paint!)

[RabidPanda]

I would love to paint a car with this

http://alsacorp.com/products/xposure...t_prodinfo.htm

That would be too cool where I live. Hot as heck in the day and cool at night.

[hrcollinsjr]

Roy, you might want to find out what the instructor prefers. Best paint or not if you aren't familiar with it, it sometimes makes it difficult to produce the desired results. Keith says the PPG is more forgiving, Sikkens is supposed to be good and you always see "House of Colors" on some really neat show cars. As for suggestions from your instructor. You're a teacher you know what brands of equipment you prefer for various reasons.

JM2CW,

Harold

[manta73wi]

THis is great info as I prepare to learn painting for my Opels. Any recommendations for quality yet reasonbly priced air compressor (brand, cfm, tank size etc.) and spray gun? Are the Craftsman upright compressors a good choice? THANKS for sharing your expertise!

PS... Welcome back Jared!! Hope life is good!
-Jeff W.
'75 Manta
'74 Manta Rallye project
'73 Manta

[opelspyder]

When it comes to compressors, the bigger capacity the better. Meaning the less times it has to pump up and it has a big tank the better. Not to say I haven't painted a car with a 35 gallon craftsman and did not have any problems; but to run some real tools and equipment, go big. You also have the option of purchasing an airless setup, which is basically a turbine that blows dry air, the only drawback is it gets the air pretty hot, which can cause the paint to spray dry.
Keith

[Ooooner]

Thanks everybody! I will listen to the instructor in my painting class simply because he knows something about painting a car and I don't! I will take everybody's input here along with the instructors and come up with a plan. I do know that I can use whatever paint I want to so I am in the "education" mode to figure out which paint to use.

[soybean]

And don't foget to get an Air Dryer to use inline before the paint gun to get the moisture out. Napa sells them as well as the replacement cartridges. Get two cartridges. 1 to use while the other dries.HTH, Jarrell

[Ooooner]

Since the school has four brand spankin' new down draft paint booths, I suspect they have water separators on them! I have water separators on my spray equipment for my cabinet business, too. You can really screw up a finish if moisture gets in the finish! Good point Jarrell....

[Excelsior]

Its not the paint, its the preparation!

[baz]

roy first thing i did when i was learning to spray cars was clean out the booth with a vac , impressed the heck out of the instructor
also cleaned out after i finnished , brownie points all round but i still clean every time i spray at home its the main source of bad finishes (after my painting of course )

[Ooooner]

I agree Excelsior. Preparation is the biggest key, as far as I am concerned. I am not a car painting expert by any means but that just seems like common sense to me. I think that sometimes people don't have the patience to take the time to do a great "prep" job before painting.
Baz, Hummmm.... cleaning the paint booth. I think I will try that and see if it gets me any Brownie Points. Hee Hee Hee..... But that does make sense, too. Keep the dirt out!