lacquer primer and base coat?
 

I believe my old truck has lacquer primer on it. It was sanded and primed a long time ago. Can it now be painted over with base coat/clear coat without problems?

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

Short answer: Absolutely not.

Longer answer: The solvents in urethane bc/cc are far more aggressive and will "craze" when you apply them. Sand off the lacquer and start over with epoxy primer/urethane primer/bc/cc and you'll be trouble free.

To find out out if it's lacquer primer, take some lacquer thinner and wipe it... it will lift the primer onto the wiping rag if it's lacquer primer.

Note that applying Featherfill over any primer is only for hacks and should be avoided at all costs.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

At a minimum, I would suggest to scuff and seal with an epoxy sealer to prevent any problems.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

This is poor advice for two reasons:
1) Epoxy Primer is a corrosion resistant coating designed to be only applied to bare steel.
2) The solvents in epoxy primer will attack the lacquer primer causing a paint failure.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

My friend and painter (45 years painting, painted my truck and others for me) I work part time for said: do a quick wet sand with 500. Use a thinned epoxy primer like PPG DP50 as a non sanding sealer. After spraying wait 20 minutes and apply color.

A side note for the previous post. Painter still uses lacquer primer for spot priming to this day.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

We used epoxy primer as a sealer everyday at my uncle's shop. It's not just for bare steel . Ppg dplf lists duracryl as an acceptable substrate but you need to follow a few steps . We were a PPG shop had our own mixing station and never bought mix from a jobber.

Now that being said I wouldn't paint over lacquer primer of unknown origin.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

I just want to add with the unknown of the primer it could very well have rust tracks underneath the primer. I have seen things primed with the laq. primer that rusted under it.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

I bought some lacquer thinner and give it a little wipe. It is lacquer primer put on over 25 years ago and the truck has been kept inside our home shop all these years. I think it is PPG brand but cannot verify. I have begun working on the body again and now need primer. Dad and I did body and paint over 40 years ago, so I am experienced spraying enamel and lacquer. Refinishing products are way different now days. And way more expensive!

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

Yeah Boog, I bought some clear and hardner and a half pint of tri coat pearl[two stages] and it was like 280 for my sisters mirror cover on her 19 Denali. I'm talking half pints too. Yikes! Jim

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

Also being inside changes most of what was said up above. If I had two I would spray some reduced epoxy primer MP282[ Omni is made by PPG but a bunch cheaper] I have sprayed hundreds of gallons of that stuff and love it. If you put some MR 186 [that medium reducer] that changes the primer to a nonsandable sealer then after that you could spray your base coat then clear. Spraying bc/cc is easy as spraying a primer you can do it!!!

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

Yeah, with the costs of painting supplies now days, I don't want to have to do it over. I'll paint a fender or something as a test when that time comes.
I need to paint the body side moldings on our 09 Yukon right now but have been putting it off and the wife's reminders are getting meaner every time. Gotta get those done too. Thanks.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

I would still be afraid to paint over a porous primer that has been on for 25 years. Even inside it’s subject to moisture.

Re: lacquer primer and base coat?
 

What moisture in Arkansas? NAH bro you got it all wrong. LOL