what paint to use

[roger55]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

also: before oem started using bc/cc vehicles looked dingy after 7 years, paint degraded as it left the factory
now you see rusted out hulks that have perfect bc/cc in the good areas

I agree but I don't think any of the American cars used acrylic urethane then. Some were acrylic enamel and some were still acrylic lacquer. I think GM still used acrylic lacquer well into the '80s. In the mid 80's they were starting to use some kind of water based single-staged paints but not acrylic urethane. In the 80s and 90s the American car makers were experimenting a lot with paints to deal with new regulations. Some of those didn't work out too well. With some of the early bc/cc cars, the clear would peel off after not too many year of being in the sun. We've all seen a bunch of cars from that era do that.

IMO, today, a quality acrylic urethane single-stage will last as well as an equal quality base/clear in urethane.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by NeverDone50

I'm not sure where you get your info or which custom painters you know, but I gotta disagree. Single stage urethane doesn't have the same UV protection that a clear coat does. Yeah, if you wax it and maintain the single-stage paint properly, it will last a long time. No offense, but single stage is just lazy. I'm not just a collision painter, I do custom work as well (and know many other custom painters) and no one I know would ever choose single stage over two-stage clear. Single stage cannot be wet sanded/polished as well or as much as a clear coat. Final product will always be superior with a clear coat, hands down.

I know several pro painters that would disagree. All of the custom painters I know would use single-stage for black or white. But that's fine, no offense. Were all here to give the OP our opinions which we are doing.

I painted my '83 El Camino SS in PPG Deltron single-stage (black) 16 years ago. It's an acrylic urethane. Except for normal dings and stuff from a bunch of use, the car looks like it was just painted. If I were to have used a metallic like I did with my '55, I would have gone with bc/cc. Personally, I would use SS for any solid color and it doesn't have anything to do with laziness. I don't consider bc/cc harder than ss either.

I strongly disagree with your last 2 statements. They are just not true. Solid color single-stages can definitely sanded and buffed as well as clear. I don't know what kind of SS paint you've used to have experience or how you are buffing them that led you to those statements. I've painted 3 cars with PPG SS acrylic urethane. One black, one white and one yellow. Color sanded and buffed all 3 of them. Everyone assumed they were bc/cc.

[67swb72klb]

Originally Posted by roger55

I know several pro painters that would disagree. All of the custom painters I know would use single-stage for black or white. .

X2 and Single stage black is the blackest black imo

[roger55]

My '69 Corvette. PPG Global Direct Gloss single-stage in Daytona Yellow. Painted in my garage in 2006:


My '76 El Camino SS. PPG Deltron single-stage in pure white. Painted in my garage in 1992:


My '83 El Camino SS. PPG Deltron single-stage in black. Painted in my garage in 1998:

[Jbm1956]

Wow that looks really nice. Ok there were some comments on if your going to blow the truck apart and paint it like that then go with a better paint. How do you know what a better paint is compared to the summit paint or tcp global paint. I know the major brands like ppg and dupont but what is so wrong with the less expensive paint. Like the acrylic urethane from summot or a local auto part shop

[PROB]

Have you checked out the NASON line of paint. I've used it a bunch, it's made by DuPont, and it's a good quality paint, lays down nice, and it's a lot cheaper than DuPont. The only problem I've ran into is if I'm trying to paint match with it, its hard to match, the DuPont is better for small paint match repairs, but your painting an entire truck!

[roger55]

Originally Posted by PROB

Have you checked out the NASON line of paint. I've used it a bunch, it's made by DuPont, and it's a good quality paint, lays down nice, and it's a lot cheaper than DuPont. The only problem I've ran into is if I'm trying to paint match with it, its hard to match, the DuPont is better for small paint match repairs, but your painting an entire truck!

I haven't used Nason but I have talked to several that have. They say it's thinner and doesn't save much money over the top-line Dupont because you have to buy more of it.

I have used both PPG Shopline and PPG Omni in acrylic urethane. Just like Dupont's Nason, they are PPG's cheaper lower-line paints. I don't like either as well as the top of line like the Deltron or Global. They are definitely thinner. The Omni acrylic urethane I used was a dark green metallic. It did not hold up well in the sun at all.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Jbm1956

Wow that looks really nice. Ok there were some comments on if your going to blow the truck apart and paint it like that then go with a better paint. How do you know what a better paint is compared to the summit paint or tcp global paint. I know the major brands like ppg and dupont but what is so wrong with the less expensive paint. Like the acrylic urethane from summot or a local auto part shop

I think at this point it would be better to talk to your painter. Like Bob said, what is he comfortable with?

Btw, tell us more about the guy that's going to do your body work. Give us some details about his skills and the body shop he works in. Just want to make sure he's not some shade-tree guy.

Photos of your truck and details of the body work would be helpful too.

[Jbm1956]

Hes a younger kid that is a certified painter. Keep in mind its not going to be a show truck. I will take it to the local get together and hang out. I just want it to look nice and save some money thats all. The kid thats painting my truck used to paint for a dealership so he knows what hes doing. Ive been talking to him about the different paint and where to get it and he said buy what I want and if you dont like it. Ill just sand it all off and paint something different. Truck is ugly but its straight

[lowrodderchev]

she aint ugly she's real pretty she just needs you to doll her up a bit

[PROB]

I know I'm going to get some bad feedback on this, and it may not be true with every location, but I watched a guy shoot a 66 nova the other day in my buddies body shop, I asked who he was, I was told he is the painter at maaco, he laid it down perfectly smooth!! They said he should be good he paints 6-12 cars a day. He did no prep work what so ever, he walked in set his gun and went to spraying. Now I would never ever take anything to maaco to get painted, just saying this one painter was amazing. It may be worth a trip to your local maaco just to watch the painter.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by PROB

I know I'm going to get some bad feedback on this, and it may not be true with every location, but I watched a guy shoot a 66 nova the other day in my buddies body shop, I asked who he was, I was told he is the painter at maaco, he laid it down perfectly smooth!! They said he should be good he paints 6-12 cars a day. He did no prep work what so ever, he walked in set his gun and went to spraying. Now I would never ever take anything to maaco to get painted, just saying this one painter was amazing. It may be worth a trip to your local maaco just to watch the painter.

Back in the day, my buddy had his '67 Buick Gran Sport 4-speed convertible painted at Maaco. The job was awesome! I've also seen a Toyota where they painted over the mud. Great gun handling comes with practice, no matter where you get it; great prep work, not so much...

[lv2tri2]

I couldn't agree more. That truck is beautiful

[Jbm1956]

Thanks im hoping it looks much better pretty soon with some new paint. I just got it back off the jack stands yesterday after finishing up the lowered axle and stuff. And then I found a complete roller frame with camaro clip with an aluminum tank for $500 so I had to jump on it lol.... guess its time to start a build thread cuz im going to need a lot of help lol.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by roger55

I know several pro painters that would disagree. All of the custom painters I know would use single-stage for black or white. But that's fine, no offense. Were all here to give the OP our opinions which we are doing.

I painted my '83 El Camino SS in PPG Deltron single-stage (black) 16 years ago. It's an acrylic urethane. Except for normal dings and stuff from a bunch of use, the car looks like it was just painted. If I were to have used a metallic like I did with my '55, I would have gone with bc/cc. Personally, I would use SS for any solid color and it doesn't have anything to do with laziness. I don't consider bc/cc harder than ss either.

I strongly disagree with your last 2 statements. They are just not true. Solid color single-stages can definitely sanded and buffed as well as clear. I don't know what kind of SS paint you've used to have experience or how you are buffing them that led you to those statements. I've painted 3 cars with PPG SS acrylic urethane. One black, one white and one yellow. Color sanded and buffed all 3 of them. Everyone assumed they were bc/cc.

Agree with you Roger. Solid colors can be single stage or base coat / clear but with metallic's I would always choose a basecoat / clear system. You are correct in the custom car world it is very common when you see a black car it was single stage. By the way its not like a single stage paint can not be cleared also common (for more durability and depth). Spraying a single stage is not lazy at all. All the work is in the prep anyway shooting paint is the easy part. Your paint job is only as good as the surface anyway.

[dyno]

I struggled with paint choices for months myself and finally decided on PPG Essential DeFleet single stage urethane. The red I chose was the most expensive paint code due to the toners, about 330.00 per sprayable gallon. I piece painted the whole truck and am just finishing the color sanding. I am very happy with the results.

[roger55]

Wow, that laid down nice!

What gun did you use?

[Jbm1956]

Man that looks good. Im on a budget there isnt anyway im paying $330 a gallon lol. Looks excellent though

[IIGW]

Sherwin Williams has a great line that is cheap. And if you get all the numbers from the paint shop, go over to napa and they have the exact same paint rebadged under martin seynour paint. Same part numbers, same stuff, 25% cheaper.
Sherwin is nice paint, ive been using it for 20+ years. I’ve got plenty of examples but I can’t post them because they have my watermark on them, and I get my hand slapped for it.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by IIGW

Sherwin Williams has a great line that is cheap. And if you get all the numbers from the paint shop, go over to napa and they have the exact same paint rebadged under martin seynour paint. Same part numbers, same stuff, 25% cheaper.
Sherwin is nice paint, ive been using it for 20+ years. I’ve got plenty of examples but I can’t post them because they have my watermark on them, and I get my hand slapped for it.

Agreed on the Sherwin Williams. Good stuff at a comparatively reasonable price.

[Russell Ashley]

I like Sherwin Williams too. I've had good results with it and it seems to be easier for amateurs like me to use than other paints I've tried.

[dyno]

Originally Posted by roger55

Wow, that laid down nice!

What gun did you use?

I shot it with an Air Gunsa HTE, made by Iwata. I think it was only 130.00. The paint did lay down pretty nice for the most part. Still, I cut and buffed everything.