What's it like to own a suede car or truck?

[seanery]

Rods 57 thread got me thinking. RudeDude posted a picture of this truck. I really like the way the matte clear smooths the highlights and gives a great look. So it got me thinking.

What's it like to own and maintain a car or truck with a matte clear?

I've never used a matte on anything.

Is there a texture to it? Can you wax it? Do you even want or need to wax it? What are the upsides and downsides?

I really dig this blue...

thanks!!!
-sean

[S10Fan]

I have HotRod Flatz (black) on my 73 C-10 and love it. I use Lucas Quick Detailer and a microfiber cloth for cleanups. The paint has held up well for a truck that is parked outside 90% of the time.

I would imagine the satin clear could be cared for in the same fashion.

I'm planning to one day use HotRod Flatz Daytona Blue Pearl Metallic on my 50. A truck at GoodGuys Charlotte (2010) had that color, looked great!

[Scottshotrods]

We have some builds in the past and the present.Where we have used the Hotrod Flatz
product.Works great and very easy to maintain.

Justin

[mr48chev]

That paint looks like either it has a flattener in the clear coat or it wasn't clear coated. A hell for nice paint job that just isn't shiny.

I drove the 48 for years on end with tinted primer and while it didn't take much care I ended up redoing it every July just before the Vintiques NW nationals so it would be fresh for that event. Before that I scuffed down the primer and resprayed it several times a year to keep it fresh sometimes changing colors of primer.

The hot rod flatz has to be a lot easier to take care of though and If I took the left over pieces that I have and stuck them together to build a daily driver it would probably be lo care hot rod flatz but not black as I'm tired of that color on my own rigs having had the 48 black primer for at least 8 of the past 30 years.

[55 on bags]

What i used was base coat clear coat and just added flattner in the clear the color is a toyota color I forgot the paint code but the name is blue streak its a metalic that is a great pic my buddy shot that at alocal cruise in. The maintence is the same since it is still cleared and you could still wax it if u like

[55 on bags]

Here is a couple more pics

[robin58]

Originally Posted by 55 on bags

What i used was base coat clear coat and just added flattner in the clear the color is a toyota color I forgot the paint code but the name is blue streak its a metalic that is a great pic my buddy shot that at alocal cruise in. The maintence is the same since it is still cleared and you could still wax it if u like

I've got what is probably a really dumb question... but when painting a nice shiny paint job us amateurs who can't paint perfectly have the ability to buff some of our goofs out and make it all nice and shiny so at least the average person thinks we did a swell job.

With a matte finish like that I am guessing you don't have that option, so do you sand before applying the flattened clear? Or?

[55 on bags]

I sprayed that truck in a back yard shop not in a high dollar spray booth the only thing i did was let it flash before i sprayed the clear i just went over it with a tac cloth spraying the base is the easy part when it comes to spraying the clear i was kind worried that there would be alot of trash but i got lucky cause yes you cant buff it

[Red Foreman]

Your truck looks awesome!

[Kabwe]

55 on bags,

That is one nice truck you have there.

[Chevette]

I agree with Red and Kabwe. That is a cool truck, 55 on Bags. Well done. I saw a similar color on a pickup at the Goodguys in Puyallup Wa.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by 55 on bags

I sprayed that truck in a back yard shop not in a high dollar spray booth the only thing i did was let it flash before i sprayed the clear i just went over it with a tac cloth spraying the base is the easy part when it comes to spraying the clear i was kind worried that there would be alot of trash but i got lucky cause yes you cant buff it

Looks great!

[S10Fan]

Great looking truck 55!

[Kim57]

Every time I look at this thread I want to paint mine like that.
Kim

[mknittle]

I like it! the flat trend didn' catch on here so it is pretty cool

[robozride]

I have used base coat with flat clear on a few bikes On my present build i flattened it out even more so its closer to flat and not satin. Check out my build here on my 56 gmc.
it is very easy to care for, microfibre and glass cleaner. Only problem is water spots but they wipe off easy with the glass cleaner. As far as wax goes....its not needed and it will change the appearence. Just like with any clearcoat the more you polish and buff, the shinier it gets.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by robozride

I have used base coat with flat clear on a few bikes On my present build i flattened it out even more so its closer to flat and not satin. Check out my build here on my 56 gmc.
it is very easy to care for, microfibre and glass cleaner. Only problem is water spots but they wipe off easy with the glass cleaner. As far as wax goes....its not needed and it will change the appearence. Just like with any clearcoat the more you polish and buff, the shinier it gets.

We want more pics of the poster in the corner.

[oldcouple]

Rick on American Restoration said you can add corn meal to your paint to make it flat. I think he really meant corn starch. lol
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...p/t-67341.html

[MrDude_1]

Originally Posted by seanery

Rods 57 thread got me thinking. RudeDude posted a picture of this truck. I really like the way the matte clear smooths the highlights and gives a great look. So it got me thinking.

What's it like to own and maintain a car or truck with a matte clear?

I've never used a matte on anything.

Is there a texture to it? Can you wax it? Do you even want or need to wax it? What are the upsides and downsides?

I really dig this blue...

thanks!!!
-sean

I have had one motorcycle (a Ducati 749 Dark) that had "eggshell black" on it.

Yes, at a very low level (below what you can feel by touch) there is a texture. that is what gives it the matte look.
Yes you can wax it.. however any "buffing" or smoothing of the paint, be it from your pantleg on the bike, or intentional, will shine that area.
its a real pain to maintain on a driver, because washing off dirt and bugs can easily change the surface of the paint.. and that shows up easily.

[swizzlestick]

I'm also considering suede paint for my truck. Has anyone else seen shinny or off color spots from regular use as MrDude_1 stated?

[Atomsplitter]

My paint is John Deer "Blitz Black" from back in the day when it was enamel. Looks cool and it has bit of a sheen but at the same time it has a texture and most people run thier hands across on it to feel it. Gets alot of attention but it shows finger prints like anything else. Good thing is it doesn't have one chip in the paint after all these years!
I was told Valspar makes the paint for John Deer and the new water based "Blitz Black". The local Tractor Supply Store (TSC in Canada) sells the water based stuff for $29.99 and gallon and John Deer wants $80 for the exact same stuff in a different can!