Hot Rods Early 50s style paint help.

I decided to chop my Coupe 3". The chop went well and I've decided to do the body work and paint. I want to keep it looking like a early 50s hot rod. I am trying to figure out something that looks like it was painted in the 50s. I'm not looking for patina with wear in the paint. I want a car that looks like a nicely finished car in the 50s, not a show car look, just a nice car that someone would have built in their garage.
Single stage enamel may be the closest to what I'm looking for but may be too "modern" looking.
Hot Rod Flatz seems to be too flat.
Base-clear may be an option too, just don't buff it out super shiny.
Rustoleum almost has the look, but I don't know if I want Rustoleum paint on my car.
I'll be painting the car in my garage. I'm thinking a dark red.

I'm looking for input and ideas on how to achieve what I envision. Thanks.

After chop pic.
Before chop.

 

Chop looks good! I am a fan of single stage urethane. Durable and pretty forgiving to spray at home. Has depth but without the modern base clear over glossed look to it.

 

Oh, and current mess



Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I used single stag acylic enamel I think? Have guys think it’s the original paint cleaned up constantly

 

I've used Hot Rod Flatz in the past...Spray it, let it cure for a few days and buff it. Looks like a well taken care of paint job....

 

Single stage urethane is what you want in modern paints. If you spray it a little dry it gets some orange peel to it. It will shine but not have a wet look.

 

I believe Hot Rod Flatz is Omni single stage with a flattener.

 

Yep, another vote for single stage urethane. Goes on easy enough and easy to repair later considering that is what most of the newer paints are.

 

Probably one of the best looking, convincing paint jobs I've seen on a model A, was done with red oxide primer, and then buffed. It looked amazing.

 

Lloyd beat me to it.
And he should know. Something tells me he does some painting.
I was going to say...
You'd be surprised how really pretty cool wet sanded, buffed and waxed primer can look. Shiny, but not too shiny.

 

I think one aspect of an old paint job, is the idea that it's been rubbed on so much over the years.
No orange peel.
Smoooooth... and shiny.

 

This car is single stage with a flattner and then wet sanded and buffed.

 

Make it shine, way too many flat painted cars around.

 

How about what they actually used...lacquer.

 

@flatheadpete , this is almost exactly what I envisioned. Do you have info on manufacturer and paint code?

 

Lloyd, I really liked the look of my car before before the chop, it's Epoxy primer in red oxide color from Southern Polyurethane Industries. I actually thought about respraying the car with the same primer.

 

Yeah that color is fitting to me, looks like it came that way.

 

WE USED DULUX IN THE 50’s . Solid color paint jobs were $49.95 and two tone were $65.00

 

I'm pretty sure this acrylic enamel. Shiny, but not modern shiny. Know what I mean?!

 

@Aaron D.
Are you somehow related to this guy? Was your grandfather Aaron B?
I may be confused.

 

I'm with K13. Use lacquer paint and rub-a-dub dud it. I'm still having problems with anyone who paints their rod wanting it look like they didn't do a very good job and let it fade out on 'em. I can see this being done for a movie, and actually have been part of doing that for several cars. But, where has the pride of ownership with a nice paint job gone? Are we such wimps that we're actually ashamed of having something that looks righteous? I mean when these cars we all worship were being built back when we think it was all gushy, the cats who built them would have spit in anyone's eye at the very mention of making it look like something the dog drug up and the cat wouldn't have. Then again, I have to agree with those who run this show that Tar Rods (read the first word backwards) are never to be seen on here, and for damn good reason. The mentality there is like those weirdos in the old Superman Comics who lived in Bizzaro World --- if you're hip to that. Those poor souls loved everything negative and ass-backward. Poor old Superman ended up there because he was jinxed. Maybe these paint jobs should be called jinx jobs to set them apart from the fine thinking old timers, like myself, who want the same look as it was in the day: Smooth, bright and shiny. Or, do I belabor my point? You decide.

 

mine was somewhere between an orange and bed liner lol. Waited over a year, probably two, to sand and buff it. Still messing with it 7 years later after the fact.

@Austin kays can attest to it being rubbed smooth and threw lol

 

Dupont's Dulucs was an alcaide enamel back in the 50s and 60s. Sherwin Williams has a modern alcaide enamel tractor paint that sprays out very nice. You can add hardener,sand and buff if you need to but I would use an industrial urethane enamel ,ppg or Diamond Vogal for $100 to 150 per gallon spray able.

 

@Moriarity , that is what I'm looking for. It's perfect.

 

I'm not really up on paint availability but isn't Lacquer hard to get these days? And don't you have to put on like 10 coats or something like that?
This is going to be the first "nice" paint job that I will be spraying in over 25 years. It's not going to be a spray booth $20 grand, mile deep gloss paint job. I have done everything on this car myself and the paint job isn't going to be anything different. I hope I can do a good enough job in my garage to match the time period of the car and look decent enough to be proud of. I'm trying hard to get the body work good and I've purchased new primer and top coat guns to increase my odds of being successful. Either way, I'm enjoying the whole process (except body work, I hate bodywork!) of building, and now finishing my car. I appreciate all the help and advise from you guys that know what your doing. If the weather cooperates tomorrow I'm going to spray some super build on my doors, dash cover and some small trim parts.

 

All of the time you spend, up to the point of spraying paint, is what makes the difference. Takes weeks and months, sometimes a year, to do all of that work. Then it only takes a couple of hours to put the paint on. A slick paint job won't hide shitty bodywork. Just don't rush

 

Do not know about the 50's, wasn't born till 55. But I know some of my cousins in the 60's had the local Earl Sciebe paint there cars in enamel for 59.95 or something like that. lol I painted my first car in 1970 in lacquer according to Hot Rod { hand rubbed my ASS! } after that enamel with a hardner became my best friend till base coat /clearcoat changed my life in mid 80's. Single stage urethane is my choice for solid colors but metallic's are base/clear. I would shoot it in either single stage urethane or enamel and will look period correct. Larry

 

Ya Lloyd I'm over 3 weeks of bodywork so far. I think I have it good enough to spray some super build and start block sanding.
Bad Merc, I actually thought (for about 2 seconds) about doing all the bodywork and prep, then take it to Macco for the $499 paint job.

 

Nah, you mixed all the ingredients, enjoy eating the cake brother. You earned the right to shoot that car