Painting: Single Stage now, cover with base coat / clear coat later? I've done a reasonable amount of searching for the answer and info about this, but still I have a few questions unanswered. My questions are: Can I spray a base coat / clear coat over a single stage? Is it best to use a urethane BC/CC if I am spraying over an acrylic urethane SS? I'd like to get some paint on my car to drive it around this coming summer. It's currently just in epoxy primer. I'm thinking of going with single stage acrylic urethane for that. Next winter, I'll take it apart and give it a really nice paint job. With the proper amount of preparation, can I spray over the SS, or am I going to sand off the SS completely before spraying the BC/CC? From what I have read, I think I can rough the surface of the SS, and spray the BC/CC over it. Thank you in advance. .
With your plan you could spray a top quality single stage and later as part of prep for a fresh better job block sand the SS to gain leveling, reduce the overall finished film thickness back to acceptable levels and provide adhesion for the BC or sealer then BC. You would be treating the SS as if it were primer. Probably safe to spray anything but lacquer over thoroughly dried urethane SS
As with any BC/CC paint job, as long as all undercoatings are mixed & applied properly, you will have no issues in doing what you plan to do. I would recommend that you use the same brand paint just for a little extra piece of mind. Wet block it with 600 or a little finer depending on how nice the single stage turns out & blast away!
Well here you go again you could have come to breakfast for our professional opinion and bought us all a meal but you have to take this route ..... Painting over a catalyzed SS enamel with a BC/CC isn't the issue . Getting the SS sufficiently scuffed adjacent to the trim and rubber seals is more of a concern . Taking everything apart a second time as you stated resolves this issue but if everything is ready to paint why not just paint the BC/CC and be done with it? It should not add that much time to do the prep correctly the first time. Just remember our office opens promptly on Saturday at 7:00 am . I believe you have the address. We also have a couple of good looking receptionists .
Thanks for the good info, guys. I wouldn't say I cheaped out on the paint job. I have some big plans for paint at a later date. I'd like to reassemble this car, works the bugs out over summer, then next winter take the car apart (windows, trim, etc), and paint it the right way. However, I want some paint on it during the "working out the bugs" phase.
I'll be back to another Saturday breakfast, I promise! I do appreciate the invite again. I'd be interested in more professional advice and experience over coffee and scrambled eggs.
Why not just paint it with single stage and be done with it? You can cut an polish single stage at a later date if you want-Or repair and recoat, if you are worried about chips,scratches,etc.
Yea, I'm concerned with damaging a really nice paint job, since I'll probably be taking things apart a time or two. There may also some minor sheetmetal changes along the way too, since I'm not certain what I'm doing with the grille. I've weighed the pros and cons of painting it very nice now, or giving it a "decent" paint job now, and painting it really nice later. What I have planned for later is a labor intensive custom paint job, and I'm not going to put the time into it now, only to screw it up. I want to drive it for a year first.
Hey, At this point, you could shoot anything, SS, alkyd, another coat of epoxy or urethane primer, and just figger it's all gota come off come ''real'' paint job time. The more layers a paint job has under it, the more chances it has for failure! Go have breakfast with Larry, and tell him I say's hellow! " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
If you are going to take it apart and put it back together-it doesnt matter. You could use a urethane primer so the metal is sealed and you can 'blow in' sections as you make improvements. Then top coat over your primer. When it comes right down to it you may want to pull it all apart or partially dis-assemble to finish it. It depends on how 'nice' you want it and/or where you are going to tackle the job.
If you've ever tried to cut out a run in a SS paint job you'll know how terrible of an idea this is. If you sand through one of the layers of paint you'll see different shades. Light sand and buff probably OK. Trying to sand and buff it totally flat with out a clear coat, and you'll probably wind up repainting the whole thing.
I doesnt really matter if you sand through the clear or the color-you've got trouble and have to re-coat. It looks as though the OP wants to continue to do repairs as he goes,so I would'nt bother putting paint on it at all-Prime as you go-when the body work is done-pick the paint system of choice and spray away.