Primer as a paint finish? Learn from my mistake..

Think you want a primered car? Let me show you what you'll get for your efforts. 2/3 years ago I had the epoxy primer tinted British Racing Green for my 50 Ford. Was gonna paint it that color so I tinted the primer that color. Did all the body work, prep and sprayed it with the primer. It came out nice. Ready for a block sand and final paint. Then I figured it looks good enough to drive, so I have been. Funny thing is, it always looked like a crappy paint job, and not a real nice primer job. Always explaining it's primer, not paint. Long story short, I never got around to painting it. Today it's outside as usual, and we have a bit of rain so I put it inside. After it dried, this is what I got. It does not go away, you can smear it around but the primer has turned to chalk. So, I've got way more work to do now to paint it then if I had just done it to begin with. Won't make that mistake again! Changing color too.

 

yeah, primer isn`t waterproof or uv resistant.......sucks huh, have the same problem over here, cept i know better......looks good for a few days.....then all down hill from there......sorry for ya.....

 

nice car either way....

 

yea that sucks with primer what kind did you use?

 

what a drag

although, someones probably going to ask you how you did that, 'cause they are going to want to reproduce the "look"

 

yep, that's what eventually happens to a primer job, so let that be a lesson to you all!

 

DP 90 will last and doesn't mind getting wet. at least that is my experience.

 

Bummer deal. I hope the primer brigade will learn from your unfortunate decision. Primer is not, and never was intended to be a "finish"....

I feel for you...

 

I primed this car 7 years ago and it held up well and has set out side all winter and is still holding up well.

 

Yeah, primered my 51 Plymouth 3 pass. coupe back in the mid-70s, panel by panel and found that by the time it was ready for paint it had absorbed tons of water and totally fubard a great paint job that went on top of the primer. Sucked to learn the hard way, should have gone back to metal one more time. My understanding is that todays primers are much better than "back in the day".

 

If you hit it with 400grit wet, does the top layer of chalky primer come off easily, leaving good primer underneath? If so, you aren't out much, since you'd have to sand it before painting anyway. I don't have much experience with this, but I sure hope the primer underneath is still good....

 

I'll try sanding tomorrow. I'm thinking it's time for a build/destroy/build thread. May post up pics of how we got here,and what's next.

 

just a question:
would that have happened if you tinted primer sealer and left it at that?

 

i was told by a friend his secret, maybe not so secret thing to do was mix 3 quarts primer to one quart same kind paint and get a satin finish in color and lasts longer too, probably get flamed for this, but been meaning to try it for a while......any pros out there on this one.....maybe help the original poster too...

 

Primer is naturally porous for adhesion of the topcoat, I immediately blow dry primer after wet blocking, any water sucked up by the primer will eventually cause rust to form ruining the greatest of paint jobs!

 

I've used DP-90 and it water spots and streaks and will look like crap after a year or so. HRP

 

That's exactly what this is. The paint shop said it was almost as much paint/toner as primer! Here, look at this:

 

That is epoxy primer, not paint. If you look, it really is paint ready. Not show car straight, but damn straight. I was in such a damn hurry. Blew that one. Oh well, changing color and wheels. Back to steelies and caps, maybe bias plys. I was gonna paint it this color, did a test shot on the fender early on in build:

 

thats primer/paint mix, yeah, it doesn`t look like what he was shooting on alot of cars around here, what he was shooting looked almost totally flat, just in all sorts or colors. your has alot of shine to it.......i donno...weird.....did you shoot it? were there? looks like paint to me....someone shoot cheap paint on for ya? not accusing......just asking.....

 

Nope, I did it all. Shot it in the parking lot of my old shop.

 

Primer (depending on the type) is porous (as has been mentioned) and part of the problem with that is rust can form under the primer yet not be visible. Obviously the issue with that is, a person might just paint over top of what appears to be a fine primer job, not realizing they are painting over primer AND rust ... end result won't be good.

With the cost of some paints now, I would be very very cautious about just scuffing the prime and top coating it. I have read about people top coating prime with a satin clear ... (after prime and before exposing the car to the elements/moisture).


Very nice car by the way.

 

hmmm.....well....hell...i donno....i could/can see my primer jobs getting that bad, but not from where you started, sucks, hell, it looks like paint in the one pic, mayeb your paint and primer mix didn`t get along? looks like a complete redo from here though, damn shame too, thats a beautiful car......my to favorites together in one car...

 

Yep, Learned that the hard way after painting this one:

 

Thanks for the compliments guys, it will be back! And soon.

 

I used to put a glug of clear in the primer. Seemed to last longer. Gave it abit of a satin look to.

 

Isn't primer just talcum powder suspended in solvents? That would explain why it's porous....

 

thats what is pretty much in the flat clears that people put on there cars. the flatting agent when it drys out is just like baby powder. i've left my truck for a year or so out side with a colored sealer and it's going just fine. like others said most primers that people tint are a porous like pcl primer which alot of people i know leave there cars in. but if you use a sealer which is supposed to block out the water from reaching the primer you should be fine.