This is a three-part question related to painting/prep work. My '55 Victoria has been in PPG red lacquer primer for 25+ years after having the original paint stripped off the body below the beltline (I left the original enamel on the roof and primed over that as it was in good shape), with the trunk, jambs and underhood areas shot in PPG acrylic enamel around the same time. I got paint for the car in the late '80s but never got around to using all of it, so now I have a couple quarts of each color (red and white) sitting on the shelf. After talking to a guy today with a good-looking '56 Club Coupe at a show that he shot in his garage, I'm coming to the conclusion I may just paint the thing myself in the remaining acrylic enamel or go with basecoat/clearcoat after I get some metal work done (rotted out bottom fender attachment point in the body). So I'm wondering: 1. Would the acrylic enamel mixed up 25 years ago still be good today to use? If I could use all that red paint I wanted to use originally it would be a plus for my budget. 2. In order to work with base/clear, can I apply a sealer over the lacquer primer then move on to base/clear? Or do I need to strip the entire body down to bare metal before I can start with a compatible primer/sealer? 3. In the past I've used old-school siphon-feed guns (Binks 19, for instance) and think I should try a new HVLP in part to cut down on overspary. Because I have a 5-horse 20-gal oil-less compressor to use, any recommendations on a gun to use (and don't say "get a bigger compressor" please)?
The big question is that the primer is porous and underneath is 25 years of rust that should be removed. Do not use 25 year old paint.
1. Maybe. If you don't mind taking a chance repainting, go for it. 2. For base clear, its best to strip off all lacquer based paints and primers. 3. A 5 horse 20gal oil-less compressor won't put out enough air to paint a single door, let alone a whole car. Especially with a siphon gun. Sata RP, or Iwata LPH-400, or something along those lines and two of those compressors hooked together maybe. Those guns are between 9.5 and 10.5 cfm. But I'm sure from the (and don't say "get a bigger compressor" please) that you've been told this before. well tough titties, it is what it is. Don't believe me, try it and see.
1. Spraying with the old paint does increase the chance of failure but if you must use it I would buy a new hardener as that is the product most likely to fail from age. 2. If you want to use modern paint you need to take off all of the lacquer. 3. If you want to use your compressor then you will need to find a gun that can run on a very low cfm and even with that you will have to limited how much you paint, possibly only painting a panel at a time but then you run a risk of the color not matching between panels. You really should strip the car and start over not only because of the fact that the primer has been absorbing moisture for 25 years but because the primer has probably lost most of its properties from age and exposure. That being said you really don"t have anything to lose if you just grab your paint and spray it on, your not doing the car any favors by leaving it the way it is but putting some paint on it no matter what the paint is will most likely improve it and if it comes out horrible then you really would just have to start over which is what really should be done anyway.
Hey, Are ya feelin' lucky? The quarter century old hardner will be toast, the acrylic enamel reducer, probably good for weed killer @ this point. Two quarts of red to cover that much surface............not with an old siphon cup gun even at 50 % reduction! With an HVLP gun it would be possible, but leave ya with zero room for error! No matter which finish you choose, the lacquer primer will need removal, would ya build a house on sand or mud? You could use that compressor, but you'll have to divide up the paint job just as if you were panel painting a repair. Shoot the roof, let it dry, bag it,well, shoot the deck lid, let it dry & bag it up etc. With an HVLP gun you'll need 40 plus # @ the gun to spray this well, with an old siphon you'd need 65# @ the gun. With that size compressor you've no reserve of air, and thus the panel paint route is your only option. You may have some dry spray areas, but you can coloursand these out, just as the guys do with urethane finishes. Get a good mask/with filters, and plan your work. Toss the dice & go for it! " Life ain't no Disney movie "
#1 no Don't do it #2 a no #2b yes #3 buy beg borrow another compressor. Notice I didn't say " get a bigger" lol
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