BOB WINSKI

HI GUYS, going to be using lacquer paint on the 54. I know basecoat clearcoat is a far superior product. But that's what I decided to do. My question is to anyone who has sprayed lacquer have any suggestions. The color is pennant blue metallic. Also the dilution rate I was told would be one part paint one part lacquer thinner. If anybody can chime in and give me your expertise I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks Bob W

rtruman

My painter told me its not like the old lacquer ,look into that it might not be worth the application.

Larry Chilton

Bob,

Think that's what I was told by the lacquer store years ago when I bought my paint. Other important issues to consider regarding lacquer thinner are 1) the quality of the thinner; and the temperature range of different thinners to ensure the correct drying/flash times.

I have only limited experience in spraying lacquer, by the way.

Larry

Dr L-88

I agree 100%.

Also.................WEAR a PROPER RESPIRATOR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And have adequate ventilation.

DansYellow66

I think DuPont was 150% thinning from memory about 20 years ago (a little sketchy - so don't take as gospel). Seems like it could be varied from 100% to about 200% based on what was being done (flow coat, blend in, initial coat, etc). Best advise is to get the supplier data sheet and see what it says as it could depend on the temperature reducer being used, type of spray equipment and other factors.

tbarb

Bob,

Before you buy the paint get a small amount and test spray a panel to see if you are satisfied with the color and metallic. Most times today the color has to be tinted to match the old original colors.

Vet65te

Bob -Not sure what form of lacquer is available in your area but as already mentioned, double check with your paint supplier to see if it's a stand-alone product like it used to be a few decades ago (where we reduced the paint 100% typically) or if you'll have to add a clear top coat afterwards. The lacquer that was available in California about 10+ years ago (might have been longer) differed from the old product because it was expected to be clear coated. In California where EPA requirements are stringent, we went to water borne paint systems at least a half dozen years ago but in Arizona where I live now, they won't be required to shift to water borne till 2018.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

Mike Geary

Bob: it's really true--the new lacquer formulations, while EPA compliant, are very soft and take a long time to fully cure out. At least that was my experience with PPG DDL, and I followed the recipe to the letter.

And that was Ermine White, which was easy to fix my mistakes on.
Metallic? Whoa.

From what I've read, it's a good idea to have the doors, hood, deck, etc on the car so the metallic lays the same way. I've seen quite a few metallic cars where the doors don't quite match. Shot sitting horizontal on stands.

What type of primer are you planning to use? Not 1K like DZ I hope.

Mike

ianrand

You asked for suggestions, so after 50 years of painting here you go: Call TCP Global for acrylic lacquer, proper undercoat & thinner. They can help you with everything.

Suggest 2 gallons color, 1 gallon clear, 1 gallon primer, 5 gallons thinner. (It's nice to have extra paint from the same mix for future touchups). Mix 125% to 150% thinner to paint. Fast dry thinner for the primer and slowest drying thinner for color and clear (for good flow out). Always make sure thinner has time to evaporate between coats or you'll have trapped solvents and cracking/crazing issues later. Depending upon your primer color, it could take 4- 5 color coats to cover.

If you are good at spraying and have a wide fan pattern, you may or may not have a problem with metallic mottling or need much wet sanding between coats. (There's no substitute for a quality spray gun and experience.)

It's always a good idea to use clear over metallics. If you're concerned about point deduction for a clear top coat, then mix 5-10% color into the clear (so a test with rubbing compound will show color on the rag).

If you're looking for an OEM slight orange peel finish, you can razor off any trash, lightly sand with 1000 and polish with 3M finesse-it. Or, for the showcar look, progressively wet sand with 1000, 1500 & 2000 and polish w/ 3M finesse-it. One caveat: a '54 body will eventually have a "print through effect" of the cloth pattern fiberglass in the paint. For that reason, I would recommend staying with the OEM slight orange peel finish.

A properly applied (and maintained w/ Meguiar's mirror glaze) acrylic lacquer paint job can last for decades. Hope this helps...

project63

Bob,

Your car originally was painted with Nitrocellulose lacquer. Acryllic lacquer didn't come along until the late 50's or early 60s. A good source for nitro is Bill Hirsch Auto.

http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NITL-GAL

We have a guy in our NCRS chapter who has shot about 25 Corvettes in his shop using their paint.

I've only shot one lacquer job and it was a solid color (Black) I don't think I would try a metallic color with my limited skills. Even using the slowest thinner availible, it will dry in a couple of minutes. That leaves NO opportunity to fog back over to even out your metallics. Get it right on the last coat or let it dry and shoot another coat.

I commend you for trying though.

Good luck,
tc

Roger Walling

One thing to keep in mind, is that you can change the color of metallics drastically by changing the air pressure, the tempeture,the solvent choice (and amount) or the amount of paint applied with each coat.
You could paint three different panels with the same paint and swear that they came from different cans of paint.

DUB

100% and this is a FACT!!!!

You can also have problems in a solid color if the panels are shot over several days where the weather conditions change drastically and you do not adjust for these changes.

Using the slowest possible grade of thinner is best..obviously, common sense applies here......and just giving it more time to flash. Keeps the color a much richer more saturated color...versus shooting it with a faster dry thinner and loose some of the saturation and may cause it to blush slightly.

DUB

MOXIE62

If you live in a small town chances are there is no one talent enough to match paint. Like someone mention TCP Global for acrylic lacquer is a good source. Last time I sprayed lacquer I got all the material from them and it was very reasonable. Bill Hirsch does not sell lacquer anymore unless you want black.

LT1driver

Hirsch is like ford's model t, you can have any color as long as it is black. I have had my cars done in BC/CC by choice, but to each their own. good luck on the paint work.

project63

So I guess they have this on their web site because they just like to talk to people?

Detailed Description
Super High Quality, Hi-gloss body paint.
Black & Clear are stock colors.
Custom colors available upon request. Please call.

BOB WINSKI

I want to thank all the guys for the info very helpfull .I will let you know how it turns out.Have a safe and happy labor day on Monday.