I saving up to get my '69 vert painted this winter. All the body shops around here like basecoat/clearcoat. I've heard that base/clear isn't all that good for older cars that you plan on keeping due to yellowing, chipping, etc. What do you guys think? The body guy said he'd use enamel if I wanted?
What do you guys think?
Thanks,
Matt

Your car was originally painted with acrylic laquer. A lot of the "purists" still use it on restorations. It makes a great looking job, but it's a bit brittle and chips and cracks quicker than the urethanes will.
I used a base clear on mine and have used it on many other cars with great results. My recommendation would be the base clear, there are several good ones out. There are cheaper clear coats, I'd stay with a better quality and pay the few extra bucks.
Enamel? For a vette? Save the enamel for your kid's Radio Flyer Wagon.

Unless your restoring your car to NCRS standards as strictly a 100% correct show car, go with base coat/clear coat. You'll be happier in the long run.

Laquer chips, enamel is good, but not many painters today can use it properly. Base coat clear coat is the best, just make sure you use plenty of clear coat. I use to paint in the military and painted my vette more than once over the years. I started cutting my teeth with enamel then came laquer. We did not have clear coat in those days. So the first time I used base coat clear coat I did not put enough clear on and when I went back to wet sand the clear I got down into the base coat and that wasn't a good thing. So give yourself plenty of clear coat so as you can sand it off and smooth it out to a show car finish. The clear coats don't yellow and flake off as when they first were introduced. I used the Glassurt paints, but there are many good paints out there.

It's a lot of work, but if you use acrylic enamel, then wet sand and buff, it will look like lacquor, not enamel. And it's much more durable. If you use a chemical hardner it is tough as nails. Yet it flexes. Of course if you use the hardner you MUST wet sand and buff in about 72 hours, or you may not be able to with any degree of success. The paint is simply too hard.

In reality the base coat clear coat is a lot less work, and a very nice job.

Sometimes the clear coat will pick up reflections from the sky and surrounding areas, and slightly change the color. This is rarely an issue unless the car is black or red. With those colors it can be noticable. You don't see it with metallics. Any shiny paint will have reflections, but it won't usually affect the color. Many pro restorers avoid the clear due to this. It is normal on anything in the mid 80s and up.

Which one and I going to use? I haven't made up my mind as of yet.

|UPDATED|12/14/2004 3:42:22 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|