bodywork painting

[mickmick]

can anyone tell me how much difference there is between the two types of paint?

as far as i'm aware the older paint was ICI with a clear top laquer, and the newer paint is a Dupont with a built in laquer <---------- i might be wrong here, i probably am, its the metal plate in my head you see

anyway, the big question i really wanted to ask was this:

as my car is old, and it has now started to peel a lot in some areas, would it be a bad idea to use the newer type paints that dont need to have a top coat of laquer for doing the body work??

i cant justify spending 1k on a car thats worth 3k max and i am more than happy to do some self spraying, either from cans or using the bro-in-laws mini compressor (main peeling is toneau and boot lid, removable panels luckily)

any advice apreciated

Mick

[theelanman]

Mick
Im gonna be no use here whatsoever.....however I believe that there is a slight difference in colour between the ICI and Dupont paints......there certainly was with the NMY......as Ive found out
I would also thing that trying to do a whole panel from a can will be 'challenging'.....and that you'll probably get a better result with a compressor run gun..
just a couple of thoughts
cheers
G

[mickmick]

i should really have mentioned the colour

its pacific blue, and very very shabby all round to be honest

my plan really is to do one section at a time and not worry that much if there is a slight colour difrence, eventually al the panels will look the same, and i also cant help thinking that the doors both appear to be a difrent shade of blue tothe rest of the car, but maybe thats just the light reflecting off the contours of the car.

Thanks for the input G, i do agree with you about the compressor thing, its all down to a needs must basis really, credit crunch sucks

[dapinky]

Mick,

Just a few thoughts, for what they're worth......

I have bought a litre of Lechler 2K Calypso red for Angies door, using the ICI code - it is a good colour match, and no lacquer (as it is a solid colour).

I also have lacquer peeling on the Pacific blue (bonnet), but the base blue is good, so i am going to try and remove the laquer without disturbing the base coat, and then just giving it a squirt of clear top coat. If it looks too bad, I'll get some 2K Pacific blue and start again, then clear topcoat it.

Like you, I'm not too bothered about spending a fortune on a complete re-paint on a £3k car, so will go with whatever i can do myself.

If you go for 2K paint, be aware that the activator/hardener is nasty stuff and you will need a good air-fed respirator mask - if you do that, then make sure the compressor is man enough to drive both the mask and the spraygun (mine is only good enough for short runs, but okay for single pannels.

I have also had sucess with using an old diving regulator/bottle for the breathing, and wearing an old NBC isolation suit (I'm sure it looks odd, but it works!) The carcinogens in the paint will absorb through the bare skin, so nitryl/latex gloves are a good idea - besides which, once it sets (it sticks to everything like sh1t to a blanket) it's difficult to remove.

If you take your time with the preparation, the spraying is easy (1 light dust coat, 1 full wet coat 15 minutes later is enough).

Good luck.

PS - don't be tempted to use cellulose thinners to clean out the gun - it will sort of work, but you still end up with horrible chemicals lying about - proper 2K thinners is better (but costs more).

2 parts paint, 1 part hardener/activator and 10-15% 2K thinners works for me!

[Nige]

It's my understanding that whilst the paint used on our cars was originally ICI and later Dupont in both cases the colour coat is then laquered to give the final finish, this is the case whether the colour is 'solid' (non-metallic) or metallic. So regardless of the paint manufacturer, colour or age of the car the original finish is both paint and laquer. It is the original (early cars) ICI paint that suffers from peeling laquer (Norma is a fine example of this) I am not aware of a peeling laquer problem with the cars painted with Dupont paint.

If respraying it is down to the prep and you have the option of using a paint that does not require a laquer (although most metallics do). Kier respayed his car (pistachio) with good old fashioned cellulose. The recent (professional paint shop) paint on my hard top was a water based colour coat with a clear laquer on top. Speak with a paint supplier to get a good idea of the options. Only thing I would say is seriously consider doing the whole car in one go, I'm sure Kier could offer some advice as he has recently done this.

[bobbrown]

As most of the cost of paint work is in the labour to prep the car for paint, you may well find that if you do the prep and then get a professional to apply the paint the cost will not be that bad.
Finish quality is mainly down to prep + you need the right conditons to spray paint.
Metalic paints can prove tricky and blue can vary in colour if too much paint is applied and is usually applied over a white primer.
Trying to remove the laquer and then re-apply the laquer will not work and the finish will be rubish!

Bob

[rip]

I have heard that Pacific Blue is the hardest Elan colour to match.
I have tried to spray metallic from cans, but have never got a decent finish, let alone a match. It usually sticks out like a sore thumb.
I did do a little touching up with a hobby airbrush once & was well pleased with the result, so my spray can experience was not all me!

Lastly, I was told by a paint-dealer friend that metallics are sensitive to spray pressure: the higher the pressure, the lighter the colour.

Spraying is a science..one I am still learning about. I fear I still have a lot to learn though.

Good luck.

How about applying a few upgrades to your car first. You may feel a professional job is worthwhile then

[Andy_J]

Mick

Maybe worth sending Jimbob a pm, he used to work as a spray painter & I know he resprayed his balck M100.

Not sure if you can get the solvent based paints now. Ihave been told by a few people that they have bee outlawed by europe and everything is water based?

Andy

[Jackonicko]

Just thinking aloud, really, but:

DaPinky, Mick Mick and Jacko all have Pac Blue Elans with peeling lacquer and in need of a respray. And there may be more.....

Is there any chance that somewhere might do a batch discount?

[Rusty]

How many litres of paint / coats would be required to get a good finish on the M100? I sprayed an MGB years ago and put on 6 coats but they were quite thin and it polished through in a couple of places, I used a high build primer filler followed by a light guide coat, flatted down it helps see areas needing more prep work. As you guys say, the preparation is everything.

[dapinky]

If you sprayed the MG with cellulose, then it would have used a lot more than 2K paint (due to evaporation of thinners).

As an example, i have done Dolomites in cellulose using 8 litres of paint (in the gun, so about 5 l paint, 3 l thinners), and done the same cars with 2 coats of 2 pack (2 to 2 1/2 litres).