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**52 Ragtop** · 10-22-2011, 03:03 AM

"My paint man says several clear coats (expensive) will prevent fading."

Well, yes and no, first of all, if he puts on more then 3-4 good wet coats of clear, you'll have WAY too much material on the car, and it will start to "spider crack" then you'll be stripping it down to bare metal and starting over! (3-4 good coats IF you plan on color sanding and buffing the finish, otherwise 2-3 will be plenty) That said, base coat clear coat (IMHO) a better system. The clear will protect the paint from the sun. The reason that you see a lot of older paint jobs faded is because of the "inferior materials" that gets used at your local "macco's" (and all of the cheap paint jobs) you get what you pay for! It takes as much work to prep it RIGHT and use good materials, as it does to prep it right and use cheap materials! again, you get what you pay for!
I recently painted my 63 Avanti, I did all the prep and spraying myself, (I also have worked in collision centers for 30+ years) I had right at $1500 in materials. I did use Standox paint which is considered one of the better paints.
DuPont, PPG, Sherwin Williams, Glasurit are all good products! and properly prepared and taken care of, will last many years. Lets face it, once done, our cars for the most part will live a cherished life!

In 1981 when I painted my Avanti the "first time" <G> I used DuPont Centauri, a single stage (no clear) and it lasted and looked good until about 5 years ago. I also drove it everyday in LA from 1979 through about 1985.
It's your money and your car, just depends on what you're looking for, and how deep your pockets are!

"Did the car come out of the factory with a clear coat?"

NO, base coat clear coats came out in the early to mid 80's (at least on US production cars. That was an "epa" thing to reduce the voc's that were being put into the air.

What ever paint the shop uses, be sure to use that product ALL the way through! from the etching primers all the way to the color or clear! That way it is all designed to "work together"

Jim

**(S)** · 10-22-2011, 10:13 AM

My favorite is PPG primers, followed by PPG top coats, but the prices are not cheap. Thats my choice it lasts and I like the products. Here is a nice site

raylinrestoration.com

http://www.raylinrestoration.com/TechnicalPages/PaintForms.htm

You can goggle just about anything, your code may take a few more searches. Du pont, PPG, Sherman, stores will help you find the code if you go in and be patient. Once you find it, POST the info and pictures so the info can help out the 'next guy'. Last time I did a search, PPG had all codes from the 50's to 1966 in many types of paints.

**irish** · 10-22-2011, 11:08 AM

PPG makes good paint, but I'm not a fan of base coat/clear coat paint on these cars. It isn't original and it shows. Just my 2 cents.

Joe

**rusty65** · 10-22-2011, 04:01 PM

2 blues for 1965.Executive Blue Poly,paint code NQ-0124, PPG code 13112 and
Laguna Blue Poly, paint code NQ-0463, PPG code 13113.

Hope this helps.

**Warren Webb** · 10-22-2011, 06:15 PM

I couldnt agree more with 52ragtop. I've been in the body shop business for 50 years now. So many of these cars that are collectable now are memories in the showroom. However, I am a firm believer in base coat/clear coat. When I saw the last Stude made (Hamilton) at the museum in 94 I was taken back on how bad the paint looked. Not only flat with very little shine but heavy orange peel. If I had put out a paint job that bad from the shop I would be hiding when the customer came to pick it up. But, customers expectations in 1966 were nothing like what people demand now. Paint quality has increased so much since then. I painted my Avanti with PPG 2 stage back in August 94. Today it looks as good as when I pulled it out of the booth. Unless you keep your car out of the sun a single stage paint will not hold up like a 2 stage job. As far as it being more expensive then yes, but mostly in the material. Labor is minor since most of it is in the prep work.

**1962larksedan** · 10-23-2011, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by Warren Webb View Post

I couldnt agree more with 52ragtop. I've been in the body shop business for 50 years now. So many of these cars that are collectable now are memories in the showroom. However, I am a firm believer in base coat/clear coat. When I saw the last Stude made (Hamilton) at the museum in 94 I was taken back on how bad the paint looked. Not only flat with very little shine but heavy orange peel. If I had put out a paint job that bad from the shop I would be hiding when the customer came to pick it up. But, customers expectations in 1966 were nothing like what people demand now. Paint quality has increased so much since then. I painted my Avanti with PPG 2 stage back in August 94. Today it looks as good as when I pulled it out of the booth. Unless you keep your car out of the sun a single stage paint will not hold up like a 2 stage job. As far as it being more expensive then yes, but mostly in the material. Labor is minor since most of it is in the prep work.

Excellent points; especially what I bolded. Last night my fiance and I went to the Saturday Night car show at the Scottsdale Pavilions and saw a primo 1966 Ply Valiant 4 door sedan; the paint was def not factory (though the color probably was OEM)-----------it was way too shiny.

**(S)** · 10-23-2011, 12:00 PM

I think that is the same color as our 65 Daytona so keep us posted with pictures of how it turns out. The color codes I have seen on just a few cars were too silver. This was a rare color in 1965 and is hardly seen. Or is it that there were just not alot of 65's period?? Thats a nice 65 you have there.

**jnfweber** · 10-23-2011, 01:51 PM

Thanks for the help!

Originally posted by rusty65 View Post

2 blues for 1965.Executive Blue Poly,paint code NQ-0124, PPG code 13112 and
Laguna Blue Poly, paint code NQ-0463, PPG code 13113.

Hope this helps.

Rusty, your're absolutely right. I must be getting senile. I will try to get my paint guy to get PPG all the way, base coat + clear coat. Thanks everyone. As you can see from the photos, not all the body parts align perfectly. I don't think this car has ever been wrecked, but not sure. I guess they did not always come out of the factory perfect. Here is the link to my other "Cruisers" album:http://s1198.photobucket.com/albums/...eber/Cruisers/

I have elected not to remove the tail lights, as it looks difficult to remove the chrome. Have also elected not to replace the windshield, which has a few chips that have been filled or new cracks. It would cost $500 just to get a new windshield, and the body man said he could not guarantee that he would not break it. And I would need new rubber, etc. This will never be a $15,000 show car anyway. There are limits to what can be spent and still not be considered insane.

Jack in Montana

And here are a few thumbnails:

Attached Files

**karterfred88** · 10-24-2011, 07:40 AM

My experience-if you're not going to remove everything, including the W/S rubber--don't waste your money on an expensive B/C, C/C paint job (unless state VOC regs require it). The added thickness (more mills) of the 2 stage system is going to leave thicker edges at the rubber, whether roped or not, and edges at all non-removed (masked) items. These will peel back at some point, no matter how well sanded before, as there will be an "edge" where the layers are exposed to the environment. Go with a good single stage urethane, with a quick one coat of UV clearover it, if you can, and live with the less than superior look. It will be better than the original finish but not "show quality", last just as long and peel less. Just my opinion.

**rrausch** · 10-24-2011, 12:59 PM

In my part of the Country we can still get DuPont Centauri Acrylic Enamel. I love that stuff--easy to shoot and easy to color sand and buff, but it does fade after a few years.