Hey guys, I have an 88 IROC that I am getting ready to repaint. It has already been painted once (69 Camaro Hugger Orange), but that was about 10 or so years ago, and the clear coat is coming off. Which leads to my question... what in the devil is the big deal with clear coat, anyway. Seems like everyone that paints a car uses base / clear for most of your non-custom paint jobs. Just seems to be a "temoprary" paint job. 10 years or so, and the crap comes off. Would I be better off to use Urethane-enamel, or some other single stage? I have read a few articles on the diffrences, but i havent seen anything that proves that clearcoat will outlast other types of single stage paint. If I'm gonna paint the whole thing, why do clearcoat?

 

PPG makes a great line of products. Don't skimp out on the money for quality, or you'll regret it a few months/years later when it all comes off and you have to start from scratch again.

 

Well, let me start by saying, a GOOD base clear job will last the life of the vehicle... All things being equal.
AND if it is taken care of.
NOW, that said, why was it painted in the first place?? did the guy need a paint job... (that's my bet), and then decided for a color change.? Did he skimp on materials?? Did some backyard yokel who's brother was a bodyman 10 prior to, tell him he "knew where he could get a good deal"?
Some thing to think about, GM couldn't even get things right 10 years ago... (How many of you have an original late eighties, early nineties, GM painted car/truck with delamination to the ELPO)??
Painting cars for the most part is relatively easy. BUT NOT an exact science, even now, let alone 10 years ago. Just look at these boards for instance, there is a lot of SPECULATION about how to "repair this" or "prep that for paint".
And when you try to show someone the light how to do things the correct way, to insure their investment lasts as long as possible, You get 10 posts saying, "I did it this way and it was fine" or, " my brother has been painting cars for years and he's never done things that way..."
Take the steps you need to take to get it right...
spend the money on quality products...
and take your time, you'll be happy you did...

Oh, uh.. here's my 12/13 year old paint job. PPG DP epoxy primer, PPG K36 2k primer, PPg deltron BC, PPG DCU 2020 clear, All top o' the line sh#t, 13 years ago.

 

kevin hit the nail on the head- its all about taking your time, doing it right, and using good materials, you only get what you pay for- usualy if it looks too good of a price to be true- then its gonna end up getting redone in a few years. in the late 80s, early 90s alot of paint products were getting blamed for enviornmental issues and personal health- for a few years some manufacturers used crappy paint that was planet friendly- wich made it peel withint a couple years- go do it right, dont take short cuts, use a nice primer, base, and clear-and youll be happy with the results.

 

Kevin, I gotta tell ya, that is one slick paint job. That looks good... really good.

Yeah, that car did need a paint job, It still had the factory paint and it got hit on the right front corner. Instead of going back the original color, they changed it. I dont know exactly who did the paint, but they did a pretty good job. They painted the door jams, and all. Looks like a quality paint job as far as the workmanship, but I just dont know what brand of paint. The main reason for my doubt about the clearcoat is just lack of knowledge in this area. All I have to go in is what I see, which makes me wonder why the clear wont peel on me again in 10 years. The car actually belongs to a friend of mine, and when i am done with it, the car will not set in a garage. money is not an issue when it comes to the paint itself. I'm not worried about that, I just don't know what the main advantage is with using clear over using a single stage paint. Even if single stage is more expensive, if its better, then that's what I want, and same goes for clearcoat.

 

Base/clear IS a better technology... Yes there have been problems
BASF, Diamont, ACME Probase, Sherwin Williams, ALL have had adhesion problems with their clears in the past...
You CAN get a high quality urethane single stage, that, with the right techniques, will get almost as deep as a clearcoat job.
But, and especially if, the car is not going to be garaged, you HAVE TO stay on top of the finish all the time. Clearcoats have UV screeners in them to protect the integrity of the color.
The car used to be my daily driver, and stored winters, now it's just a nice summer ride, and yes there are some flaws, and some chips, but over all the holdout is better, the gloss is better, and repairability is better with clearcoat.

 

What is better is a matter of opinion and there are many in this forum. If I were to do a custom solid color paint job, I would use a single stage, let it dry, wet sand, clear, wet sand and polish. That, to me, gives the best and deepest shine. Also, money is no object to me, my jobber and territory manager hook me up. Money may be an object to you and I believe that a bc/cc would best suit people in that situation. All brand(companies) have quality paint, most professionals have a loyal brand and many opinions come from that.
Following the tech sheets to the letter and taking your time will result in a quality finish that you can enjoy for years. And remember that NO paint(clearcoat or single stage) will stay "new" looking without good and responsible care.
Take every opinion that you receive here and weigh them against your options and use the ones that will help you.

 

Well, damn, guys, that has got to be some of the bast advice I have got since I joined this board. The car is not needed as a daily driver, yet, but will be when it's done. Time is't really an issue there, and, really, it just comes down to getting the best durability, and the best gloss. I guess I never gave clearcoat a second thought, but sure am glad you guys pointed that out. THANKNS!!!!!