Can you clear coat over single stage paints?

[randy73]

I am about to paint my car, well hopefully soon and am doing a rallye stripe and would like to clear coat the car so that you cannot feel the seam. Is this a good idea or should I just color sand the seam as best as possible?

[68pplcharger]

Yes you can clear over single stage paint.

I got hung up on not having a seam with my strips at first, but realized I don't care if there is a small seam. Cool custom look but not worth ruining the satin black look I wanted for the stripes, trying to match Organisol black look. it's all what you want personally for your car though. good luck

[Kern Dog]

I have asked my local paint supply guys this and they always play it safe, as if telling me the real truth will result in Armageddon.
They say...."It is not recommended..."
They are probably advised by the manufacturers to inform their customers to follow the instructions as written: Clear over a BASE coat, not over a single stage. Guess what? Clear is basically just a paint without any color to it. If the paint (single stage) is lightly scuffed to promote adhesion, the clear will bond and hold up. The problems arrive when there is a chemical mismatch. In short, clear enamel over a lacquer is a no-no.  Your best results will happen if you are using products from the same manufacturer. I have used Omni paints, PPG, Shopline and found that they each often use a common reducer/thinner.  I have mixed base coat Omni with single stage to get a slightly flatter/duller finish. There are some things these dudes won't tell you for a variety of reasons. Some might have to do with the risk of a poor finish.....Often times when a job goes wrong, people want to blame the product or the manufacturer when it is the person mixing the paint that was to blame.