What's Cheaper?

[04lbram]

Okay guys so I've got a question about painting. Okay so, let's say I wanted to be the OEM freak on my Chally and go back to HEMI Orange in enamel? Would it cheaper to do this vs a base coat and clear coat paint? I'm not real familiar with painting but, just thought I would ask so my car was originally HEMI Orange and if for some odd reason if its meant for me to keep then what I am looking at price wise just to do the body? Not the undercarriage since its already undercoated for the most part. Thank you.

[73rallye440magnum]

  Yes it would be cheaper. I painted my car in single stage. Base/Clear would have ran about 700 more. Single stage is a little tougher and hides a little better. I reccomend PPG Concept if you go this way.

[dodgeboy67]

i agree with him too.....but , youll get a little better shine from the base /clear......but the clear is easy to screw up........but im told that ppg has a single stage that is better than base /clear.....happy painting

[cudaken]

 Are you asking about the cost of the paint or the cost to spay?

My self, I rather spary base clear

                       Cuda Ken

[04lbram]

The cost of the paint. And besides the clear is easy to mess up and not original on the Challenger but, I'm just saying. My paint isn't bad now but, I don't know I just like the original colors betters especially Butterscotch, Vitamin C, Lemon Twist, and Plum Crazy. 

[cudaken]

 Base is way easyer to spray than than a single layer. Base with hardner (something most peope over look)  drys like lacquer. With in 15 minutes of flash time can be wet sanded. Try that with single layer.

Runs in clear, God know's I have hung a few. Wet sand with 2000 git and buff they are gone unless you turly know what you are looking for. After 5 coats of clear, I hung some on my Charger. All but gone to me, I know where they are.

If there is metalic in a single layer good luck with a run. Wet sandng will will cause the color to get lighter.

I have ran bodyshops for around 25 years. Base clear is the best thing I have shoot.

Want to see some PIC?

Are you from the old site? If so, remember 3 Charger's in the shop posting? That is me.

                             Cuda Ken

[Khyron]

I have ran bodyshops for around 25 years. Base clear is the best thing I have shoot.

you're my new best friends

:popcorn: i'll be hitting the paint in a year or so, so all good information. keep it comming

[04lbram]

Thanks for the information Cuda Ken. Sure, post the picture(s).

[Drop Top]

I agree with Ken. Base clear is the best and only way to go. Even if your looking for an origanal look with orange peel. The shine will last much longer without the work or effort. It will come out the same as a single stage. If you want that show car finish, then all you need to do is color sand and buff. Like Ken said if you get a run in the clear, for the most part you can sand & buff it out. You wont be able to do that with a single stage metallic. It takes allot of expertise to color sand and buff a single stage metallic job, but it can be done and will look just as nice. But it will require more work to keep up the shine. Once you cut a single stage it will dull on you within 3 to 6 months and will require you to keep polishing it much more often. You won't notice it until you wax or polish it, then you will notice the difference greatly.

I started painting cars at 13 years old on my Dad's farm. I painted my high school car myself at 16. It was a hobby until I was around 31. I turned my hobby into my living around 15 years ago. I now have at least 1 year waiting list before you can have a car in my shop. I have shot Lacquers, Enamels, Acrylics and Base/Clear. I have taught myself to use all these differant paints as they came out and changed with them. By far I would suggest going with a good Base/Clear system. It will last much longer and hold its shine much better then anything else out on the market right now.

In 1990 I bought a 69 Super Bee. I painted it with PPG Base/Clear (The old 2020 clear). I did not take very good care of the paint. I waxed it maybe once a year. I sold the car around 6 years later. It looked as good the day I sold it as the day I painted it. I painted a 70 Charger R/T around 1995. It was also done with PPG system (2020). That car today looks every bit as good as the day I shot it. But the owner takes much better care of it then I did the Bee. He dose drive it on a semi daily basis.

All that being said. If your planning on keeping the car. The extra cost of the Base/Clear system is well worth the extra expense. Their are lesser expensive Base/Clear systems that better then some of the more expensive single stages on the market and cheaper then the single stage at that.

[quikshft]

If I'm understanding correctly you have a decent body and a not too bad paint job right now. I would have told you the major expense in a paint job is the bodywork and prep. If you already have a straight car to begin with that more than half the battle.
I haven't painted a car for probably 5 years now, but I've got one in process. My rules of thumb are that if it's not metallic, go with a single stage paint. If it is metallic, base clear is easiest to get nice results. Spraying a single stage metallic is tough to get consistant shade and lay of the flake over the entire car. Forget color sanding it, the flake is laying right on the top of the paint and if you sand into it you really start changing the appearance of the paint, and you will notice it. Don't ask me how I know this. I did paint a '71 Superbee using PPG base/clear back in about '98 and it turned out very nice. As noted previously in this thread, base goes on like laquer, it's pretty easy to lay it on and get a nice consistant appearance over the whole car. Note that hemi orange DOES have some metallic in it.

[Silver R/T]

it doesnt make much difference for me to spray either, but yes single stage will be cheaper in most cases. You could try PPG's omni, its cheaper but still great product

[04lbram]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I'll be waiting a while then. Anyone know if I can get a some paint chips repaired? Most of the lower rockers and back lower quarter patch took most of the brunt. I bought the car like this. Anyone have an idea of what it would cost? Thank you.

[Drop Top]

That could be blended in. Are both sides the same way?  By the time you sanded it down and taped it all off it wouldn't be cheap. Mostly depends on the area that you live in and how much the rates are. If both sides look the same I would Wait until you can afford to paint the whole car.

[04lbram]

Thanks drop top. It doesn't look bad and it could be worse but, I'll probably wait since it's not that big of deal IMO but, anyways thanks again.