Urethane Or Base Clear???

[84SVOGARY]

HI GUYS, I'M READY TO PAINT MY 85.5 4E AND WAS WONDERING IF TO GO URETHANE OR BASE CLEAR. THE BODY SHOP SAID URETHANE IS MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD MAKE MORE $$$ WITH BASE CLEAR. ANY INPUT APPRECIATED.
GARY

[NY eric]

U tech

I like U tech urethane. It resists stone chips like nobodys buisness. just my 2 cents

[Black86]

In my opinion I would never use a single stage paint instead of a basecoat/clearcoat on a car I wanted to keep.
Is the shop you want to use the best that you can find in your area? Always opt for the best materials you can afford to use, as well as the best technicians. You'll never be sorry.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Go with the urethane. Two stage paints suck big time if you ever have to color match.

Another thing. Look at any original metallic paint on a 18-20 year old SVO, and compare it to a non-metallic (like my 9L or 2R). This should be enough to raise questions on what the paint companies have to sell you.

The paint companies say that there is a vast difference in durability of the 2-stage paints of today and the paints before all the environmantal hoopla. I say give that paint job as many years before you can make such a statement.

[Otto Man]

Please corect me me if I am wrong but 4E is that kinda British Racing Green which is a non-metalic look. Sorry of I am wrong.
Chris

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Originally posted by Chris Weber
Please corect me me if I am wrong but 4E is that kinda British Racing Green which is a non-metalic look. Sorry of I am wrong.
Chris

Exactly. If you have a non metallic, then why bother with a two stage? My original 9L and 2R look too good to waste money on a repaint. A couple spots may need a touch up, but not a complete repaint.

[Black86]

Originally posted by Pat_in_L.A.
Go with the urethane. Two stage paints suck big time if you ever have to color match.

Another thing. Look at any original metallic paint on a 18-20 year old SVO, and compare it to a non-metallic (like my 9L or 2R). This should be enough to raise questions on what the paint companies have to sell you.

The paint companies say that there is a vast difference in durability of the 2-stage paints of today and the paints before all the environmantal hoopla. I say give that paint job as many years before you can make such a statement.

Pat I gotta tell you that you're way off base, no offense intended here, it's just that I was an automotive painter for about 12 years and that included the management end for 3 years before getting into my current profession.
I have been to 2 differant paint companies "schools" for various levels of training and am certified to spray three(that just means my paint skills are "certified" by those companies)
If you use a companies paint line from start to finish and are certified to spray that companies system, than there is a lifetime warranty on that paint job.
In addition colormatching is a school "course" all to itself and something that is half science half voodoo, I have matched and blended a tri-coat color on a Jaguar and kept the repair to a size no bigger than my two palms in size and it was invisible where I had repaired it. A GOOD painter can match and blend any color with great success.
Using "urethane" is a misnomer as to that fact that BC/CC (base/clear) paints are urethane clear coats. I think what you mean to say is a singlestage paint.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Originally posted by Black86
... something that is half science half voodoo, ... A GOOD painter can match and blend any color with great success.
Using "urethane" is a misnomer as to that fact that BC/CC (base/clear) paints are urethane clear coats. I think what you mean to say is a singlestage paint.

Yes I meant a single stage paint.
And yes, I am not the paint expert.
Any clearcoats on cars that I have had painted have been a terrible disappoiontment. They all molted like a lizard in heat.

[84SVOGARY]

URETHANE IT IS! THANKS GUYS.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Originally posted by 84SVOGARY
URETHANE IT IS! THANKS GUYS.

Not so fast.

Black86 and I haven't finished deciding yet!

[Eyelawdoc]

I vote for urethane single stage as well. Years later it looks better.

[Black86]

Single stage WILL chalk up and look like POO. Ever wonder why when waxing your car that was painted a few years ago and has a single stage paint that the COLOR comes off on the wax rag??!!!
Don't take my word for it, I just made my living doing it for 15 years what do I know.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Originally posted by MikeFleming

Someone need a melted lizard? ...
-Mike Fleming
/***/

That's "molted", not "melted"!

Same weather patterns here. We completely skipped over spring time and went from cold weather to new all time highs this week.

OK to keep on topic, I am not the paint expert and appreciate all the feedback before I decide what to do on some projects. If I plan to repaint a urethane bumper skin, what is the best prep method? How do I strip the bumper skin? is it necessary to do so?

[Eyelawdoc]

The NICE thing about single stage paint is that although the surface does oxidize and look dull with age, if it is thick enough you can polish to down smooth again (many times) and it will shine like new. Quality materials in the paint formulation resist oxidation.It doesn't chip off, turn colors and molt or melt(?) like the clearcoat does. As the car ages, I believe a quality single stage paint holds up better.

Cheap or low quality single stage paint can be a real pain as it seems to oxidize almost out of the gun!

Just my $.02. If you like the clearcoat system best, that's O.K. with me !

[Pat_in_L.A.]

So before one squirts the paint, what's the best method to prep and eliminate the surface rust? Here's an article that I stumbled across:

http://www.autorestorer.com/articles/art104.html