Originally Posted by Gator67 (Post 6384474)

I spent about 50% more on materials for my 70 Formula...difference being Carousel Red in high end B/C

Originally Posted by JUDGE3 (Post 6384432)

I would like to hear what others have spent when completed doing it themselves and especially what a pro thinks a QUALITY diy job should cost? I'm guessing $5,000 ?

Originally Posted by JUDGE3 (Post 6384733)

the car will be cameo white, is it possible to not do all the wet sanding and still have a nice orange peel free paint?
Yes it's possible, and white is very forgiving. But if you are painting in the garage, in less than ideal conditions (like I do a lot) just do the best you can. Temperature and humidity as well as the temp rating of your reducer and hardeners control how the paint reacts on the surface until it either dries or cures. The other part of the equation is learning how to apply the paint wet so it flows nicely without sagging. Finding where the sweet spot is with the paint, kinda like driving with a clutch. The final factor is having a good quality spray gun and knowing how to use it. And thoroughly mix the paint and study the tech sheets. All-in-all, wet sanding is not a deal killer.

I have read in a pontiac restoration book, you can go straight from color coat to the clear coat with no wet sanding. for show quality you must wet sand the color coat.
Yes you can, BUT, I only do it if I'm painting graphics. I want a perfectly smooth surface to lay the masking on so paint won't bleed under the tape. The down side is if you remove some of the color, it could get thin. Plus, the car surface is clean, now you wet sand it and you have to clean it all over again. Not gonna do it, unless there are graphics. If you use Deltron, it sprays nice and it's easy to get a smooth surface. Let me add one thing. When you clear over white, you have to be spotless, if any dirt gets on it, remove it right away, don't bury it with more clear.

I am hoping being a white paint I can skip color coat sanding. fortunately for me I wanted the white/blue stripe Trans Am I know white shows far less discrepancies.
You have 24 hours to tape the stripes, mask the car, paint the blue, paint the clear. So you have to plan it out carefully. Painting the car is pretty much a whole day for one person.
To save time after the last color coat, wait about 40 minutes and mask the hood and deck lid. Spray the rest of the car with clear that same day. Don't clear the hood and deck. Let it sit overnight.

First thing next morning, unmask and start taping the stripes. Use blue 3M polyester tape for the edges and pinstripe. Use 3M green for the rest of the masking. Spray the blue, 2 coats. Let set for 2 hours then carefully remove the tape. Fix any bad edges or other defects with a pinstripe brush. Now clear the hood and deck lid. The stripes will be buried in clear and the edges will be smooth, and after wet sanding the edges will be gone.

Originally Posted by JUDGE3 (Post 6384762)

thank goodness the blue stripes are decals so no worries there though.

Originally Posted by JUDGE3 (Post 6385013)

It seems the base coat/clear coat method is most forgiving to fix an error.

I like the idea of single stage but from what iv'e researched its much harder to shoot flat and nice. I disagree, single stage Deltron sprays exactly like most clears. Don't get too hung up on flat finish, it doesn't always work out because of all the variables in the process. Everything needs to align perfectly for that to happen.

great info, i'm getting intimidated already and i'm not there just yet. Planning your attack is a good thing. Practice comes next.

should the evercoat superbuild be applied before epoxy primer? Superbuild is designed to go over bare metal, plastics or OEM paint, so there wouldn't be any advantage to use epoxy primer after the Superbuild. I use DPLF after all the metal work, welding, and lead work is done. I still use lead. I apply 2 coats of DPLF after I have acid washed the body. DPLF is compatible with the acid wash. A lot of painters believe in acid wash to improve adhesion. It's extra work, so paint companies try to sell products that don't require it. You can hit DPLF with a hammer and it won't chip. So DPLF is a great first coat, but it doesn't sand well. Then I use SPI epoxy primer to start and finish the blocking process. It is high build when spraying without reducer and it sands nicely. The evercoat changes color when sanding high and low spots, I just use 2 different colors of SPI to simulate the same thing. The Evercoat is Polyester which is kinda old tech, I believe that epoxy is a lot more chip resistant and corrosion resistant. Epoxy allows you to apply bondo or putty at any point during blocking.
Can't put bondo over most Polyester products. And it allows you to buy only one product for blocking and use it for final sealer coat. Just my opinion from over 50 years of doing this.