[bluesman]

I'm crunching numbers for a 65 Bonneville Convertible project down the road. Can anyone offer a budgetary guesstimate on how many gallons of primer and lacquer paint I would need to coat this in Irish Mist? Maybe even a source where I could get a quote on the paint too?

Thanks.

Chas.

[bluesman]

I'm crunching numbers for a 65 Bonneville Convertible project down the road. Can anyone offer a budgetary guesstimate on how many gallons of primer and lacquer paint I would need to coat this in Irish Mist? Maybe even a source where I could get a quote on the paint too?

Thanks.

Chas.

[Jack Ferris]

By todays standards, lacquer is an "old school" paint system. Also, at least here in Utah, all of the paint supply stores don't even sell it. Most of the cars I do are Base/Clear systems.
As far as prices, This is what I paid for primer and paint for a 76 Trans Am Im doing for a customer.

Etching primer: 1 qt primer, 1 qt catylist 1:1
43.00.
Surface primer: Valspar Primer Gal. 44.11

Activator: Valspar Qt. 35.05

Reducer: Qt. 8.73

Base Sherwin/Williams Ultra 7000 Silver Met.
Gal. 120.00

Base coat Stabilizer Gal. 38.00

Valspar Clear/catylist/reducer package 75.00

Paint cost vary depending on color and everything depends on brand and quality.

The supplies I mentioned are not the best money can buy but they work very well and look good.

Also these are prices to Joe Blow off the street as I do this on the side.

Hope this helps..

[bluesman]

Jack,

Thanks. By the way, "Old school" could be considered my middle name these days. he he h e...From the sounds of it, your project for material in primer and paint etc.. is roughly $320.00. It's enough to give me an idea just the same. I will not be doing any finishing but just wanted a feel for the material costs at this time.

Thanks,

Chas.

[Marty Phipps]

Check around for prices, before you buy.
I'm getting ready to repaint my bird, and because I still had some of the Omni base left over.
I figured I'd get another couple of quarts to make sure I had enough.
Normally Omni is cheaper then what I paid for my paint, but the color I'm using is a high pearl so it's double the $ over normal base paint.
Went to a paint jobber close to where I live.
$55.00 per quart for the base.
Drove 8 miles to the jobber I origionally bought from
$33.00 per quart
If I'd bought a non pearl color the price would have been $15.00 per qt.

P.S.
Having sprayed just about every brand of paint available over the years.
Valspar is a considerably better paint then many give it credit for.
Painted a Mercedes 5 years ago with Valspar.
The owner abuses the car like no tomorrow.
Paint still looks very good


"Bye Bye Rice Boy"

[Jack Ferris]

Like Marty said, Valspar doesn't get the credit it deserves. It seems to be getting a better reputation though. And, most of the body shop supply stores here sell a lot of their product.

[Murf]

bluesman, The price of paint varys wildly by color. I heard once that "Iris Mist" was a very expensive choice. You might want to price the actual color from a supplier. I was pretty much "old school" too but the lacquer you get these days just ain't the same. I switched to base/clear and never looked back. Good luck.

Later, Murf

[Jeffzilla]

lacquer is basically junk. I have been a bodyman for over 20 years and I learned how to paint spot repairs using lacquer. Base clear is WAY better stuff as far as ease of application adn durability and just about anything else over lacquer. I have had real good results with the NAPA Crossfire system, pretty reasonable and seems to last pretty well.

[PetesPonies]

keep in mind the amount of material used is greatly effected by the gun you are using. A good HVLP gun will use about half the paint that a conventional gun will use. That can be a lot of money in savings!!!

Pete's Ponies
Mustang RUSToration & Performance

[irgoatmike]

One other little bit of advice, HVLP does exactly what the guys are saying, but something you may want to look into is a "compliant gun".
The Sata RP has actually beaten Hvlp guns in transfer efficiency and sprays much more like a conventional gravity feed gun. If the RP is out of your budget, then seriously look at the Sharpe Titanium CG. Good performance and a good price. Just my 2 cents worth. irgoatmike

[400 4spd.]

A few more words about paint costs. At the shop where I work we bought a gallon of PPG brand DBC base coat for a 71 GTX. The color was a plain, non-metallic red. Cost was $226. The following week I bought a gallon of light blue (non-metallic) for a DeSoto for $217. A few weeks later a gallon of B5 metallic blue was bought for a 70 'Cuda. The cost was $456!!! The paint store manager said the high cost was due to the pearl content the color requires. Since this is a rottisserie restoration and involves a color change AND the full underside, interior and engine compartment to be painted and cleared, we still need about 3 more quarts to finish it. I started out using PPG primers on this car, so it will be finished with PPG products. However, after a phone call we learned the local DuPont dealer could have sold us the same color in their top of the line ChromaPremier base for slightly over $200 a gallon.
Both brands are reduced 1:1, so they provide the same amount of sprayable product, 2 gallons.
So YES, do price comparisons, but also find out how much sprayable product you get for your money. And stay with the same brand throughout the primer and paint process. It pays. I found out the hard way.

[bluesman]

Thanks to all who have responded! If Clear-coat is they way to go, then thats what I'll do. I just threw out the word Laquer because its what came to mind. Not being familiar with the finishing process, I just wanted an idea what to expect from todays market. And yes, I have heard that Irish Mist comes with a premium price tag. I dont know why its that way but I'd like to belive its due to the process of obtaining it rather than its rare demand. And thanks for the heads up on the differences in guns too. Can any suggest any other brands to consider for this color besides the Valspar? I just wanted to keep on track with those who had good results with it.

Chas.