Clear Coat on 904 White?

[lonetreesteve]

Take a look below at this white with the rare blue interior Series I listed on Ebay. The seller states that it was painted with a "2-step process, clear over white". I thought that the 904 White was one of the few 240Z colors that didn't have a clear coat....I know that the 918 Orange did and that's what was done on my '71, but my '72 will be ready for paint in about a month and I need to know for sure. Please advise.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-240Z-2nd-Owner-Completely-Restored_W0QQitemZ300046788110QQihZ020QQcategoryZ6187QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[moonpup]

Not sure about the original paint, but if you look at the pic of the front wheel from underneath the car, it looks like there's a lot of overspray from a fairly recent(?) paint job. I believe this is the paint process he/she is referring to.

Hood hinges appear to have overspray also.

[BD240Z]

Steve,

I thought all the Z's were painted with a single stage, acrylic enamel paint system back in the 70's, including the orange.

I'm in the process of prepping my car for paint and the color will be #904 white. Sherwin Williams doesn't make a two stage #904 paint, only a single stage in the "3rd Dimension, Urethane Enamel" series. However, PPG does have the #904 two stage system available in the Omni series.

Since the car was possibly painted not long ago, it's might have a two stage paint job.

Bruce

[Carl Beck]

Steve,

I thought all the Z's were painted with a single stage, acrylic enamel paint system back in the 70's, including the orange.

Bruce

Hi Bruce (eveyone)

The Series I cars were originally painted with an Alkyd Enamel. They were cellulose based (vegetable oil) and required lots of EPA unfriendly solvents to spray. Also not very durable by todays standards they get brittle with age.

The Series II cars and forward were switched to an Acrylic Enamel.

Only the Silver and Dark Blue were "metallic" colors on the Series I cars - and thus the only one's to receive a clear coat. That was because the metallic particles mixed in the color coat could wind up on, or very near the surface of the enamel paint - that would leave them exposed to the atmosphere and leave a rough surface - so a clear coat was necessary to both seal the metallic particle in, and provide a smooth surface that could be polished etc. (this is no longer a problem with modern Acrylic Urethanes - they can be sprayed in a single stage without the need for a clear coat).

If you are using a modern Acrylic Urethane Enamel (single stage-two component type paint).. there is no real "need" to clear coat it. However it can be clear coated to enhance gloss, allow higher degrees of buffing and many clear coats enhance UV protection.

An Acrylic Urethane with a clear coat - you might call a "two step" pain job (I suppose). But don't confuse that with a "two stage" paints.

With two stage paints a color coat is applied, and it usually sprays out semi-gloss to semi-flat, then the second stage is to spray on a catalyzing top coat - that chemically bonds with the color coat - and leaves a high gloss surface.

I used PPG's - Deltron DBU (Deltron Base Urethane) on my 904 White 72 - everything is a trade-off of some type. My painter likes this product, has been using it for decades - it holds up well in the Florida Sun, and in case of an accident, it's a little easier to spot or blend in. My white 72 is my main "driver" in that I drive it to most Z Car Events, and on longer road trips. It isn't a Concours restoration...

See: <a href=http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase1/frmHome.asp TARGET=NEW> PPG's Auto Refinish Page</a>

FWIW,

Carl B.

[BD240Z]

Hi Bruce (eveyone)

The Series I cars were originally painted with an Alkyd Enamel. They were cellulose based (vegetable oil) and required lots of EPA unfriendly solvents to spray. Also not very durable by todays standards they get brittle with age.

The Series II cars and forward were switched to an Acrylic Enamel.

Only the Silver and Dark Blue were "metallic" colors on the Series I cars - and thus the only one's to receive a clear coat.

Carl B.

Carl,

Thanks for the feedback, I forgot about the metallics needing a clear-coat. Also, that means my 1970, 5/70 build date would be technically incorrect if I installed a new paint label that said #904, "acryllic enamel". This will be really helpful when I buy the new label. Thanks again!

Bruce

[lonetreesteve]

Carl,

Thank you for your informative response and the link to PPG's refinish page.

[Zs-ondabrain]

So while we're on the subject of paint, Does any one know if there is a dead-on match for the 905 red that came on the 70 240Z?

Reason I ask is I found that Chrysler industrial red is pretty damn close. I wanted to paint my engine block so I bought a can of Dupli-color DE1632 Chrysler Red ( Hi temp engine enamal) because it looked real close. Turns out that it REAL CLOSE to the orange-ish red on my Z.

So I had my paint guy at Wesco Autobody Supply mix some up for me and all he had to do was tweek it a little to make it match my gas lid that I left with him. I painted my new cowl hood with the mix from Wesco (it's OMNI from PPG) and it's a 99.8% match.

Just thought I"d let ya'll know,

Dave.

[Mike B]

Steve,

What did you end up using when you painted your 904 white car, single stage or base/clear? I have a white car that is having body work done now and will be painted when ready. I know the single state is probably more original, but I think the clear coat would probably look better (more shinny and deeper). The original paint on my car was also pretty heavily discolored from exhaust at the rear and oil leaks, etc in the engine bay. I am thinking the clear coat would help protect it more.

-Mike

[Arne]

Mine isn't white, Mike, but the 905 red I had done on my car is clear-coated. Seemed like the better way to go at the time.

[lonetreesteve]

Steve,

What did you end up using when you painted your 904 white car, single stage or base/clear? I have a white car that is having body work done now and will be painted when ready. I know the single state is probably more original, but I think the clear coat would probably look better (more shinny and deeper). The original paint on my car was also pretty heavily discolored from exhaust at the rear and oil leaks, etc in the engine bay. I am thinking the clear coat would help protect it more.

-Mike

Hi Mike,

My body & paint guy, Karl Witchie used a single-stage process using DuPont urethane paint that closely matched the original 904 White on the '72 (below). On my '71 from Arizona, he used the same process. (I plan to have him deliver the '71 very soon so I can get started on the interior and everything else).

[Mike B]

Wow, looks great Steve! Thanks for the pictures. I've probably got a month or two before I need to decide. I'm sure that with modern paint technology either way would be fine. When I had my blue car painted last year it was using base and clear, which was correct for the car since it's a metallic color, so it was an easy decision.

-Mike