Help on painting my car

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Help on painting my car

Postby thill944 » Thu May 19, 2011 9:12 pm

I have a 1983 Lebaron Mark Cross Convertible. It has the factory paint still on it but needs to be repainted. Does anyone know what kind of paint the original is: lacquer, acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer??? Also I don't want to have to prime the whole car if I don't have to. Can I just repair the scratches and prime them with a sanding primer-then rough up the old finish with sandpaper? I will need to paint the bumpers also, are they plastic, poly.. ..do I need to use a different paint on these? What kind of paint do I need to use? I will be spraying the car. I have painted a couple of cars in the past but is has been 30 years or so, so the paints have changed. I don't want to spray something on that's going to eat the paint that's already on there. Any info would be appreciated.
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby Jacks1986Lebaron » Fri May 20, 2011 4:41 am

I personally do not know, but I would think the Automotive paint store where you would go and buy the paint for your model of car would be able to tell you exactly what is on your car and what options you may have if you do not want to use the same type of paint. As well, as being able to tell you what you will have to do to the finish on there before repainting it with the type of paint you decide to go with.

Let us know how it all goes!!
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby K-CAR_WAGON » Fri May 20, 2011 2:08 pm

There is some information of 1983 original Chrysler paints and paint cross references at this website.

http://moparattitude.com/cgi-bin/chipdi ... yes&page=1

http://moparattitude.com/cgi-bin/colorc ... 83&rows=50

http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1983/83Paint/index.htm

As far as I know to do it properly and have it last you need special formulated primer/special formulated paint for the bumpers which has additives allowing flexing without cracking. Some of the bumper paints are also formulated for added resistance to chips / scratches.
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby Pete in NH » Fri May 20, 2011 2:20 pm

Hi, like yourself I have not done any paint work in many years and have been researching current paint systems to use with my newly acquired 86 Reliant. Your car was origianlly painted in acrylic enamel which was what Chrysler used back in the 80's. Is your car a solid color or metalic? Chrysler was beginning to offer metalics with an early clear coat back then. Those paints as well as acrylic laquer are still available although the new paint systems are much more durable. If you keep you car garaged and wax it frequently the older paints may be fine and are easy to use compared to the newer paints. You will need a flex additive when painting the plastic bumper coverings.

My advice to you would be pick a company and paint system an research their products. I'm going to use PPG because I've used their products in the past and like them. I'm sure others will chime in with other suggestions. One thing you will discover is that paint and supplies have gotten very expensive and the cost of first line paint and supplies can easily exceed the cost of our cars when repainting a complete car. For example PPG's first line Deltron system the paint is around $75 a pint and that's just the paint not including reducer or hardner. PPG also offers a second line product called Shopline which is about half to two thirds the cost and may be more that good enough for our cars. One thing I would caution you on involving the newer paint systems is that most are two part products involving mixing a hardener in and are quite hazardous to your health if handled improperly.

You may be able to stay with an older paint system such as a laquer based primer surfacer and a acrylis enamel or laquer top coat but I'm sure many people today will try to talk you out of it. You will not find mauch information on the old products as almost no one uses them anymore. I hope some of this has been helpful and we can certainly continue the discussion if you would like.
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby thill944 » Tue May 31, 2011 6:38 pm

My car is one color-Sable Brown. Actually with Woody Trim and being a convertible there isn't a whole lot to paint-bumpers, hood, trunk, a little here, a little there. I think I'll just go with the Acrylic Enamel since that was the original paint I think. The car is always garaged and never driven in the winter or rain.

Terry
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby 88 aries » Tue May 31, 2011 10:17 pm

dont even waste your money on the enamel paint... I have had many problems, one occured last year, my 1988 Dodge aries; my dad has painted cars before, but this time we had fish eyes in the paint, and on top of that the paint did not match, so its currently in my garage sanded down and is soon to be painted in its original color with PPG base, and PPG clear coat.
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby Pete in NH » Fri Jun 03, 2011 1:13 pm

Hi 88 Aries,
I suspect when all the heavy metals like lead were removed form the older acrylic enamel formulations the paint was not the same as before in terms of durability and gloss. While that may have satisfied the EPA it did little for the users of the paint. As I posted earlier in this thread I'm kind of in a paint research mode right now and would be interested in your experience with the PPG base/ clear coat newer paints. Which PPG line are you looking at? I've been looking into both Deltron and Shopline. The Deltron line is avaible locally but very expensive. The closest shopline distributor is about and hour and a half from me. So, I'm curious as to what your experience was when you paint your car.
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Re: Help on painting my car

Postby floranicolas » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:54 am

Lacquer does tend to be shinier when new compared to enamel (if both are done right), but fades faster. You have to be pretty bad at painting to do a lacquer job so it's not shiny. Besides temp considerations, it could also be from holding the gun too far from the surface, too low of a percentage of thinner, or air pressure too high.Certainly not lacquer or even enamel, assuming we're talking a total repaint, and not a blend job.Lacquer that dries fast will not be shinny is correct.
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