Paint question - Acrylic Lacquer

[Daniel J.]

I am looking for best place to find Dupont Lucite Acrylic Lacquer.

I want to match the paint from the last repaint (about 15 years ago)...I need to re-do about 1/2 the car.

My painter said he can only find PPG brand...does it matter?

Looking for Daytona Blue for my '63.

(I saw a thread a while ago about sources, but could not find it).

Dan

[Dick W.]

Re: Paint question - Acrylic Lacquer

Brands are the least of your worries. Color match will be your major problem. Formulas that were used 15 years ago are worthless, all the tints have been replaced or discontinued. You can get pretty close by scanning the old paint and having it mixed, but the eye of your painter will be the final step. Not many painters left that can blend lacquer. Another thing you need is a blending solvent, and I think that all manufacturers have discontinued that. You can do it with straight thinner, but not as easy. Good luck and happy hunting.

[Stewart L.]

Re: Paint question - Acrylic Lacquer

How's it going Dan? Go to Westco Auto Paint, they have several stores in the area. They are a jobber for both Dupont and PPG so they could tell you. It's best to stick with the same brand if you can, but brand probably doesn't matter at this point, the color is probably a bit faded and the new mix will probably have a slight color variation anyway. There is a lot of potential problems trying the touch up old lacquer, good luck with it.

[Stephen W.]

Re: Paint question - Acrylic Lacquer

Lacquer is so different today. When I worked in a Caddy Olds dealership we blended everything. It was not uncommon to do three different blends on the hood of a Caddy because brake fluid dripped on it while on the truck.
I never used clear over Lacquer because that was always a sure bet for durabilty problems due to film build and ultra violet screeners ( lack of)

For the blend areas you would use a normal step off to the color by extending out and flaring off your gun to make it gradual. I would always go to the slowest dry thinner in the blend coats to allow my color to "MELT" into the original color. This would keep the edge wet so it would lay down. The last coat I would use Retarder in the paint that caused a very rich slow dry and allowed my blend to sink into the original.

That was then and today we have a different product.
Its my understanding the Lacquer today will not melt in so use of blending clear is a necessary evil to eliminate scaling ( cutting thru layers of color producing a streaking effect)

Working over old Lacquer can be disasterous!
It could "explode" when fresh solvents hit it if the finish is unstable.
You will see it craze before your eyes and then you will paint the entire car.
If the finish is stable ( no excessive film build or cracking) you should be okay with a blend. Shoot the nose and loose the color in the door ( blend). Use just enough clear to sand and buff the door.

This is an air dry product so let each coat flash and do not force dry the surface. Solvents need to evaporate out of the top coat.

Never over reduce your color to blend. This will alter the color and produce unwanted results,

Never use thinner to blend. This will make your blend unstable. Even if it looks good when you do it you will see it fall apart in the sun.

If your local jobber cannot sell you Lacquer in your state see if you can order it and have it shipped to you.

Stick with the same products to enhance your chances of successful color match and durability.

Use of a wet on wet blend method may be the easiest. You need two guns. One with a blending clear mixed with a slow dry thinner.

Apply a coat of color and then wet the edge with the clear to lay it down. and protect it. When your happy with your blend apply enough clear for a light color sand and buff.

Clearcoat finishes have that deep water wet shine because they have 2 to 2.5 mil of clear over the base. Lacquer never had this depth to the finish because it was color all the way through. So you do not want your clear to make your color to look like a bc/cc finish.