"auto" Color and Clear coats...

This may be a rant more than a question... but how the hell can they sell "automotive" grade paint at NAPA and other auto stores, and none of it holds up to much of anything. I mean, a drop of gas on it and it practically evaporates the "clear coat" etc. With that said, I am not the most amazing painter etc...but I did buy some more expensive clear coat and hardener, hoping that it would not do the same thing. I find so many differing ideas and what to do and what not to do that I am just a tad dizzy at the moment. I've since tried to follow many of the instructions, and started getting all the things that are stated so that I can "prep" the areas correctly to help. I still end up getting a clear coat that melts off. So if there is a great "how to" on doing a freaking clear coat that isn't as worthless as spitting on the paint, PLEASE toss a link up here or to another post I may have missed. Thanks for any help.

RsvBruno wrote:

This may be a rant more than a question... but how the hell can they sell "automotive" grade paint at NAPA and other auto stores, and none of it holds up to much of anything. I mean, a drop of gas on it and it practically evaporates the "clear coat" etc. With that said, I am not the most amazing painter etc...but I did buy some more expensive clear coat and hardener, hoping that it would not do the same thing. I find so many differing ideas and what to do and what not to do that I am just a tad dizzy at the moment. I've since tried to follow many of the instructions, and started getting all the things that are stated so that I can "prep" the areas correctly to help. I still end up getting a clear coat that melts off. So if there is a great "how to" on doing a freaking clear coat that isn't as worthless as spitting on the paint, PLEASE toss a link up here or to another post I may have missed. Thanks for any help.

PaintWorkz wrote:

Paint from the mid to late 70's was mostly acrylic lacquer and that is what the Kawasaki Candytone paint acts like. The new urethane paints are more durable when done right, but if recommended dry times between coats are not followed, or products are mis-matched, or tank was not cleaned or prepped correctly, I can see the clear wrinkling when soaked with gas due to a poor chemical bond between base coat and clear, or original paint and primer. Also paint manufacturers say to let paint cure for 3 months before waxing, so if you gas up a one week old paint job you are asking for trouble. It takes a paint job a year to cure before it gets good and hard.

Click > kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...ew&catid=6&id=412645

Good Fortune!

Ah, this is something I have not heard before. A full year? :S I waited 3 weeks last time just in case! I hear ya on all the possible reasons (especially dry time) on why. I was hoping there was a way to help keep my paint safe instead of hiding the bike away for a year. Ugh. Thanks for the reply Patton.

Clear with hardener should be able to withstand gas spills after a few days of dry time. It just takes it a year to get totally cured.

You should call the techline at the paint manufacture of the clear and they can tell you what you are doing wrong. If you are not putting their clear over their color that is probably the first problem they will tell you about.

Really the people at the store you are buying the paint from should be able to help you if it is strictly a autobody supply store. They just tend to be a little short with off the street customers since their products are meant to be used by trained professionals.

No regular store bought crap is going to withstand gas, no matter what it says. you need to get good, expensive paint designed for automotive, spry with professional equipment, and it deffinately needs to be baked.

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Site

Best of luck!

I used the Eastwood European Clear over Duplicolor rattle can paint. Just mixed and sprayed per instructions and made sure to let it dry for a couple days like Paintworkz stated. It holds up perfectly. No issues - looks like glass. My first paint job ever.

Links:

www.eastwood.com/ew-urethane-clear-2-1-quart.html

www.eastwood.com/ew-urethane-clear-2-1-a...or-quart-2-to-1.html

I just wish they sold the activator in smaller amounts.

My thread on my paint job.

kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...ew&catid=6&id=387769