hi guys got a little problem that i want some help with i have stripped the paint of part of my car and i want to reseal it with a clear but the guys at the auto shop have told me that its impossiable to put clear paint straight onto bare metal without applying primer first. i have seen several cars running around in 'bare metal' finish so i know it can be done. please help!
MOST bare metal cars are really in bare metal. If you spray straight clear over metal it will turn yellow and look like holy hell. I've heard of people using a clear sealer and using flattened clear over that, but I have no idea how that would hold up. Shiny paint always looks better IMO anyways......
Eastwood makes a product called diamond clear in hi gloss and satin specifically for bare metal. It comes in both rattle cans and quarts. I have used it and it works great with no pealing problem that I have ever experienced.
While im doing my rebuild ive coated my bare steel in a stuff called Key- phos. The guy at the paint shop reckons it can be rained on and not rust. It goes on clear so it might be worth a shot. They also said it can be painted over at a later date. Ask them if they stock it because its usually kept out back in bulk. Andy.
Theres a chopped Merc here in Oz iz Melbourne that is in bare metal cleared, been on the rod probably 12 months, not yellow. Some of the Melbourne HAMBers might know him/what he used.
I went to a house of kolor paint clinic, jon kosmoski told us that the uc-35 clear can be used for aluminum wheels, I don't see why it can't be used for bare steel. It has the most concentrate of uv protection of any clear made, It won't yellow.
yeah I dig that ride thats where I got the idea from im in melbourne so any help on products avable down hear would be great
Wow... That Merc is something else! I've used some stuff called Picklex 20 for treating steel stock from rusting. I've heard that it holds up under outdoor conditions surprisingly well. Check out http://www.picklex20.com/
Shoot the bare metal with clear adhesion promotor. then you won't have to worry about stripping the clear off when you are ready to do bodywork/prime.
Theres quite a few clears out there that will stick to bare metal, but the thing you have to watch for is that alot of them dont offer proper corrosion protection for steel. Alot of the urethane clears on the market today are meant to "breathe", so while they adhere well, they don't keep out moisture and can rust. That's why some clears that are made for aluminum won't necessarily protect steel. A couple months ago i talked to a bike builder that had a clear coat over a burnished steel tank on his chopper, and you could see tiny bits of rust starting to come in under the clear (also take into consideration the weather around here ****s, other states it might not matter). However the guy did tell me that whatever company made the clear was comng out with a new product that had acid-etching properties, and was made specifically for doing bare-metal jobs. Unfortunately, i can't remember the name of the company. It can be done, just do some homework and you'll be ok.
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