My '51 Merc was repainted in its past life probaby more than 20-25 years ago. There are some pics here in my HAMB album. Are they any telltale signs to identify the type of paint used? It is definitely a single stage high gloss and was obviously cut and buffed to a mirror-like shine. I'll ***ume it wasn't urethane back then, but possibly enamel? Acrylic enamel? Lacquer? I think Ford in '51 used a baked enamel, but I can't be sure the repaint was the same. It tends toward brittleness and chips fairly easily, but it isn't cracked or crazed anywhere. I rubbed some lacquer thinner on it and it doesn't soften the paint or discolor the rag. I'd like to do some touch up work and would like to match/blend the color and texture. How can I find out what's on it now?
From what you have described and the time frame of the refinish, the best guess is acrylic enamel probably with a hardner/catalyst added. There are new or current paints and materials that can repair and match your paint and you will need to find a craftsman willing and experienced to do a good job tinting and matching color and making a repair that is not noticable. Getting a perfect panel paint match, which involves painting a complete panel or section like a fender or hood, is difficult at best. Blending paint on panels with todays materials involves blending the color into the panel and then using a clearcoat over the entire panel to hide the color blending. Catalyzed paints do not melt into the existing/old hardnened paint film like lacquer paints which remain soluable. The gloss and texture can be matched using the color blending and clearcoating type of repair and it would be best to find someone experienced and look at some examples of repairs to see if that will be what you expect. overspray
Hey Mike, As overspray pointed out, so well, you could find a well skilled painter who may blend in the colour, tone & correct amount of gloss or peel, but you may just be ''cheatin' the hangman"! If the existing finish is 20-25 years old, & '' brittle & chips fairly easily '', it will continue to do so, but the repair won't age as the existing finish. I'd consider hockin' the first born, and punt for a complete repaint. Patchwork paint repairs done well, can run into tall coin As for what's on the finish now? It may well be an early urethane from that time period. Ditzler( now PPG) had a urethane in its' product line going back to the early 70s called Delstar/Delthane. It was nasty *** stuff to shoot, but flowed well and wore like iron. If you were good with a polisher, it would look like lacquer to the untrained eye, once cut and buffed Whatevers' on there now be it acrylic enamel, epoxy or a urethane, it sounds like the resins in the finish are 'bout to go ''supernova'' on you " Life ain't no Disney movie "
I too would like to know as I just got a 51 Chevy and it doesn't look bad... It doesn't look good either. But it's straight and no rust minimal body work would be needed. But I don't want to spray good expensive paint over a substrate that I have no idea about. I know that I should take her to bare metal. But I don't want to unless it's a last resort. Any way to tell for sure? Thanks... I didn't mean to hijack this post but I think we're trying to figure out the same thing and didn't want to start another on a topic so similar Thanks guys Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Hey, The more layers of paint material a vehicle has upon it, the more chances it has for paint failure! Shooting good paint over bad is 'bout like pissin into the wind and wondering why ya got wet! Whatever type of finish that's on there now doesn't matter, it sounds like it's time for a bare-metal respray!
I was, 30-35 years ago! I think 1972 was the first time I saw it used inna shop. Even a twenty-five year old Imron job is probably gettin alittle long in the tooth by now!
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