Black is not black - a paint question.

My 1930 A is shortly before getting painted black now and I was wondering if there are good ideas or experiences from H.A.M.B.ers about how to get a good and authentic "factory" look?

My aim is to make the car look like it has been painted 80 years ago,
I don't mean faked aging like flat black, sand to the core or anything "rat rod", I mean subtle tricks to move it away from a contemporary paint job and a "new" black.

For example a pinch of red or purple to get a slight UV bleached impression? A mix with some matte black for a not so glossy finish?
Or is dark dark blue the better black?

I'd be interested in every technical trick you found out or what didn't work out.

Of course, I can talk to my painter - I will - but I want to get a headstart and I know that the collective knowledge of HAMB outplays every painter.. : )

Thanks! Best to all..

 

Acrylic laqure will give you the look you want.

 

I know what you mean. I'm not a painter by any means, but the older black cars i've seen have a blue/purple tinge to them as they oxidise. There are some pretty neat paint tricks these days, just find the right person to do it. Good luck!

 

Yeah, probably that's already the main issue...Thanks

 

Yes Jimbo, "oxidation" - I didn't come up with that word, but you got me.
Probably undoable...

 

Wellllllllll you could paint it a gorgeous black and then shoot some clear over it with a bit of flattener in it to give it a hazy look, Maybe add a touch of translucent blue to the clear?

 

I had for many years a car that was painted in black acrylic lacquer. I had to repair it many times.

Some "black" paints were black,
some were blue or purple,
and some were brown.

One batch didn't cover very well, so I let the paint settle in the can and then poured off some of the binder to increase the amount of pigment. That paint weathered really fast in the Aussie sun. I don't know if it was because of what I did, or if it was just crap paint....

With lacquer, using general purpose thinners in the top coats will give a dull finish that polishes up to look old rather than using a flattener in 2k. It polishes up in patches that follow the shape of the car and the sweep of the gun, like how paint ages in normality.

Some thing that never fails to make paint look old is to wash the car with AJAX. It comes up with a well worn dull sheen, that is genuine looking, not the fake patina so many end up with. Caustic based degreasers do a more aggressive version of this too, but I don't recommend it.

Of course, any of these things will reduce the life expectancy of your coat of paint...

 

Early T's were brush painted!

 

I've used PPG's DCC single stage paints (urethane) and then washed them like toddc stated with Bar keepers friend. Its like Ajax, but a little more aggressive, plus it doesn't have bleach in it. It worked great to match a pair of head lamps and a hood top on a clients older enamel job. It gave it the been washed hundreds of times with a bug sponge look,

 

Check out lowsquires build of his 32 roadster on here. He used a piano lacquer and it really suits. May give the look you are after.

 

My buddy painted his A with POR black and a brush, it looks really good and he gets a lot of "is that factory paint?"

 

Yep...Nitro cellulose lacquer. Apparently it was pretty cheap too.

It's the real deal and will age naturally like the real deal.

What is yours painted with Swifty?...It always looks good

 

"factory" fresh or "factory" used? Expertly sprayed black alkyd enamel would be good for the fenders. Body? maybe nitrocellose lacquer.

That should be " nitrocellulose "

 

Acrylic lacquer...

 

spray it with laquer and don't buff it.

 

Funny this should come up, I'm doing a 50 F1 panel truck for the local hardware store and he wants it back the factory green. I want to give it the factory look, not like a new basecoat/clearcoat finish and wondered how to go about it myself. I guess I need to call my PPG rep and see if lacquer is even still avavilable thru them.

 

http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NITL-GAL

 

These were most likely given a glossy enamel finish at the factory and maybe baked. An expertly applied acrylic enamel/hardener over flawless prep without rub and buff would match appearance best I think. Find some of the original finish and polish it. I think you will find a glossy finish with some slight orange peel.

 

Lacquer with a couple of table spoons of talcum powder mixed in.

Color sand.

Wash with Ajax, and wa-la!

Then drive it, use it, lean on it, and put a beer can on the cowl.

 

Exactly dynaflash. Or at the very least single stage enamel.

Don't sand all the orangr peel out before you buff it. Factory finishes all have orange peel.

As far as color midnight in the cypress swamp black is what you want. park it in the elements as often as possible but keep it waxed so you don't completely trash it. It will age well on its own.

Something I found out a couple of years back. John Deer Blitz Black is paint not primer and it will buff out. It won't buff out to that super deep glossy show car shine but looks aged when it is buffed. You might try a quart on something in your yard and buff it to see if that is the effect you are after.

 

Tractor Supply enamel (made by valspar). Gives a finish that's glossy without a lot of depth. Also helps to bake it with some heat. Not much uv resistance though. None of the cheaper enamels have it. Will last longer than lacquer and not many people I know of even know how to spray that stuff anymore.

Delstar enamel by PPG is a good quality product, but with quality comes non-OEM gloss and depth (much nicer).

Your painter can probably work with spray temperature, reducers and activators to give you the level of finish you need. Single stage paints, especially enamels are hard to shoot super slick and can naturally come out kind of OEM looking.