so what's the step by step recipe? I have a small project to do and Id like to experiment iwith a (AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO) traditional candy Apple red paint job and some flake. It's a fiberglass seat from an alsport trike. Probably going to flex and vibrate bit. So what's your step by step recipe.
I always liked a metalic gold base. I think it gives it a deeper tone. The silver metalic base always seems too bright. Here's a car I had in 73 that was gold base. Had some chocolate brown on the kick panels.
Bailon used Gold base and then sprayed red toner over the top of it. About the same time, Joe Ortiz made "Chicano Purple" which was silver base + a purple toner. I grew up in Hayward.
Gold is what I've heard Metalic gold? or flake? Or some mica? Red candy? or red tinted clear coat ? Followed by regular clear?
I was talkin with a guy at the Syracuse Nats this summer that had a Bitchin Willys gasser, and he said he used a green base coat!?!
When Bailon first made it, there was no Flake, or red tinted clearcoat. You have lots of options today that weren't available in the 50's.
Ok, so what's the options, And what's wrong with doing it like they did back then, the concept. Modern material
can you tint water base clearcoat? a couple weeks ago i saw an old thunderbird drive past me, as it came toward me the sun was at my back, it was a nice dark candy/burgandy, as it went past and the sun angle changed it turned black, great looking color.
I'm partial to a HOK Orion Silver base with the HOK Candy Red. Of course it needs to be jazzed up a bit with a light flake job.
I was told that Darrell Starbird used a gold that looks like yellow curb paint under his candy colors.
I had a HOK factory rep tell me to try pink with a pearl under Candy red. I tried it on a Harley and it did look great, made the red really pop. Personally though I still like it over a gold base, it's not as loud, in your face bright red but just rich and classy.
To get a real candy red it shoud be over gold base heavy or fine metalic flakes its up to you, you can also try it with a little bit of silver in it for something different try putting some different base colors on a test piece of metal then put the candy red over them all then pick what you like just remember how many coats of candy paint goes on it changes how light or dark it comes out.
Gold base for a "warmer" tone of red, while silver or shite pearl gives a brighter, purer red color. Darker metallics for darker colors, so you dont' have to put as many coats of red on it to get it dark. Do test panels. There are so many color tones and variations, it will driv eyou crazy! I've found in most cases, the base just provided the metallic-ness and the shade of the final color. Changing the actual color of the base didn't really change the final outcome color very much, more effect on the shade than the color, though lighter colors can be affected by the base colors (of course!)
I painted my AA/FD in Candy Apple Red on a silver base coat initially. Before I did this, I did get opinions from others as to which base to use. Most told me to use gold but, for some reason, I could not mentally see gold under red so I painted it in a silver base with the candy over it. It ended up looking good but, not what I wanted so, I ended up doing it over with a gold base and am much happier. The combo I used was House of Kolor Candy Apple Red with their gold base. Then cleared it. Looks like what I wanted in the first place.
Now is this basically the same as the OEM tri-coat coats on the new cars. Base, intermediate tinted clear, top coat clear. And if I wanted to add flake it would be in the intermediate coat or in the first coat of top coat clear?
You don't really want the flake too much closer than the surface. It will be a different color and look like dirt, or dust. If I want to put extra flake in the job, I always put it into the first coat of candy. That way it gets colored by the subsequent coats. The difference between OEM and custom tricoat, is that OEM uses a base that is the same color as the candy color, so it is easier to cover, and not get get streaking and blotching. You still have to be dilligent in your spray technique, but it MUCH more critical with custom paint using a different color base. OEM colors also use the same color pearl as the basecoat, so the "flake" is not nearly as prominent as with a custom metallic basecoat. But that is why custom paint also looks so much better.
Painting Candy Apple Red over any base will change the "tone" of the red according to the base. If you use a Gold base it will be a deeper red. If you use a Silver base it will be brighter red. Using a Green base will make it look more like a real Candy Apple. If you use a dark base like a tan or a brown it will make the candy red look almost purple. As for the flexing if you get some Adhesion Promoter it will help a lot, but I think there is an additive that you can put into the paints to make them stay flexible but still get hard like it should.
I'm going to do my dash this winter in boat flake (big stuff), and what I'm thinking (upgrading from a rattle can painter) is laying down a clear coat, waiting for it to get tacky, then blowing on dry gold flake and making sure it lays flat before covering it all in candy red, which is mostly clear, then a UV clear on top of that. The difference from modern tri-coats, was that one layer of candy doesn't look good, and you have to keep adding layers until it gets to the shade you like. Depending how dense your flake is layed on, you may not see behind it, so you wouldn't need a base coat. Probably what would work on your seat. P.S. There's a lot of youtube videos on candy and flake painting.
Picked up PPG vibrance collection. Uses deltron based product line. Expensive. base coat is "fine gold" The candy, or mid coat is vibrance collection sunset red = "DBC500 color blender" with some dye 30/1000 ths only. So that's not much at all. Topcoat with clear of my choice. Also picked up some "vibrance big flake" in gold and some DBC500 to deliver the flake per PPG product sheet. Guy at the paint store said "its all experimentation, but he would put the flake down after the candy or mid coat and then clear it for gold flakes" does that sound right? This should be fun, hope it comes out ok. Got a couple test panels to try it on but they are flat. The seat doesn't have many flat surfaces.
. ~86 Cyrysler minvan Red (I think it's called cimaron or iridescent red depending on the year mopar used it) has a slight/fine gold flake. It's a beautiful luxurious red that mopar used on/off for years. If you want it to look more candy then have the paint shop cut the amount of fine metal flake in half when they mix the color. You'll be impressed especially when under the street lights or when the cars in the shade on a lazy afternoon. -Beautiful deep luxurious color. jmho .
I also will do the pearl mixed in the first couple coats of Candy. Gives a whole lot more pop in the sunlight. This is silver metallic base, alabaster white pearl in the first two coats of candy, two straight coats of candy, then clear....
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