Flat/Matte Black...RatRod look paint

OK, I thought this was going to go well, but I've run into problems. I wanted to paint my friends all-out pro-mod 2500 hp drag coupe flat black for a cool ratrod look. I bought Dupont HotHues matte clear and put it over Chroma base black basecoat. All was mixed properly, sprayed well, right temperature etc........... All different degrees of gloss no matter whether I sprayed light or heavy. Dupont rep came and checked it out, then suggested ChromaClear withe Dupont flattener and activator....still not right.
He's coming up with another choice now which sounds like an acrylic single stage paint. I'm not sure this is how I want to go. This car is put to alot of test during Drag-racing and will need touch-ups etc. I need the right look with the ability to patch well.
Any ideas????
Thanks

 

there are TONS of posts about flat black paint. First thing if you want it to look like a "rat rod", is DONT USE A FRIGGIN SPRAYER. Go down to the local wal-mart, get a half dozen cans of black primer, and spray till your hearts content. Forget the brand name, shit mix brands if you want it to look right. If it chips, peels, cracks, fades, then you've got "patina". Enjoy.

 

why didn't you use Dupont Hot Hues "Hot rod black"? There is also Hot Rod Flatz (about 80 bucks a gallon)

 

I've been told by my local paint guys that the matte finish all the muscle car guys use for hoods and stripes can be achieved by simply mixing a hardener into a basecoat, and leave the clear out completely. I haven't tried it, but it's been recommended to me on more than one occasion. Should be easy to touch up and they claim it holds up really well.

 

What about John Deer "blitz black"?
I think it's a single stage paint.
For me, I use rattle cans.
David

 

I'm confused.

You want the "rat rod" (don't use that phrase around here too much, btw) look and you're spending a lot of money on paint? You even invited the DuPont rep over to look? CaddylakMan has the right way to do it, either that or spray bombs. Cheap and easy, just like "rat rods" are supposed to be.


80 bucks for a can of paint?

 

Rat Rod Pro-Mod ?

Like this one by Indocil Art and Jim Morris ?

 

whatever happened to using flattening agent (talc powder???)

You guys seem like you're trying to spend more money. lol

 

Uh did he tell you that you have to keep air moveing across it from the time you start spraying until it is cured?

Big problem with the new paint is that the clear always has problems and the guys I know that have good luck with it all say that you have to keep air moveing across at all times.

 

I am shooting flat black today on an engine compartment. I use Omni single stage. Mix 4 parts paint, 2 parts flatner, 1 part hardner. I could post a picture tonight. I am going back in the shop to put on the last coar now. I think you could do the same with a Dupont single stage black but for the flat black a cheap single stage works fine.

Same mix is on my old driver in the avatar.

John

 

I did my Electraglide both ways:
spray cans - fades, stains, looks great WD-40'd though
DP90 base coat and a matte clear (Flex n Flat) - looks great, cleans up easily

There do seem to be a lot of threads in HAMB that have done exactly the same.

I ended up doing some repainting though, due to air flow. I didn't have enough air moving in my garage "spray booth" and if you don't you won't get proper flashing and you won't get the "suede"

 

Have you seen the truck on the cover of kar kulture deluxe? the ford with the flames? that was trim paint (for windshield wipers and bumpers and things like that). most brands of paint make a trim paint and it is durable. that is his daily driver and it has looked like that for at least 4 years stored outside. if you really must know i can ask him what brand he used but it should all come out about the same.

 

I painted 2 vehicles in a 1 car garage with PPG's DP90. Thicker it goes on the less flat it is and gives it the suede look. Occasionally wipe it down with WD-40 to keep the look rather than it powdering. Fairly Cheap, but not any cheaper that the typical rattle can p-job. I recommend the DP-90. AND you CAN pinstripe over it. Some say that you can't.

 

Only problem with trim paint is it washes off if ya spill gas on it.

 

If you can, I would like to see when its done. I use to go down to Neosho and race quarter-scale RCs at a track out in the country! Last I knew it was shut down, but its a hell of a big track!

 

dont forget the red rims!

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone. Yeah we probably are throwing alot of money at it. But this is a professional Outlaw Street car and it the owner wants it to look professional. He is old enough to have been around when the original primer black suede look was new and I'm trying my best to convince him to try it. However, it has a removable nose and doors which mean the paint has to be durable as well as "patchable". It's an under 7 second racecar and I think it will look cool with this look. I'm just having trouble getting it right.
The paint on the Indocil Art and Jim Morris's car has the look, do you know what he used?
Thanks for your feedback.

 

No offense taken, and sorry if I came off sounding like a jerk. I just have no problem saying it like I see it. If you want it cheap and easy, then go cheap and easy. If you want something more, than I can understand that. But shit... if I had a 7 second car... I'd put a nice shiny paint job on it if I could afford it. To be honest... I'd put a nice shiny paint job on just about anything if I could afford it. Only reason my caddy might see a few months in primer, would be to get the body work right, and then have it painted

 

I second the rattle can boggie...after a coat is applied and dried....usually the time it takes to drink a coors...hit it with 000 steel wool.

 

In a game where winning and losing can be separated by a hundredth of a second, I would have thought a flat finish would be out of the question. Let me add, that I ain't that into racing and may be whistling through my bum.

 

Done 4 32 Fords with good ole Krylon Semi Flat Black. Easy touch up, fairly tough, pinstriped over it. Finger just gets a little tired.

 

Got anymore pics of this car Unkl Ian, or a site to check it out more? Thanks

 

That was posted here by Indocil.
Use the Search for "pro Mod" or Pro-mod" or something like that.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php

 

SEM trim blk,i think looks the best,goes on even.and is easy to tuch up.its very transparent so i usaly put it over a cheap primer like transtar hot rod blk.

 

I'm constantly amazed that people who want a flat or semi-flat finish use *clear* to accomplish that! If you want a consistant, durable, matchable semi-flat black then use a single stage urethane w/flattening agent. Usually a 2-to-1 ratio will give you semi-flat (always do a test panel), but I would ask your paint jobber about the proper amount of catalyst to go with that. BTW I've been painting for over 43 years.; professionally for 35 (I'm 52).
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Pardon my driving; I'm reloading.

 

I have been painting a few years and use flatteners in a variety of single stage applications. I use them on some chassis, underbodies and engine compartments and have used the same paint in a variety of finishes or sheens if that is what you want to call them. I spray a little wet while one of my guys used to spray pretty dry. We both used to mix the same paint a little different trying to get the same effect. Flattener is really easy to use. Just practice a bit with it to get the right look and write it down (the exact %) so you can touch up in the future and get the same look. Recently I did some touch up under the hood and I can't tell myself and I know what I painted.Once you start using it properly you will continue to use it with good results.-Jim

 

man i use the john deere blitz black its about 30 bucks a gallon mixes 10 to 1 ,i painted my dads truck 3 years ago sat in the sun every day and it was drove every day sold it 3 mos ago,it still looked just like the day it was sprayed.jd is a single stage semi flat industrial paint,if its good enough for those tractors its strong enough for most hot rods and it dont cost a crap load.

 

LOL... that's really funny, all the old guys I talk to say there never was a primer/suede look back in the day. Yeah it your car wan't finished it may be primer, but no one did it for a "look".....

And beware of Blitz Black... if he wants to paint it again after this it'll need to be stripped down...

 

you mean RIMZZ??

 

I'm not sure if this is of any help to you, but I *rolled* my Chrysler with a single layer of regular semi-gloss Histor-brand household-paint out of a can.



*Ignore the Bling-item going in the engine bay for now please...


I "scraped" down the previous layer of chalked lightblue paint down to the factory original color, wrubbed a towel with thinner over it, and had a go with a small brush for the hard to reach areas, some rounded rollers and semi-gloss paint...









Here the paint is stil wet;


...and dry here,