Expert: William Forster - 1/20/2007

Question
William, I spoke to you earlier about the 1970 Rallye 350 that my wife and I are restoring. My question is about re-painting this rare beauty. It only came in the the one color sebring yellow. The entire car including the wheels and bumpers were painted this same color. I know that a urethane paint was used on the bumpers and wheels but what about the rest of the car? What kind of paint do I need to make this yellow beast look hot again? What brand would you suggest?

Answer
Hello Jerre! I paint in less than ideal conditions, and if you are doing the same, I highly recommend DuPont's chroma base and 7900-s urethane clear, with 7975 hardener. Base clear is the only way to go, and it looks dynamite. The clear is a very wet clear, meaning don't dawdle when spraying. The first coat is a tack coat, not really put on shiny and glossy. It's meant to go on, and help the next 2 coats hang on without running and siding. Also, with it being winter, you need to have the heat stay at no less than 58 degrees for 12 hours after painting. This is important, the hardener stops reacting at 58 degrees, and the clear will die back, and its life will be shortened. Don't rush the clear coat, allow it to tack up well between coats. By that, I mean touch the tape somewhere near the last panel you cleared before leaving the spray area. If the clear is still wet or slick, it's too soon to clear again. If your finger sticks to the clear on the tape, it's tacky, and it's time to clear. Don't let it get so dry that your finger won't stick without applying pressure. If you need any more specific pointers, let me know. Bill