Ok I'm seeing the light. Acrylic lacquer is not the way to go. I need to paint two new fenders, rockers and some quarter panel patches. I do not want to strip and repaint the entire K5. I'm not sure what I can paint over the old enamel and lacquer that is on the K5.
- Original paint on the 78 K5 was in single stage enamel
- The touch up in the early 80's was acrylic lacquer (so says on the saved can)
- Lacquer does not generally work well over enamel
- acrylic lacquer is pricy and not like the old stuff due to VOC laws
- acrylic lacquer is hard to come by, options are PPG or duplicolor which is all ready reduced
- acrylic lacquer often cracks as it has on the K5, also fuel likes to eat it
- Enamel can be shot over lacquer
Positives about acrylic lacquer
- CAN be painted over a factory enamel or properly applied acrylic enamel (with the correct hardener added to the acrylic enamel when it was sprayed).
- Lacquer paint is forgiving paint available in easy of application, recoating and repairing later
Acrylic Enamels
- Produces hard finish
- Need a paint booth
Paint Types
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http://www.autos.com/auto-repair/types-of-auto-body-paints
Acrylic Lacquer
The original form of automotive paint, acrylic lacquer has been around for a long time. There are some places where it’s illegal, though. Overall, this is the cheapest auto body paint you’ll find. It is also very easy to use. The main disadvantage is that it has a tendency to chip easily. It also fades from sunlight much faster than other paints and chemicals tend to break it down. Overall, this is better as a temporary fix than a permanent paint job.
Acrylic Enamel
While acrylic enamels haven’t been around as long as acrylic lacquer paints, they are one of the oldest types. Their main advantage is that they dry to an extremely hard finish. That means they hold up well in the long term. In fact, these are frequently used by the professional shops. Of course, therein lies one of the problems with these paints. They tend to be much harder to use. It’s more difficult to get a good paint job, particularly for the amateur. Baking these paints in gives a stronger finish, but that also makes them more of a “professional only” type of product. In addition, to get a proper paint job, many acrylic enamels also require a clear coat after drying. This makes the process more involved. They are more expensive than acrylic lacquer paints, too.
Urethane
One of the newest types of auto body paints, urethane, combines some of the best attributes of both acrylic lacquer and acrylic enamel paints. They are not as easy to use as acrylic lacquer, but are simpler to use than acrylic enamel. That makes them more useful for beginners. The finish produced by urethane paints rivals the finish that acrylic enamel produces. These are very expensive paints, though and some require a two part process, like some of the acrylic enamel paints. There are various types of urethane paints and Dupont Imron is one of the more popular. It is technically a polyurethane enamel paint.
Water-Based Paint
Water-based paints are the newest entry into the auto paint field. These are easy to use and produce a smooth finish. In fact, these paints are among the simplest in terms of laying down a coat. You can even use them to go over an existing paint job. The main drawback to water-based paint is that since they are very new, the color choices tend to be limited. Also, you will need to put a layer of clear urethane to protect it.
If you make the choice to do your own auto body painting, be sure you understand the differences between the types of paint. One of the main differences between the paints is the level of skill required to use them correctly. Properly estimate your own abilities before getting into a painting job, and choose paint accordingly.
good luck...
