Just joined this forum today, but have been following this thread since it was 17 pages long!

I found this thread from a Datsun Z forum that I am a member of. I am in the process of restoring a 1968 Datsun roadster (http://www.mydatsunroadster.com if you are interested) and plan to use this method to paint my project car if I can do it justice.

Thanks to 69 for sharing this method with the world.

Anyway, I started testing the method this week on a spare hood and wanted to share some impressions and get some feedback.

I am using regular Rustoleum Rust Paint of the consumer variety in Sunburst Yellow. I am diluting it with odorless mineral spirits. I have done the first two coats by mixing 5 parts paint to 1 part spirits, which should get me between 15 and 20% dilution. The paint is pretty watery but not too thin at that ratio and the bubbles on the surface pop all by themselves.

What I've done thusfar is to load up the roller in paint around the entire roller and then roll the roller into the paint pan to remove the excess paint again. Then I've been applying the paint by pushing fairly lightly on the hood but covering the same spot many times in order to get decent coverage. The stuff does seem to self-level pretty well, but there is definitely a bit of texture there from the roller. I assume the wetsanding will take care of this (I will do my first wetsanding tonight). The paint dries very quickly and is very hard when dry.

In general my philosophy has been to apply the paint to the entire surface as quickly as possible and then come back over it once again with the roller to do a bit of smoothing, and then allow it to self-level. All of my painting has been horizontal, but it is hard to imagine this stuff running because there is such a thin film going down. Maybe that is more of a problem on vertical surfaces.

I will post pictures of the hood when it is done at the end of the week, that way it will all be in one post so it will be easier to follow.