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Can someone refer me to a shop or individual who would do a decent job(minor body work) and spray my '69 GTX on a 3-$4,000.00 budget that I have to hold to? Am I way out of line to think someone would do it for this amount? I live approx. 1 hr. north of Detroit. If anyone could help me out I'd really appreciate it in a BIG WAY!! Please p.m. me or call 810-392-3781 Sincerely, Randy Borawski

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I thought back, and I thought I could have done enough wrong with my first test to have my paint turn out as easily scratchable as it was. On my test area, I preped the surface with 150 then dusted with a rag, and I used water to clean the foam roller (not a good idea, and not fun). It could be I had dust left on the surface, and/or got some water mixed in with the paint mixture as I applied it (since I reused a roller that had some water hiding in it).

so I'm trying it again using the same stuff, but this time I'm using only mineral spirits to clean the roller, and I sanded the surface with 80, then 240, then cleaned it with mineral spirits and a rag and let it dry.

So I've just applied the first coat..and I'll scratch test each coat until I'm done.

I wonder how the "clear" rustoleum would do, if applied full strength (or thinned?) over a 6 coats of thinned color (+ wetsanding). It might help a bit with gloss or add to scratch resistance.

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well i can tell you this, after prepping the car i do clean the car with a rag soaked in mineral spirits because it does a good job removing old wax, and other deposits that could hamper the adhesion of the new paint. i can say that i did notice now that i think about it that when i reassembled the car the paint was still quite soft, where in some spots if for example if i mounted a mirror it would "dent" the paint. but this was on my beetle that i did in the dead of winter. now, the paint is rock hard, but shortly after it was done it was'nt. it does need time to cure, it takes about a month to harden i would guess, but that depends on the temperature, how much mineral spirits, ect...since the paint does "solvent dry", which is why i used that paint in the first place. i can say that despite all this, the paint is perfectly stable to be wetsanded overnight, and buffed the next day after application and even waxed, even though the paint is'nt completely "hard" it seems totally inert and is not effected by waxing before it is totally "cured". i only know this because i've painted like 5 cars this way and never had a problem. as for using the "clear" coat, i know it's made by the same company, and specifically designed to be used over this paint, but i think once you apply it, the workability of the paint ends there. besides i did try a fender a long time ago with the clear coat and did'nt really notice a difference in the end product, it was no more "shiny" that the part with just the paint. also like i said, if you get a scratch later, and you have a clear coat it would be really hard to touch it up and then wetsand and polish it out. trust me i had to do this several times when i got scratches, and when people open doors on my car in a parking lot. i've become so good at it that i could repair a chip right thru the paint and you'd never know where it was. when you finish with just the paint, at anytime down the road if it ever gets dull, or scratched, all you do is buff and polish and the paint once again is new.
i'm not a sciencetist, but i do know this stuff works and is extreemly durable. remember that by the time you get the rest of the car done, and all together that paint will be hard. i was originally told to use this paint by a body shop that was painting my 1968 mustang and under the vinyl roof they gave me the option of painting with some special ppg stuff that would cost me an extra $200, or just use rust paint. it was a "old timer" biker dude that was painting my car and he said the new tremclad (at the time about 13yrs ago) was a acrylic enamel or something like that, he said it is the same stuff as any other and i should just use that and save some $$$. i agreed and it was only a few years later when i had to paint my 85 honda crx, that my wife said lets just paint it using a roller, at the time i was broke, and my car looked like crap with the original paint that was really bad. in one day i rollered the car with my wifes help at my cottage, it was white, and we painted it black, no wetsanding nothing , and the car looked great, drove it for another 3 yrs on that paint job and it looked awesome.

exit1965- honestly if your happy with your test pannel results, based on only apperance, shine, and think you could pull off doing the whole car the same way, i guarantee that you will like the end result, you seemed to pull off a good system and i have confidence that you can do a really good job. don't be worried about the paint and how it chips and scratches now only a week after painting it, trust me it gets rock hard, "i'm not only the president, i'm also a client"

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69charger - I think you're right, I need to let it set for awhile before I try to scratch test it, and I was happy with the look that it had and the ease of application.

The most convenient option is to switch to the "professional" line at Lowes to get even better scratch resistance (supposedly) without going to an industrial type. I was looking at a can of the professional stuff the other day, and it says to thin with Acetone.. didn't mention mineral spirits.

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honestly i would stick with the paint your using, it's what i know works. i'm almost 100% sure that your using the same stuff i used (ie. tremclad) the professional stuff is thinned with acetone, and i think it is very different paint. trust me, this paint is rock hard when fully cured, i would say it is at least 3 times more scratch resistant than any modern car that has a base/clear paint job. like on my 2002 mustang gt, you could put a empty box on it and slide it scratching the car. i know you might doubt me but i can honestly say it is really tough. stick with what is working, if your happy with it just do it, a few months later, maybe faster if it's hot where u are and if you leave it in the sun alot, you will be extreemly impressed with how hard the paint gets. even if you use the paint straight out of the can, like i have on a motor cycle tank, it does stay "soft" longer, but eventually hardens the same, only it takes longer. do the car, by the time you put it all back together and have it on the road the paint will be fully cured, stick with the paint your'e using.

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honestly i would stick with the paint your using, it's what i know works. i'm almost 100% sure that your using the same stuff i used (ie. tremclad) the professional stuff is thinned with acetone, and i think it is very different paint. trust me, this paint is rock hard when fully cured, i would say it is at least 3 times more scratch resistant than any modern car that has a base/clear paint job. like on my 2002 mustang gt, you could put a empty box on it and slide it scratching the car. i know you might doubt me but i can honestly say it is really tough. stick with what is working, if your happy with it just do it, a few months later, maybe faster if it's hot where u are and if you leave it in the sun alot, you will be extreemly impressed with how hard the paint gets. even if you use the paint straight out of the can, like i have on a motor cycle tank, it does stay "soft" longer, but eventually hardens the same, only it takes longer. do the car, by the time you put it all back together and have it on the road the paint will be fully cured, stick with the paint your'e using.

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You're the man when it comes to this, and what you suggest makes sense to me. The stuff I used I was happy how it looked and how it went on.. I will do the same process on my new test area then stick it outside in the sun for awhile. I need plenty of time to do bodywork, welding and grinding anyways so I can wait a bit.

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You're the man when it comes to this, and what you suggest makes sense to me. The stuff I used I was happy how it looked and how it went on.. I will do the same process on my new test area then stick it outside in the sun for awhile. I need plenty of time to do bodywork, welding and grinding anyways so I can wait a bit.

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i'd just get on the body work so your car could be done. faster you paint your car, the faster your crusin

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a non member emailed me this:

Thank-you for contacting Rust-Oleum Consumer Brands Canada
The Rustoleum Stop Rust and the Tremclad are both about the same products, They are both Alkyd oil based products However the Stop Rust is not sold in Canada and the Tremclad is not sold in the United States.

You will not find the colour you are looking for in Canadian retailers.
If you have any other questions please contact us at 1-800-387-9879.

Regards,
Rust-Oleum Canada Technical Support"

Thanks again
~Steve

so i think EXIT1965 is using the same paint as i did. that should clear it all up rust fighter and stop rust are the same product, just labeled differently in different states. so use the stop rust/rust fighter if you want the equivelant paint that i used; tremclad

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I talked with Rustoleum tech support a bit earlier. I got only fuzzy answers. I asked what the difference between the "professional" and not was, and she told me at first that the professional is available in gallons and dried quicker. I asked if the "dried quicker" applied to the non-spray version and she said yes. She didn't mention anything about durability until I asked her, then she said "the professional is for more industrial applications so the durability is better". talk about fuzzy. it did sound nice though.

She also said that despite the "professional" can not mentioining mineral spirits, they test with both acetone and mineral spirits so min spirits should be fine.

So I think, since I'm a bit of a ways off of painting yet, I'll try the process with the professional stuff and mineral spirits. The price difference is only about $1.20 for the smaller container and if it is any more durable that will be welcomed and will obviously be worth the price difference. I will find out if it will shine like the cheaper stuff did, and the durability can (should) only be better.

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a non member emailed me this:

Thank-you for contacting Rust-Oleum Consumer Brands Canada
The Rustoleum Stop Rust and the Tremclad are both about the same products, They are both Alkyd oil based products However the Stop Rust is not sold in Canada and the Tremclad is not sold in the United States.

You will not find the colour you are looking for in Canadian retailers.
If you have any other questions please contact us at 1-800-387-9879.

Regards,
Rust-Oleum Canada Technical Support"

Thanks again
~Steve

so i think EXIT1965 is using the same paint as i did. that should clear it all up rust fighter and stop rust are the same product, just labeled differently in different states. so use the stop rust/rust fighter if you want the equivelant paint that i used; tremclad

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I talked with Rustoleum tech support a bit earlier. I got only fuzzy answers. I asked what the difference between the "professional" and not was, and she told me at first that the professional is available in gallons and dried quicker. I asked if the "dried quicker" applied to the non-spray version and she said yes. She didn't mention anything about durability until I asked her, then she said "the professional is for more industrial applications so the durability is better". talk about fuzzy. it did sound nice though.

She also said that despite the "professional" can not mentioining mineral spirits, they test with both acetone and mineral spirits so min spirits should be fine.

So I think, since I'm a bit of a ways off of painting yet, I'll try the process with the professional stuff and mineral spirits. The price difference is only about $1.20 for the smaller container and if it is any more durable that will be welcomed and will obviously be worth the price difference. I will find out if it will shine like the cheaper stuff did, and the durability can (should) only be better.

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Exit1965, I have to say that it is really strange about the Acetone and mineral spirits thing. I have two cans of the professional here in my house. The flat black from just last fall and they both say to thin with Rustoleum thiner and cleaner or mineral spirts. And do not thin with gasoline, lacquer thinner, turpentine etc.
I also read the label closer and there is a small block on the side labeled NJ and PA right to know. And guess what it says the professional line has in it-Alkyd Resin. While right on the front it says oil based so it appears that oil based can also be alkyd based and that our products are probably similar to the Tremclad. Anyway no pressure but we are awaiting your test panel with the professional line to see if there is a difference.
Todd

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Yes I should have some results by the weekend sometime.

I bought the quart of professional today at lowes, V7570 almond (a number I cannot find anywhere online..). It says thinning not needed for brush or roller, if sprayed, thin up to 15% with acetone.

This one doesn't say anything about alkyd resin that I can find, it does say that "the product contains chemicals known to the state of calfornia to cause cancer..". I am guessing various states have various legal things written on the paint cans, I do wonder if the mixtures are all the same. This can says Max VOC 450 g/l.

William - glad to read that this professional stuff is more durable in your experience. Who knows, if it comes out nice we may be packing this stuff up and sending it to our friends in Canada.