New pup old advice

[chevyrunner]

hi im new to this site and i really dont own a hot rod myself but plan on having one shortly but i do have a 92 s10 blazer and i want to give it like a old look so i decided to use a Hot Rod Black paint and we are currently painting it and my question was what kind of clear can i put on it? im not to sure on what to use. im new to this and im lookin for some older advice i would greatly appericate any advice on the Hot Rod Black paint and any feed back if anyone has used it...Thanks Matt

[brianrupnow]

Spray it black with a base-coat/clear coat system, and have whoever mixes the clear put a "flattening agent" in it.

[chevyrunner]

spraying it black will that mess up the flat look? and my other question was i was told that i could just leave it without a clear does that make sense to yall? i would have thought it would get scratched up way yo easy just leaving it without a clear....Matt

[brianrupnow]

In base clear systems the gloss or flatness is controlled by the clearcoat, not the basecoat. If you leave the clearcoat step out, the base alone will not provide the protection to the metal underneath. The basecoat is somewhat porous, like primer.

[chevyrunner]

another question inbetween the basecoats i have done sanding first with a 400 grit then with a 600 and what should i do with the third? i thought about using a 1000 grit wet sand and i am goin to be buying a flat clear coat today to put over it. How many coats of clear would you suggest me using i have 3 coats of base coats....thankls Matt

[brianrupnow]

I normally never sand between basecoats. That is something that we used to do years ago with the old nitrocellulose laquers, but is not really neccessery with the new base/clear systems. I normally spray a coat of base, wait 1/2 hour , spray a second coat of base, then wait one 1/2 hour and spray a third coat, then wait one hour and start right in with the clear. If the base has set for more than 24 hours, then a very light sanding with 600 to 800 is neccessery to make the clear adhere to the base. You can get away with 2 coats of clear, but I always shoot 3 in case I screw something up---that extra coat lets you sand any dirt out of the clear without sanding thru. Since you are going to use a flattening agent in the clear I don't think you should be doing any rubbing out after your final coat of clear.