Paint for re-painting stripe on 81 SN

MaddMarxx wrote: we used PPG base coat/clear coat! its not cheap!

Same here, I think it's the way to go. The old rustoleum enamel worked great for years but there are much better products available.

I guess an advantage of the enamel is you can brush or roll it on if you don't have spray equipment and then wet sand and buff it out. It's still more prone to sun fade though than a base/clear.

we used PPG base coat/clear coat! its not cheap!

bk_broiler wrote: After the paint then you just buffed and polished the entire surface (paint and gel?) Thanks for all the help!

I sprayed a clear coat over the color then wet sanded and buffed it all but I used an automotive paint which required the clear. The film thickness of the rustoleum will probably be thick enough to just wet sand and buff like you stated but you will need to be careful or you'll buff it right off. Ask about clear over the rustoleum, if it's compatible that's what I'd do.

bk_broiler wrote: I just wanted to go into the conversation with some knowledge :). One more quesiton. I'm doing all the prep work myself. How smooth should I get the paint surface before I mask it and take it to the paint shop? I'm doing the 600, 800,1000, heavy 3m buff, medium 3m polish, finnesse-it method :) I'm currently on the 800 (removing the old paint stripe took a while at 600, but now I am moving along nicely). SHould I only do the heavy buff before paint, or can I go all the way to finesse it?

That's another question for the body shop, they will not be spraying a primer and I'm sure they don't want the surface glass smooth. If I remeber correctly I think I went to 800 then the 3m compound and stopped.

I just wanted to go into the conversation with some knowledge :).

One more quesiton. I'm doing all the prep work myself. How smooth should I get the paint surface before I mask it and take it to the paint shop? I'm doing the 600, 800,1000, heavy 3m buff, medium 3m polish, finnesse-it method :) I'm currently on the 800 (removing the old paint stripe took a while at 600, but now I am moving along nicely). SHould I only do the heavy buff before paint, or can I go all the way to finesse it?   

Hey folks,

I've read over a bunch of old discussions on here about re-painting as part of a restoration, but most of those seem to concern replacing the gel-coat. Not my intent. I am in the process of sanding and buffing the gel on my 1981 Nautique. I have gerbermask all ready to mask off the graphics, and I'm working with a paint shop to have the painting done.

However, I don't know the precise primer/paint combo to have them use. Am I right that I should have them use a linear polyuerethane? If so, brand recommendations?

Again, this is for re-placing the original factory paint work, OVER the gelcoat on an 81.

Thanks!

Brian