Stage One Paint

[Tom M.]

I have a red ' 66 that is being prepped for paint. Car is being readied for judging. It was suggested I might go with this Stage One paint process. Looking for feedback on this. Other choice enamel with clear coat.
Need all help I can get... an important decision
Thanks

[Edward S.]

Re: Stage One Paint

Tom,

As always much of the info your looking for would depend on what your looking to do with the car down the road. Give us a little better idea what your intentions are and I am sure the info your looking for will be provided.

[Tom M.]

Re: Stage One Paint

Thanks for the response. We are interested in readying the car for an NCRS Top Flight, but long term it will not be a trailer queen we will enjoy driving short distances to shows. Our intentions are to keep the car long term
Tom

[Jack H.]

Re: Stage One Paint

OK, for NCRS judging purposes there are 4500 total points. Paint used to be a 170 point line item (3.8%). But, years ago, it was changed to two separate line items:

Color: 85 points
Body Paint: 45 points originality and 40 points condition

This was done to be more tolerant of those unable to find correct/original lacquer paint and/or those who really wanted to make their car into a less than 100% historically correct restoration (use urethane or enamel instead of lacquer for improved longevity in a driver situation).

So, the decision is simply a matter of trading judging points for your objective with the car. If you use enamel with a 2-step (base coat/clear coat) application, expect to receive 50% credit during Flight judging.

You should get full credit for paint Color (85 points), but lose 85 points on the Body Paint line item. Why?

Well, savvy judges should detect the subtle difference between real McCoy lacquer and enamel/urethane. Plus, the factory did NOT add a clear coat protecting layer and there's a standard deduction rule that requires judges to take a Full deduction here (both originality and condition points).

Now, the key operative in the text of our judging rules is 'obvious'. There ARE some painters who can blend enamel/urethane to achieve a finished paint texture that's SO CLOSE to that of the original lacquer, that it's 'undetectable'. And, there ARE some painters who will blend color into their final clear coat and then apply the paint in such a manner that the final clear coat is NOT 'obvious'.

These cars can escape detection during judging and grab all 170 points. BUT, most painters do NOT have experience with doing a 'correct' factory concours paint job. They're highly skilled in turning out concours d'elegance work (make it look REALLY good--MUCH better than factory original).

So, most who try to have their cake and eat it too, wind up being disappointed on the judging field with the results of their judging score. Bottom line, it's your car and you should do with it what you want. It's not a matter of being 'picked on', it's a matter of NCRS upholding the club's judging standards (no better/no worse than factory production) and some can't understand that...

[Michael M.]

Re: Stage One Paint

Tom to answer your question about single-stage paint that's exactly what it is a single-step paint process. If your color red is solid not metallic, you can use a single -stage paint and come very close to the original appearance of lacquer. It depends on how much buffing you want to do for the final finish. All your major paint compaines have single-stage paint. Remember NO clear.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Stage One Paint

I've also seen cars with base/clear get deductions only for "over restoration" at about 12 points total. (Might have gotten less but they purposely got rid of the orange peel) However, to do this you and your painter have to have some frank discussions about how the car should be painted, and they should know how to use various glosses of clear coat to help you on the way. Using base/clear is not an automatic deduct for paint. As Jack notes, it's the "obvious" use of it - and if you hide it, you win.

The judging process is, after all, a game. If you do not understand it as such then there are parts of it you'll never "win."

Patrick

[Tom M.]

Re: Stage One Paint

Thanks to all of you for your responses. Very helpful