Thanks, I really appreciate all this insight. no doubt it will help. One thing for instance, is I have no idea "how much" material is needed, so this is all welcome info.
Without knowing the vehicle (size) you are refinishing, (is it a color change?) (are you painting any D class surfaces such as under the hood and decklid, inside the doors?) and the hiding strength of the basecoat it's almost impossible to advise you on the basecoat amount needed. You will have to give the paint supplier your surface info and they should be able to tell you how much you need.
Example: My last complete paint job was Viper Blue on a '68 Cuda fastback and it was a total repaint. I used 2 gals of basecoat. Hiding strength was about average 2.5 mils.
If I'm refinishing a complete vehicle I always buy 2 gals. of clear and use about 1.5 gals. Most clearcoats have a long shelf life.
