Did OEMs wet sand and buff paint?

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MrJLR

MrJLR

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I kinda doubt it.....
So how did Chrysler get decent paint jobs that had shine without the massive labor of wet sanding and buffing?

I'm a wanna be home painter in the not too distant future.....sorry if it's a dumb question!
 
On the 68 cars, the fender tag has a UBS with letters under them.

If the car was silver metallic, the B would be designated for "buffed"
 
crackedback said:
On the 68 cars, the fender tag has a UBS with letters under them.

If the car was silver metallic, the B would be designated for "buffed"
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Hmmmmm....that's not part of the paint code? Mine is a FF1 paint

And if not buffed, single stage paint and that was all they did?
 

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No unless they had a huge blem, orange peal is common on new cars.
What you see on cars with original paint, the weather, waxing have smoothed the finish down.

Go to your local car dealership and look at a new black car, it will have noticeable orange peal.
 
sireland67 said:
No unless they had a huge blem, orange peal is common on new cars.
What you see on cars with original paint, the weather, waxing have smoothed the finish down.

Go to your local car dealership and look at a new black car, it will have noticeable orange peal.
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So they shot it with single stage and that was that?
No clear, no cut, no buff?

Not all that bad a result considering the method.
 
Your car was originally green. Only silver cars got buffed.
 
They used acrylic enamel in those days too. Urethanes didn't appear until the late 70s. GM even used Laquer into the early 80s. Dupont released a polyurethane called Imron in 69 but it was used by large truck painters and aircraft.
 
They used real paint, with lead in it. What's available today is different. The additives / UV protectants cause the orange peel.
 
MrJLR said:
I kinda doubt it.....
So how did Chrysler get decent paint jobs that had shine without the massive labor of wet sanding and buffing?

I'm a wanna be home painter in the not too distant future.....sorry if it's a dumb question!
Click to expand...

Im going to go against the grain and say...

I think a paint job shines better if it's just layed nice and smooth and never wet sanded or buffed. And especially not waxed! But I also know people that are sanding and buffing on it as soon as it leaves the booth. :wack: to each their own. If there are no big flaws in it (I'll even take small amounts of dirt and orange peel) then I see no need to wet sand and buff.

Just my .02 I guess...
 
Frankly, after seeing lots and lots and lots and lots of 95 and newer (my White Whale) pickups and cars with the clear peeling, in my opinion, we might be a hell of a lot better off with single stage paint.
 
hell yeah, single stage no clear. make em wax it every now and then. And take this water based VOC garbage and toss it. Wonder why they dont just powder coat cars...probably hold up better.
 
Back then there were also two kinds of paint, enamel and lacquer.

Lacquer needs to be buffed, enamel doesn't.

Factory paint jobs were usually enamel...
 
Today's paint systems are very different from the Acrylic enamel Chrysler used back then. Those old paints had lead and other heavy metals that gave them durability. As to the quality of the paint jobs, orange peel and some runs and drips on the rocker panels were common.

I've shot the old PPG acrylic enamel and gotten really nice gloss right out of the gun. I've also shot the old PPG acrylic lacquer and with a really good thinner there was no need to buff it. Those days are gone forever. Even if you can find these older paints the EPA made them take out all the good stuff that made them work. Single stage urethanes are as close as you can come today to get the same look as the older factory paint jobs. Today's base coat/clear coat systems are really meant for fast production and repair.
 
I'm really looking for/hoping for a less labor intensive method...
Hoping not to have to spend 40 hours sanding and buffing.....
 
If you use a single stage urethane metallic you really can't buff it or you will mess up the metallic appearance. Solid colors in a single stage can take some sanding and buffing if you want to smooth it out a little. It all depends on how you lay the paint down. Using slower reducers allow the paint to flow out on the panel better but also introduce the chance of runs and sags. Longer flow out gives a better gloss and flatter paint surface with less orange peel. So, what you have is a trade off between how you are putting the paint down in terms of coat thickness, speed of moving he gun, and flow characteristics of the paint. Practicing your painting technique on some old fenders and hoods is a good idea, until you learn how to set up your gun and deal with the specific paint you are using.
 
I think it's funny listening to different thoughts. I totally agree with the single stage acrylic enamel paint and that is what I'm going to use on my car. Some of the paint sites will tell you not to do single stage paint. My car will be for fun. I do want it to look good, but believe this is the best method. The last car I painted was lacquer about 30 years ago. I can hardly wait to see mine finished.
 
Pete in NH said:
Today's paint systems are very different from ..............
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I haven't paid attention. Can you still get synthetic enamel? This used to be the cheap backyard guy's "go to" system, and you can get VERY surprising results. I've seen some very old, oxidized paint buffed back that you would not believe. Of course "back then" metallics were a "new" science LOL
 
The best method with single stage urethanes is to mix the last coat 50/50 with a urethane clear coat. Then you can cut and buff to your heart's delight, even metallics.
 
TCP Global has acrylic enamel. I said synthetic, but meant acrylic. Not expensive. May not do that well, but if it doesn't I'll repaint it with something else. It's all a learning experience.
 
I used to own a 66 Belvedere that was my grandfather's car.

From the factory, it had massive paint runs under the hood and along the firewall. While the rocker panels, door bottoms and fender bottoms had almost zero paint on them and quickly rusted out.

I think you got whatever you got from the factory.

I had my Duster painted in a single stage, trying to stay true to that era, it has flaws but still looks better than it originally would have.

Most of the car has been rubbed out, the roof still could use some work but overall it looks great in the sunshine.

Paul
 
i will ask this question. if using single stage enamel or urethane, is not the urethane more durable? that is my belief.

back in the late 80's and 90's, I had a guy do my bodywork on cars that were getting the resto thing. he could lay down acrylic urethane or enamel, that had a great shine and look. NO sanding, buffing. NO it did not look like bc/cc. he said the secret was a very slow reducer. but then he was an expert painter too! like Pete in NH said.
runs??? yes the original cars had plenty on firewall or other such places, and yes they were not very good at putting paint on edges of inside of doors, all under the hood and trunk lid. the reason were get all warm and fuzzy looking at REAL survivors cars, is to actually see how the factory guys actually did it!!
I can remember my dad complaining back in the 60's how paint was not as good as some ?? ( how many???) made decades earlier, ....as they even back in the 60's , they were messing with the lead in paint.
he used to refer to some metal primers as "red lead", he spent 20 years in the marine avaition field, so he probably had some experience with paint in aviation and navy, having been in the Marine Corp.
 
All kinds of good info here. Got to love the different ideas.
 
Brandon Weaver said:
Im going to go against the grain and say...

I think a paint job shines better if it's just layed nice and smooth and never wet sanded or buffed. And especially not waxed! But I also know people that are sanding and buffing on it as soon as it leaves the booth. :wack: to each their own. If there are no big flaws in it (I'll even take small amounts of dirt and orange peel) then I see no need to wet sand and buff.

Just my .02 I guess...
Click to expand...

same with me :) lol
 
You can still find synthetic/acrylic enamels. Without the lead and other nasty stuff the EPA made them remove I doubt they will hold up very well and will oxidize quickly if exposed to weather for very long. If the car is stored in a garage most of the time and you keep a good coat of wax on it you might be okay.

The old paints were nasty stuff health wise but the urethane based stuff is really bad. Some people are very sensitive to them and even a brief exposure will cause them serious health issues. You really need to take serious precautions when using them, all skin covered including your eyes. a fresh air breathing hood is best but you can use a good respirator if you use it properly.

Some single stage paints will let you mix additional clear in them some really won't. You'll have to check with the individual company's tech. rep. Some painters like to use a clear coat over single stage to give them a really durable finish. With a light color single stage adding additional clear may give you covering and hiding issues.
 
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