VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood acrylic lacquer sources ?

I'm attempting spot repairs on several areas on my car that was painted with Dupont acrylic lacquer 30 years ago. The prior owner left me about a quart of each body color, still in a liquid state, in the original cans but would like more since I'm a novice and could use the extra to practice with. I have Dupont's original paint codes and names. Oddly the green background color on this chat forum is an exact match for one of them. See my avatar.

Would any of you guys know of a paint supplier that could reproduce these colors using the Dupont paint codes ? I'm waiting for a reply from TCP Global but thought I'd look elsewhere if they say NO. With no gun painting experience, I'd like to stick with forgiving lacquer rather than try to go match up a urethane or enamel somewhere.

Also, anyone here have experience shooting acrylic lacquer through a HVLP gun ? Tip size ? Appreciate any advice. Thanks !

I have had acrylic lacquer colors matched at my local PPG dealer. However, some states like California (California bans everything) has banned lacquer.

Check out the following website:

http://www.antiqueautopaints.com

This is Ray Winstead, he was a member of the VCCA. It is a mail order business that works toward the supply of automotive paints for restorers. I talked to him yesterday and he is a transition at the present time and may or may not be able to help at the present time.

Thank you. I have a call into Ray. No auto paint shops, PPG dealers or otherwise around here in Ct or RI carry any acrylic lacquer anymore. You'd think it was radioactive or something by the responses I received.

These guys can mix it.
http://www.hiberniaautorestorers.com/nitrocellulose-automotive-laquers.php

Expensive though!

Verne

hardaground...........they '''hibernia "" auto make acrylic lacquer and also nitrocellulose lacquer.........do not spray one over the other !@!!

they also sell acrylic primer and medium dry speed thinners.

Lacquer paints are meant to be shot at higher gun pressure than HVLP paints.

Siphon spray guns are not very expensive. Its important you pay attention to HUMIDITY and AIR TEMP . Also use a moisture trap to keep water out of the paint. Mix the paint and thinner in the exact ratio specified.

Read hibernias web site and print out lacquer spraying instructions . For a perfect match to your old paint, take a part of the car with you. They have these visor things that they use to perfectly match the paint.

Paint does fade over time with exposure to light.

If your unsure, take it to a professional.

By the way, black is not black, meaning there are many shades of black. You want to get that matched also

mike lynch............

Thanks for the replies. It's a relief to know sources still exist ! I'll check them out.

I'd need a bigger compressor to run a standard siphon gun so I have a HVLP gun coming from Eastwood. It only needs 4 CFM @ 30psi. If I can adjust it for proper atomization, it should work. I'm not doing the whole car, just spot repairs, and maybe a whole panel where the paint is lifting/cracking.

Last week I experimented with a rattle can and sprayed a small area. It was filled with my original lacquer by a local auto paint supplier. It worked but left a heavy textured coat that after a fair amount of labor I was able to wet sand and buff to high gloss. Having little experience, I'm going slow, fiquring I have nothing to lose. Can't afford taking it to a pro. Biggest obstacle is complaints from the wife that I'm turning the garage into an autobody shop. Ventilation is an issue, but I have a proper mask, use heat lamps, crack the windows. Living year round in New England doesn't help either.

I have professional spray equipment but whenever I paint I wait for good weather and I always spray outside where there is clear air and good ventilation. Don't have to worry about overspray getting on everything in the shop either. And, I always spray with lacquer.

Having a garage attached to my house it's impossible to keep vapors from getting where you don't want them. I have tried a fan in a window with a filter and cracking a door open slightly but still some wanders. I agree working outside is much easier as long as the weather is good and the neighbors not close. Getting the weatherman to cooperate can be difficult.

Getting concerned here. I'm wondering if should I keep going ? With firm pressure on my razor blade scraper the paint continues to come off. No grinding/sanding necessary.

My spot repair is sadly becoming a full panel repair. The 32 year old lacquer is tired and brittle I guess. I'd be happy getting a few years out of a spot repair. You veteran lacquer guys have seen this before. Thoughts ? Feather smooth to "good" primer, sand to 180, etch, prime and re-coat ? And live with it ?

Most of the car paint's condition is good and glossy with small crows feet hear and there. I'm not looking for a pro concours job right now, just presentable. Still got my engine job to pay for.

bottom driver's door


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If the paint keeps coming off you will probably have no choice but to panel paint. That would be the correct way to do the repair anyway.

When I stripped the paint off my 41 a razor blade worked very well on the old lacquer. I would stop using the razor blade and see how it will work to sand and feather it so you can spot it in.

JUNK YARD DOG IS RIGHT........I would strongly recommend taking the door off the hinges and refinishing the door, after you have taken the door down to bare steel and doing it right.

Doing it right is a state of mind, because you only do it once. If you want to MICKEY MOUSE IT go ahead. I painted 3 34-35 chev front fenders using a $30 campbell hausfield siphon gun in my backyard and with a 5 gallon twin tank setup.

It works fine. Fill the gun and spray one pass lightly over the fender, stop and let the tank compressor fill it up to max. Spray another LIGHT coat over it . DO ANOTHER COAT 10-15 MINUTES LATER.

Let the paint dry for a couple of days to let the solvents evaporate. Take 500 grit water paper and sand the surface using a bucket of water with 2-3 drops of liquid dishwashing solution mixed in and a rubber block. Sand only in one
direction. Your going to have to do this process 3-4 times to get enough paint material on the door in order to polish it.

Use only absolute clean rags to wipe the surface. Silicones can cause huge problems. Most waxes today contain silicones.

I think it was you who said your going to sand the primer with 180 and then paint.

You need to get a book on painting & preparation and what's involved , other wise your going to have a worse mess than your scraping off.!!!!!!!

mike lynch..................

Thanks for the push on this. I figured the whole door needs re-painting. We'll see. I've done a fair amount of research on prep and finishing, and accumulated most supplies; micro fiber rags, prep-sol, wet sand paper, (80 up to 3000 grit), sanding blocks, cutting cpds.,high build primer, sealers, etc. I've read positive reviews on HVLP guns so I'll give it a try.
No, I meant 180 on the bare metal. 400 on the primer.

I suppose a book would be ideal if there is one on this old subject. Most info today favors the modern paint systems, including the 1000 + YouTube videos I've watched.
I have time on my side at least. Appreciate your sanding techniques ! I'll post my results... unless disaster strikes.

Curious as what kind of primer you guys use over acrylic lacquer. Traditional lacquer primer or a modern 1K or 2K epoxy primer ?
I intend to use a DTM high build lacquer primer surfacer after first conditioning the bare metal with a zinc phosphate etch product.

Things get confusing real quick for me with all the modern primer options out there.
I'm trying hard to keep it simple, not easy as lacquer paints are hard to find and getting outright banned. Hibernia Auto said they will no longer even carry lacquer next year.

if I was using acrylic lacquer paint I would only use acrylic lacquer primer under it. Just like it was always done.

I use nitrocellulose primer and paint on my cars because I can spray it in backyard or driveway or garage using Campbell siphon gun .

My 35 phaeton is acrylic lacquer , I did not have it painted and I am going to have to take the gas tank cover off the car and take it with me on a drive from Ontario Canada too Hibernia NJ to get a perfect match with spray outs.

I have the formula and paint can DITZLER as guides to mixing as its a custom mix by prior owner. I have some touch ups to do. So that means acrylic paint, primer and thinners.

mike lynch..........mike

Except for the horrendous Jersey traffic, you can't go wrong hand delivering the part right to them. Good luck.
I'll probably go with with the lacquer primer as well. Glad to hear you and other "dinosaurs" out there are staying old school to help us newbies.

There's an old DuPont sealer called Velvaseal that was made to go over lacquer primer and under topcoats to improve uniformity. If I can find some I might test it out.

I use nitrocellulose lacquer because its forgiving and simple to use.

Base clear and urethanes and lots of other new paints need $100,000 SPRAY BOOTHS and special equipment to spray , plus special MASK. That stuff will kill you if you do not have the right equipment .!!!!!!!!

To those reading this beware of those paints using a catalyst there's more danger than you think.

mike lynch...............

these guys are real good.
very happy with the colors they mixed for me