need paint advice

I've stripped, primed and painted a few cars in the past, lacquer and enamel. However, since then I know there are all sorts of new technologies out there. I need to repaint 2 - one is totally without clearcoat now and is sandable-paintable, the other has lost some of its clearcoat and has the rest (with wide white banding at the interface).

The questions is, what brand/type of stuff out there is compatible with the factory paint (actually, the totally faded one may have been painted once) and is of good quality? I dont' like 2-part ones like polyurethane. My setup is a garage with positive ventilation, so it can do lacquer, but without sealing it, that may lift the lower layer. I want easiest to spray, levels great, maybe even go without the clearcoat, tough to mess up.

I've seen some makers have hybrid types and it gets confusing. Some don't even identify if it's a lac or enamel... Any paint/body gurus out there? Anyone do this with good results? I'll probably need a couple specifics I can go check out, like brands/lines, or even ones NOT to use...

The paint suppliers around here seem to be a little snobbish, and if you don't know what you're looking for, they just might sell you the 'special of the day"... so I'll need ot know what's best before I show up!

Thanks in advance,
Skip

Lacquer is dated technology, although it can give good looking results, its not as durable as catilyzed products. It is not voc compliant so paint manufacterers really don't support it anymore. In fact if I got caught spraying it in my shop I could be looking at a $25,000 fine! Pretty much just sold for do it yourselfers now. Acrylic Enamels such as "Dupont Centari" will give a very nice finish and are more durable-much less wetsanding/less combatibility problems with other paints. We still use this on work trucks, equipment, and older vehicles to keep costs down. Urethanes are your best paint on the market now. WE use "Dupont Croma Premier" which is a top of the line product but can be expensive. Aprox. $500-800 in materials to do average size car. Dupont makes a lower line product under the name "Nason" much lower cost but still very good product just not backed by waranty. This shouldn't be a concern though, because even with the high line paint, you need to be certified by dupont for the waranty to apply. I would suggest the Nason line, or If you don't have paint suppler that will sell to you, Napa has a paint line called "Martin Senour-Cross fire" that is comparable and should be easy to find. Single stage can be used if doing a solid color, but if your spraying a metalic color, I would strongly recommend bc/cc. As for the clear delaminating, as a rule of thumb, the clear will need to be removed from the affected panels and possibly the whole vehicle if adhesion is poor and will not feather properly. Seal all these areas with a catalyzed sealer compatible with your paint. stay away from laquer/ spray can type products, they create a soft unhardened layer under your paint job that will be a weak link. Urethanes also have shorter dry times than enamels, meaning less "open time" for dust, bugs, etc. to land in your paint job being that you won't be spraying in a booth. Keep in mind enamels and urethanes contain isocyanates. A proper resperator must be worn and also try to minimize exposure to your skin. PPG is another good paint line thats easy to find and has a lower line product "Omni" thats about the same as Nason.

Thanks much! This is just what I needed.

-Skip

Hope this helped. Let me know what paint you've decided on. Once I know what paint we're dealing with, I can probably help w/some spraying advice and techniques to get this done with minumum effort and best results!!!