Paint

[wardk]

I am close to paint, have not decided whether to use single stage or base clear. The car was born Gulf Blue so thats my colour. I have a friend not a pro but has painted lots of cars does nice work, he recommends base clear because if there are any imperfections they can be polished out without disturbing the colour coat . I would appreciate any of your thoughts on this subject.

[Erik G]

is it custom or a 100% correct restoration? a 100% correct restoration needs single stage.

it's tougher and tougher to find someone to do single stage well
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[hitest]

Firstly, don't ignore the vast knowledge in the body/paint forums.

If you are repainting the gulf blue color- 2 stage it as long as you don't mind it not looking exactly correct for gulf blue. Clear always affects the look of solid vintage VW colors.
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[Harris]

I suggest single stage. Nothing better. Polish it out numerous times. I dislike the clear coat. Look at any new older car with the clear coat gone. Horrible! Single stage is primer and 3 coats of paint , buffed out. If the car is garaged your looking at 30-40 years great paint. Now, finding someone who knows single stage is another story. They are the old guys. They are still out there in every city. Find one And trust him. Came from Wolfsburg single stage. You will be happy and satisfied.

Good luck

[wardk]

I like the single stage, had a local shop make up a spray can and painted the engine bay today looks beautiful.

[Harris]

One more point. The guys who do this are usually with the base coat/ clear coat shops, so if the shop does it, you can't rush them. They cannot take the experienced single stage older guys off the line to do your fender or car. I dinged a fender recently and Like Nu Body Shop here in Dallas agreed to take it on. Beautiful work. I know it's a pain to take the guy/s off regular work to do one fender, so it was my statement and the shops attitude too-NO RUSH. Whenever is fine.

[carcrazed]

I am always for the single stage. I just painted my '61 in single stage and I am so glad I did. I ended up hitting my door against the garage wall and took a nice chunk out of the corner. There was lots of swearing!!! I had some left of my original can...mixed it up and took a small spray gun and touched it up. Buffed it out and you can't even tell. With a base/clear....I would have had to basically strip the entire door down because I am NO good and blending clear. Much less work to touch up a single stage if you plan to drive the car because you will get some chips along the way.
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1965 Herbie Replica. 1776cc dual Kads.
1961 Beetle 33,000 Original Miles

"Just When you think you are getting ahead, you're always wrong."

[HippyTom]

I vote single stage.

My 63 L87 Pearl White Sunroof Bug (Herbie replica) was painted 15 years ago and still looks like it was painted yesterday. Any touch-up issues I've had over the years have been easy to blend in. The guy used Imron paint, which is amazing stuff if you find someone that knows how to work with it. That stuff is super tough and shines forever.

When I was trying to decide this myself, the painter showed me a 70 Challenger he had painted 30 years earlier and had been sitting outside for the last 10 years not washed or waxed and it looked incredible. That sold me. It's a decision I have been glad I made ever since. People cannot believe how old my paint job is.

[marklee]

[buguy]

Single stage will look a little more correct. Base/clear is tougher and would last longer if done properly. A solid color single stage can be color sanded and buffed as easily as base clear, but if there is metallic in the single stage it cant be touched.
Also if there is a shop that tells you only the old school guys can do single stage they are pulling your leg. Single stage shoots almost identical to clear coat. Any sprayer should be able to do it with no problem.
And to be honest, a good urethane single stage wont look much more like laquer than a base/clear. Maybe a little, but not much.
Here is a cheap Nason single stage agave I did on a moped a while back just to give you an idea.