Canadian Rodder Builds a Hot Rod

While this may appear that we are getting slightly ahead of ourselves in terms of the sequence of articles, it's appropriate to talk about paint for our project as we've recently been involved in product selection. You may already be aware, if you've ever been involved with painting or re-painting, that the whole process can be an "interesting" experience. We say interesting because, while it can be a straightforward exercise and interesting, it can also be a less than rewarding experience depending upon talent, materials and other surprises. Like you, we aren't interested in either a less than rewarding experience or any surprises. In the interest of avoiding both of these, we are going to use top-quality materials and talented people. Not unlike other technologies, the science of automotive finishes has evolved significantly in a fairly short time. Unlike yesteryear where you might be faced with a choice of only straight-ahead enamel or lacquer single-stage finishes, we can now choose from single, double and triple-stage finishes. Also, the chemistry of the products has evolved so that, while enamels and lacquers still exist, they are based on acrylic and polyurethane formulations. As well, you can choose a single-stage, acrylic urethane formulation. For our project, we have chosen to go with a two-stage process. That is, a basecoat with a clear topcoat. We are very fortunate to have been able to work closely with PPG Canada in the selection and supply of the materials that will be used in the preparation and painting of our project car. We are very grateful for their support. PPG Refinish provides top-notch refinishing materials and is widely used in hot rod and custom car applications. Check them out for your project. We'd like to thank Dave Martin of PPG Canada and Greg Beyer of D&W Autobody Supplies of Cambridge, Ontario for their assistance with product selection and technical considerations. We have provided links to PPG on the main project page. D&W Autobody Supplies can be contacted at 519-623-9652 and are located at 225 Sheldon Dr. Unit 21 in Cambridge. What follows is a material list and description of the PPG products that we will be using.

Surface Preparation	For general cleaning, we will be using DX 330 Acryli-Clean. DX 330 is a general-purpose wax and grease remover that can be used on any type of surface. E.g. for bare metal, primer-surfacers and general clean-up on any automotive finish.
Epoxy Primer	To protect our bare metal surfaces, we'll use DP (40) Epoxy Primer. This product is mixed with DP 401 catalyst to provide adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Primer Surfacer	K 36 Prima Acrylic Primer Surfacer is the choice here. It is high-building, fast drying product that has excellent sanding characteristics, K 36 is mixed with K 201 Primer Surfacer Hardener.
Basecoat	For our colour coat, we'll be using Deltron 2000 Basecoat (DBC). It is a state-of-the-art, premium quality basecoat designed to reproduce a hi-tech original equipment manufacturer's finish. It sprays smooth and dries to a thin film build with minimal shrinkage and no orange peel. It is combined with DX 57 DBC Basecoat Activator, which improves performance and strengthens the paint film and DT 870 Reducer.
Clear Finish	Finally, for our clear coat, we'll be using DCU 2001 Concept High Solids Polyurethane Clear. This particular clear finish is best for gloss and durability and can be air dried. It will be teamed with DT 885 Reducer and DU 6 Hardener.
Additional articles will follow in the future relative to bodywork and paint. To learn more about paint and painting, have a look at John Connery's articles in the Connery's Corner section of Canadian Rodder. For some informative inforamtion about paint defects, visit PPG here.