Clear on interior parts

BrianS

Promoted Users
I have ran searches on here to try to answer my question but no luck so here goes.
Last week I painted the inside of the doors on my 68 Road Runner twice.....the first time I went down to the PPG dealer with a paint code and had base mixed. Once shot on the door it looked good until I shot the UV clear on it and the red really popped and as a result it was waaaay off. Second time I took an interior piece down and had them color match it. When I got home I mixed a tiny bit and applied it to the trim piece and it was perfect. I shot the doors again and it looked really good...until I shot the UV clear and the color changed again, not as drastically as the first time but it is still off. I figured after a couple of days of drying maybe time it would deepen up but it didn't. A friend was over yesterday and he thought it was because originally the interiors were satin and not gloss. That made some sense to me but I am still skeptical since much of the interior was SS and the same paint as the exterior. The dash will need to be more of a satin finish to avoid glare and Plymouth even used a "suede" finish on the dash. My question is should I add a flattening agent to the UV clear and try it again? Will that help the color?
 
You could try SPI 2200, which is a matte clear. (as Don said above:)) It has a slight amount of gloss. Slightly more than a matte finish IMO. It sprays great. First time I used it was an overall on a Corvette and it turned out perfect. Very user friendly. Or you could use a flattening agent. JimC likes Utech 890 and says it works great. I haven't used it but if Jim says it good, it's good.

 
When you say the color is "off", what are you comparing it to? Clear doesn't change the actual color because it is clear. It can make a metallic stand out more and appear different, if that is what you are using. Unfortunately, you could have the same code mixed in 10 different manufacturers base and none would match each other. Close, maybe. Perfect, never going to happen.
 
Okay guys, I got this from BASF RM Diamont years ago.
It is what they recommended for spraying the interior of the car with base coat.


INTERIOR (no clear or flex agents needed)

Mixing Ratio Instructions
1 part Diamont basecoat
10% hardener (DH42 or DH46)
75% - 100% UR reducer

Basically activating and reducing the base coat. I used this method on the interior of my signature car.
Dash.JPG


Dash pads.
Dash center.JPG


It seemed to work just fine but I haven't sprayed any interiors since then. Thoughts on this method?
 
When you say the color is "off", what are you comparing it to? Clear doesn't change the actual color because it is clear. It can make a metallic stand out more and appear different, if that is what you are using. Unfortunately, you could have the same code mixed in 10 different manufacturers base and none would match each other. Close, maybe. Perfect, never going to happen.

I could not imagine the clear changing the color either thats why I am confused. Yes it is a metallic and I am comparing it to the upper panel for the rear door panels. After the second batch of base was matched to the upper panel I mixed a small amount and applied it to the panel above the part number-not real scientific but I really don't care if it matches exactly I just want it close. As you can see from the pic it was real close. The second pic shows what it looks like right now compared to the panel. I do realize the paint on the panel is 50 years old but would it really make that much difference even if it was not out in the sun or faded? The overspray on the back of the panel matches the exposed front, even the lip which was under the door panel matches.
 

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The color matched better on the old part because you sprayed it over the original color. In the second photo it looks lighter. It might just be lighter because you needed to spray more coats. Do a test and try spraying your color over a dark grey or even black base. Three coats minimum. That should darken it up a lot and get it closer to what you are looking for.

To me, looking at the second photo that color looks like it could use a few drops of black toner.

Also keep in mind that the color matching tools that Jobbers use are not exact. Especially with reds. My experience with using one at Shops I've worked at is you can take 3 different readings of the same color and it will give you three different answers. Thats where knowing how to alter a formula is very important. Unfortunately very few Paint jobbers these days have that knowledge.
 
In order to do a true comparison both pictures have to be taken in the same lighting.

Some colors will look different if in artificial light as opposed to sunlight.
I had a bear of time getting a paint match on this '55 truck because of that very issue. Color appeared to match until I used the flash on the camera. Then all of the truck looked blue because of the pearl in the paint except on the step that I just painted.
Step Installed Pass 1.JPG
 
The color matched better on the old part because you sprayed it over the original color. In the second photo it looks lighter. It might just be lighter because you needed to spray more coats. Do a test and try spraying your color over a dark grey or even black base. Three coats minimum. That should darken it up a lot and get it closer to what you are looking for.

To me, looking at the second photo that color looks like it could use a few drops of black toner.

Also keep in mind that the color matching tools that Jobbers use are not exact. Especially with reds. My experience with using one at Shops I've worked at is you can take 3 different readings of the same color and it will give you three different answers. Thats where knowing how to alter a formula is very important. Unfortunately very few Paint jobbers these days have that knowledge.
Thanks Chris I will give that a shot and report back
 
In between shooting the back of the hood and the engine compartment today I did some messing around with the maroon for the doors. I ran down this morning to my local paint store and picked up some charcoal sealer. When I got home I drug a spare door I had around to the side of the garage and sprayed three colors of primer, 2 are SPI 2k and the charcoal was the PPG sealer. I was just curious if the primer color would make any difference and as you guys already know it didn't. I then shot 4 coats of base over the primer (I originally did 2 on the doors) then shot UV clear above the tape and some semi gloss brand X I picked up this morning under the tape. Dang plastic blew over and messed up the finish before it dried but as you can see Chris is right the color match stinks no matter what clear I used. The thing is I actually like the new color better than the original so what I think I will do is go back to the doors that are on the car and sand them again and shoot 4 coats of base and then go with a matte clear. All the interior trim and the dash will be shot the same color and the color is close enough to match the rest of the interior parts.

Thanks for all the help.
 

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i have sprayed a bunch of interior parts over the years using the basf guide that coronet posted. just 10% activated base. no clear needed. i have done it with diamont and wanda. clear is not really needed on interior parts.
 
Thanks Jim, I will do that. It doesn't stain at all after being in use for a while? Is it safe to assume that formula works with any brand of base or rather particular type? My Motobase only takes reducer no hardener, same with the PPG I used on the doors.

The nearest BASF/RM dealer is 70 miles and I will have to look into the Wanda.
 
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Should work fine i think with most of the better polyester bases. Some bases dry with a different shine level than others though. Diamont and wanda dry to a nice semi matte/satin finish. If its too glossy though you can add flattener or flop controller to it
 
Thanks Tex I was just reading up on that. So far I have only shot the trunk and the engine compartment and am wanting to do the rest of the car late this week or next. I know the Motobase has it's own hardener but it will take me a week or more to get it from Chad. Is there a universal hardener? I have decided to take the trek up to Sacramento tomorrow the get the correct BASF base/hardener/reducer for the interior I can pick up some hardener then.
 
Any topcoat hardener will work, but I use SPI :) Usually the same as I am using in the clear, or whatever I have left in the cabinet.
 
Thanks Jim, I will do that. It doesn't stain at all after being in use for a while? Is it safe to assume that formula works with any brand of base or rather particular type? My Motobase only takes reducer no hardener, same with the PPG I used on the doors.

The nearest BASF/RM dealer is 70 miles and I will have to look into the Wanda.

I activate Motobase all the time using Universal Clear activator. Activated ProSpray, Wanda, PPG, Diamont, etc. the same way.
Activating the base has many positives to it.
 
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