Most durable paint coating for wheel wells.

ksungela

ksungela

Member
I want to paint the wheel wells on my '59 vette a low luster black and be chip proof (ok chip resistant). They are currently bare fiberglass. I also want them to remain smooth, so don't want to use a lizard skin type product. Would SPI black epoxy with liquid flattener be my best option?
How much flattener do I add to duplicate Kylon 5 ball semi-flat black?

Thanks in advance.
 
ok now i dont know much as to what is "correct" in the corvette world but my friend restores nothing but high end vettes. he uses another brand of epoxy specifically because it exactly matches the correct sheen for vettes. that is what he uses on the frame and all that kind of stuff. the spi epoxy is more glossy for sure. it doesn take much flattener to tone down the spi epoxy. not like clearcoat anyway. i would say 10% spi flattener added to unreduced, ready to spray epoxy would get you there. a little reducer would probably be needed but do that last. of course shoot a test panel first and let cure overnight. the spi epoxy durability is crazy and i would say would be the toughest thing you could use. im sure the fiberglass would fail before it chipped off.
 
just dont underestimate the properties of the flattening agent in regards to changing the torture test results. I do remember reading that the whole deal with the strength of the epoxy was due to painters using it for the flat black hoods and stripes, so there must be a way to keep it flatter.
 
I would look at 3 to 4 coats of epoxy 1:1, it will take one heck of a hit to chip that, after it cured out for 60 days.
Like Jim said very little flatten-er to flatten epoxy, grams per quart BUT flatten-er will weaken the product.
Why not spray 3 coats, let set over night and reduce the epoxy for the 4th coat with 30-50% acetone and spray only one wet coat the next day to get your flat color.
Note first 3 coats must dry or will over ride the flat coat.
 
I feel that no matter which route you take here the fiberglass will be the weakest link a far as finish goes.
 
Barry, are you saying mix the epoxy 1:1 with activator, induce, spray 3 coats, dry overnight, take remaining epoxy(ready to spray) and add 30-50% acetone by volume, mix and spray one more coat? All this without using any flatten-er?
Additional question:
On the topside of the body, how long do I have to wait after spraying 2-3 coats of epoxy over bare fiberglass before I spray SlickSand over the epoxy assuming 65-70 degrees shop temperature?
 
ksungela;n78465 said:
Barry, are you saying mix the epoxy 1:1 with activator, induce, spray 3 coats, dry overnight, take remaining epoxy(ready to spray) and add 30-50% acetone by volume, mix and spray one more coat? All this without using any flatten-er?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YES or look at it next day and you may not need to flatten.

Additional question:
On the topside of the body, how long do I have to wait after spraying 2-3 coats of epoxy over bare fiberglass before I spray SlickSand over the epoxy assuming 65-70 degrees shop temperature?
Click to expand...
---------------------------------------------------
48 hour before slick sand.
 
Barry;n78098 said:
I would look at 3 to 4 coats of epoxy 1:1, it will take one heck of a hit to chip that, after it cured out for 60 days.
Like Jim said very little flatten-er to flatten epoxy, grams per quart BUT flatten-er will weaken the product.
Why not spray 3 coats, let set over night and reduce the epoxy for the 4th coat with 30-50% acetone and spray only one wet coat the next day to get your flat color.
Note first 3 coats must dry or will over ride the flat coat.
Click to expand...


You can take that to the bank. The frame I did for the truck I am finishing held up far better then I ever thought possible. While putting it together I pushed it around with my frontloader bucket on the frame end and the orange paint came off the bucket and just the smallest of scratches on the edge of the frame, setting the flatbed did hardly anything worth mentioning and the mounts scrubbed on the way down.
 
Can I use this acetone, or is there some other brand more "autobody" grade?

Is the black epoxy inherently flat compared to white epoxy?
 
Yes but I would induce for a couple of hours as the acetone you can get has a very high water level.
 
Is the black epoxy inherently flat compared to white epoxy? Just curious why you said I may not need to flatten after applying the first 3 coats without flatten-er or acetone.
 
No, it will lose gloss over a couple of weeks but most restorers, shoot it 1:1 on frames and engine compartments and leave it. Your choice.
 
I think you will be happy with it just the way it comes out and drys on it's own. I would try a test piece and see if it is where you like it gloss wise you may find it needs nothing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top