Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

You really have to decide what you want when you're finished, what the value of the car might be (if that's important to you) and how much you want to spend. I understand things may be very different on your side of the pond, but maybe this will help you crystallize your thoughts.

Some extemely rare and valuable cars done for the likes of Pebble are still done in nitrocellulose lacquer, think in thems of $35,000 or more done by an extremely skillful restoration shop and an owner aiming for a Pebble or Amelia winner. For non-metallics, single stage urethane again done by a very skillful shop might be half that amount and can be quite outstanding, competitive in all but perhaps the highest circles of judging. For metallics, base coat/clear coat can produce outstanding results though they bear no semblance to OEM paint jobs unless the hot-rod gloss is knocked back a bit. With little or no body work required, I've seen some base coat/clear coat jobs done by the better of regular body shops in the range of $6000 that are VERY nice and could easily be "best of show" at local car shows. The low-tier paint franchised paint shops like MAACO here can produce a decent job in enamel for $500 and up which would be fine for a presentable driver, though you'll have very little choice in colors. For this price you remove all the trim, do whatever masking is needed, and of course body work is your problem. This kind of job is what we used to call "a spritz".

So there you go, $500 to $35,000 - what kind of finished product do you want?

THe lacquer (altho i prefer acrylic lacquer for durability) is by far and away the most beautiful for SHOW cars.

Down side of lacquer is that it requires near perfect metal finishing. ANY flaws in the metal or the primer will stick out like a sore thumb with laquer, especialy black.

UPside of laquer is that any 5 year old with reasonable motor skills can spray it with with a full show appearence results. It can be sprayed from literaly junk spraying equipment nearly equivelent of a hand pump live stock sprayer assuming a good dryer to eleminate moisture.

No skill required to spray it and it is very forgiving of any screw ups. Easy to fix. Blends well. I've sprayed it at 40 degrees F with show quality results.


Enamel is just the opposite. Enamel is very filling of any substreight imperfections with in reason. Downside is that enamel requires a LOT of practice. IT has to go on HEAVY almost to the point of running in order to get the high gloss. Very temperature and humidity and general weather condition sesitive.

Edit: i've not tried any poly Urethanes yet. In 40+ years i have not seen ANY paint job by any professional that can compare with lacquer. Unless he used lacquer.

As Owen indicates above, it all depends on $, time and what u want. Nothing wrong with a good enamel paint job, but lacquer beats them all.

Enamel is more of a commercial vehicle paint like trucks and tractors or engines and transmissions.
Laquer is for show work but very labour intensive for metal finishing.

I MADE A MISTAKE. PACKARD USED PYROXILIN LACQUER NOT PYROXILIN ENAMEL.

RUSTY OTOOLE MADE A MISTAKE. HE SAID PACKARD USED ENAMEL. PACKARD DID NOT USE ENAMEL IN 1954. THEY USED LACQUER.

I hope that is plain enough.

Now to get back to the original question. Does a 1954 Packard have to be stripped to the bare metal to get a decent paint job? Is the lacquer they used so finicky that it will crack and craze if you look at it hard? Is is impossible to paint over factory lacquer?

My position is that it is not necessary to strip the car to bare metal. If the original finish is in good shape it is counter productive.

This is based on experience of having done bodywork on, and having painted several cars from the forties and fifties without stripping and without problems.

Now it might be true that SOME lacquer jobs are different. I am thinking of the "30 coats of hand rubbed lacquer, custom body, custom paint job" type of finish.

When you do that type of paint job the thickness of the paint enters into it. If the paint is too thick it will not expand and contract with the body and it will crack and peel eventually. In that case piling more paint on top only makes things worse.

Now I hope that is understandable. If it is not, I give up.

In fact I am ready to give up on this thread altogether. Go ahead and strip your Packard to the bare metal with a disc grinder and a 60 grit disc. Paint it with waterborne paint. Have the paint supplier match the color from a photograph downloaded off the internet. Do whatever the hell you want. I don't have a cent invested and I no longer give a damn.

I'll have to agree with Rusty on the stripping. If the existing paint is original paint or even a good repaint then stripping is simply unnecessary.

If the car is real rusty or has been painted with a mop or the paint is extremely thick due to multiply numerous paint jobs or severe crazing then stripping would be necessary.

Lacquer CAN be successfully painted over enamel. I have done it many times with excellent results. The secret is to spray the first 3 or 4 coats of laquer on real thin and let it dry between each coat. Lacquer dries REAL FAST! Once there is no original enamel paint or coloring showing thru the lacquer then the lacquer can be sprayed as normal.

on a different note:Some 12 years ago i needed to spray a motorcycle frame. Not looking for show quality finish just a good paint job for a m/c frame. I bought some Acme SYNTHETIC enamel and sprayed it under somewhat adverse circumstances, and i was i n a hurry at the time. My first time with SYNTHETIC enamel. THe result was amazingly wonderful!! It's still on the frame to this day some 12 years later, right here in the garage rite now. Still looks great. For those that do not want the labor intensive metal finishing required for lacquer i can recommend the Acme Synthetic enamel. NO orange peel to it at all.

Don't understand the explicit reference to synthetic enamel, as far as I know all enamels in modern use have been synthetics for a very long time...epoxy, urethane, acrylic.

I have no choice but to strip it to bare metal. Car was in basement where fire was. Although not in fire, it did get scorched, most paint peeling off. Ross Miller who I am buying from advised me that no choice but to strip it to bare metal. At moment sprayed with Red Oxide primer to hold it together, but does need stripping. If I showed you picture you would understand. Want to do that when project starts, and I can show everyone
Her progress as she's transformed.
I thank everyone for there kind words of encouragement and all your years of experience with useful hints. With every thread I am learning so much. What ever happens, I am sure this 56 year old lady will look just fine, and another great car from history is saved from the junk yard. It's great that so many kind members can spare there time helping others.
Happy new year to all.

The Convertible top frame, is it normal to get this sandblasted?

And this product, anyone used it before? or maybe on smaller parts etc? Or the top frame for convertible top!

Attach file:

---

  (11.91 KB)

Gary do a search for Evapo here on the website. I have covered it several times and also wrote a review about it.


You will be amazed at the topics that have been covered here on the website with a little searching.

Just read BIgKevs test on Evapo-Rust. Although taking 15 hours soak, I. Am convinced it's great stuff and you can re-Use it.

At Harber hieghts saw this Electric paint Remover. Is this ideal tool for beginner like me?

And is the Gas Tank Sealer good product?

Attach file:

---

  (9.96 KB)


  (34.55 KB)