painting question in pieces or complete?

[kmiller]

cant decide what the best course of action is on painting the car. 

Do i paint the header panel ,fenders, door, hood separate and risk paint damage assembling or paint assembled? 

what have you guys done?

[JS29]

What color?

[Claudia]

  I painted the underside / backside of most all parts first (header panel, hood, fenders, jams, doors, trunk lid, front and rear valances), then assembled most of those parts on the car and then painted the entire car.

[Shane Kelley]

It can be done either way. For metallics I highly recommend painting it all together so you don't run into some flop that makes the color look off between panels.   

[JS29]

  That is why I asked about the color.

[71vert340]

 I'm doing my Charger in B5 blue and I'm doing it in pieces. So far, no problem. The exterior of all panels are coming from the same gallon of color. I'm using the same settings on my gun and using the same patterns when spraying each piece. So far, so good.
Terry

[kmiller]

no metallics, the color is just plan ol black

[RUNCHARGER]

Black, I'd do it in pieces. If I end up spraying my Son's car, that's the way I'll do it.

[Shane Kelley]

Black, I'd do it in pieces. If I end up spraying my Son's car, that's the way I'll do it.

[JS29]

Black, I'd do it in pieces. If I end up spraying my Son's car, that's the way I'll do it.

X3

[Cuda Cody]

I'm a huge fan of base coat / clear coat.  Nothing beats it.  Except when it comes to Black.  All other colors I use base coat / clear coat, but if you want the deepest black you'll ever see on a car it's best to use PPG DCC Concept 9300 single stage black.  It's by far the deepest and best black ever made.  Here's my secret formula that I learned from the PPG factory lab...

~DEEPEST BEST BLACK EVER (Show Car) PPG DCC Concept 9300 Black
     - First coat = mix at normal ratio (DCC @ 4 parts  /  DCX61 @ 1 parts  /  DT Reducer @ 2 parts)
     - Second & Third coats = Take the same mix from the first coat and mix it at 50 / 50 with 2021 clear. The 2021 clear is mixed at (DCU2021 @ 4 parts  /  DCX61 @ 1 part  /  DT Reducer @1 part)
     - 4th and all addition coats = DCU2021 only.


If you want a show car paint job, follow that formula and let it dry for about a week or two minimum.  Cut (sand it) perfect flat with 600 grit and put another 3 to 4 coats of DCU2021 clear coat on it.  Wait about 4 to 6 months and cut it to a mirror finish.  This step is only needed if you are going to compete at a high level of show cars.  The first steps in this process will get you 98% of the results. 

Here's my notes from the factory training I did at PPG.  What was great about the private event was they would tell us the best of everything, even if it's wasn't a PPG product.  I took as many notes as I could.  This class was not open to the public so I knew I had to get all the info I could as fast as I could write.  I encourage you to copy, print, share and hold on to this Black formula.  You will not find it anywhere else.   

[Cuda Cody]

The PPG class was so much fun.  But we were not suppose to take photos so I had to sneak shots in when I could.  I tried to take my phone out to the paint booth where we got to test out new products and all the different guns, but they patted us down and took our phones before they would let us out of the class room.  They had some top secret stuff out there.

[Shane Kelley]

I have the same opinion as Cody on black. Single stage all the way. This is single stage.

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: True black all the way, no clear.

[cuda hunter]

thanks for sharing the info @Cuda Cody !!