Paint help please

Ray Balukas

Senior Member
I will be painting my 37 Panel in the near future. I'm trying to figure out how much paint I'll need. I will be spraying BC CC, which is 1to 1 . The fenders will be a different color. Any help here would be great. I'm thinking 3 coats, should do it. Thanks Ray
 
Why not go to your local auto paint dealer-supply source, rather than depend on potentially receiving ?? info.

The paint dealer might also offer a suggestion of using single stage rather than base/clear.
 
A lot will depend on what colors you are using. Some colors hide well (black) and some don't (yellow). You can save paint by spraying a sealer over your primer that is close to your topcoat color. With basecoat you can always add more coats if you run out. Don't wait long though.
 
A lot will depend on what colors you are using. Some colors hide well (black) and some don't (yellow). You can save paint by spraying a sealer over your primer that is close to your topcoat color. With basecoat you can always add more coats if you run out. Don't wait long though.

Good advice Skip. I suggest spraying a test panel to check hiding.
What color Ray?
 
I'm going with a solid green for the body, tan for the fenders. I have taken the panel to bare metal, epoxied with PPG DP primer, and K 38 High Build primer. I got a sample of the paint and sprayed an old hood. I think 3 coats will cover properly. My fear is running out of paint and having to have more mixed. The guy at the paint store is one of the best {30 years exp.] and feels he'd have no problem matching if I needed more. He feels a Gallon would do it,which is 2 gallons sprayable paint. I was thinking 6 quarts.

I would rather have a quart left over. Any help would help. Thanks Ray
 
Ray:
I may be out in left field here ( been there so long I've had my mail forwarded )
But with the equipment they use to mach paint now,And especially knowing the guy that is preforming the task I don't think you have any thing to worry about.
It's not like years past where the color matching came down to a person looking at it then adding XXX # of different shades of tint to match,& if he had a bad night your wanted color would most likely not match :mad:

~~~~~~~~~~~ SO PAINT ON GRASSHOPPER PAINT ON ~~~~~~~~~~~
 
It's not like years past where the color matching came down to a person looking at it then adding XXX # of different shades of tint to match,& if he had a bad night your wanted color would most likely not match :mad:

~~~~~~~~~~~ SO PAINT ON GRASSHOPPER PAINT ON ~~~~~~~~~~~

Years past (in the 50's) when I was in the business most paint was already pre-mixed in the can, sitting on the shelf in the paint store waiting to be purchased. You would provide the color code (of the car) and then the counter guy would pick it off the shelf ( either pint, quart or gallon, lacquer or enamel )
For the most part the in store color mixing was developed so that the store would not have to stock hundreds of different colors. Some of the paint they had sat on the shelves for years and was never used.
 
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is the interior getting painted as well? How about the firewall, underside of the hood, jambs? Any parts that will be painted front and back that weren't from the factory? That all adds to the surface area and a panel has a lot more than a car. A gallon may be close on the exterior only. You'll know after the first coat goes on how much it takes per coat and you can get extra mixed at that time if needed before applying the second and third coats. Mix the extra in with what's left of the original batch, then spray the second and third coats and you won't have a shade change problem. It's always nice to have extra for touchups or repairs
 
Since you chose a solid color you could spray in 2 or 3 sessions, a few parts at a time, and get a feel for hiding and how much paint will be used. Buy more and intermix if needed. Checked hiding labels are a good tool that confirm hiding.
 
When you have your paint mixed, make certain the store gives you an exact formula of what colors he used so if you need more, he (or someone else) will be able to match the first batch, which will save having to re match on each batch of paint, which will invariably not match the first batch. Have him put the formula on the label on the can.
That way you will know the formula. Some paint stores will not give you the formula later without charging you extra for it. (My store did not give me a copy of the formula after a couple of months without me paying $125.00 for the formula. That way they are assured you will have to come back to them to get extra paint if needed later. Also, if you purchase say two gallons, get a clean bucket and pour and mix the cans together before you spray. No two batches will match if you don't mix (or "box") them together at the git go.
 
I used 2 1/2 gals to paint my 39 PU. I painted inside the doors, jambs, dash, seat base, firewall (both sides) inside the bed and underneath the fenders. When I had my body shop, I could paint a full size car with 5 quarts, and a VW with about 3 quarts. Color changes with jambs painted, under side of trunk and hood took more.
 
Thanks to all. I forgot to mention that I will be using a HVLP gun. I will also be painting the backside of the grill, underside of the hood and sides, spare tire ring and cover. dash, and firewall.I will be doing the Jambs also. I talked to a guy today who sprayed a 37 Chev. Coupe it took 5 quarts. I'm thinking 2 gallons of green for the main body and parts. Thanks again to all who chimed in. Ray
 
I'm going to paint my car. I noticed most members around here prefer single stage. I'm wondering why you chose basecoat/clearcoat. I don't see where you might have any match problems even if you run out as long as the entire outside is done with the same can on the final coat.
 
Single stage is fine also. Although my Panel is going to 95% original it will be a driver. I chose a non original solid color. But a color that could have been around way back when!
 
Here is an example of painting piece meal, and different gallons. Had to repaint doors, deck lid, and hood sides. Buy enough in the beginning and mix together. Single stage acrylic enamel. Zeke
 

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Thanks Zeke! That is my biggest fear. I bought 1.5 gallons which is 3 gallons reduced. I'm hoping thats enough. It should be 3 gallons is alot of paint. I am going to mix it together for sure.
 
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