Lacquer Paint

[tstrohl]

I have a very nice, well maintained lacquer paint job on my 1965 Plymouth. While it is still in good shape, it is now 15 years old and beginning to show its age. Small rock chips, small spots where the buffer burned through the paint, etc. There is no cracking, no peeling, nothing severe. I am wanting to do a repaint to freshen it up. I have been told repeatedly that the only way to do that is to take it to bare metal and start over....that you cannot paint over a lacquer paint job with today's base coat/clear coat finishes. Recently, I was speaking to a custom automotive paint professional who I have trusted with numerous paint projects and he told me I could paint over the lacquer.

Now I pose the question to the one place I trust unconditionally...forbbodiesonly. Please help me settle this question once and for all. With proper surface preparation of the existing lacquer finish, can I paint over it?

 

[YY1]

I was always told you can paint lacquer over lacquer, or lacquer over enamel, but not enamel over lacquer.

 

[1969CoronetR/T]

the only way to do that is to take it to bare metal

I would assume it is not the only way, just the correct way.

 

[493 Mike]

I believe that is what sealer is for, chemically separating different paints.
Mike

 

[threewood]

Try some urethane reducer on a small spot of the lacquer finish. If the color comes off on a rag I wouldn't paint over it. The urethane reducer can re activate the lacquer finish once applied and peel the paint up. Enamel may be a better alternative?

 

[66383]

Beautiful Vert, Huntsville is where I got my 66 Sat.

 

[eldubb440]

With proper surface preparation of the existing lacquer finish, can I paint over it?

yes​

it's lacquer over enamel that will give you problems...…. the lacquer thinner will attack and wrinkle enamel if applied too wet

you can apply today's base/clear or single stage over lacquer (no different that lacquer primer), although the lacquer layer will be the "weak link" over time

this vette was an old lacquer job with a giant scrape down the side...…… I buffed the good side, hood, rear deck, and roof; and painted the bad side with modern base/clear (driver side). I even pulled off an awesome clear coat blend at the top and rear end of the quarter, and top of the fender (along the body line) where I needed to. The damaged side was painted over after sanding with 600, there was a primer stripe about 4 inches wide down the side where the damage was..... your biggest problem is finding someone who can handle it.

 

[tstrohl]

Thank you for the follow up. Just to ensure there is no reactivation of the lacquer, should I lean to one of the new water based paint systems. I’ve seen several of those paint jobs and been pretty impressed.

Your thoughts?

yes​

it's lacquer over enamel that will give you problems...…. the lacquer thinner will attack and wrinkle enamel if applied too wet

you can apply today's base/clear or single stage over lacquer (no different that lacquer primer), although the lacquer layer will be the "weak link" over time

this vette was an old lacquer job with a giant scrape down the side...…… I buffed the good side, hood, rear deck, and roof; and painted the bad side with modern base/clear (driver side). I even pulled off an awesome clear coat blend at the top and rear end of the quarter, and top of the fender (along the body line) where I needed to. The damaged side was painted over after sanding with 600, there was a primer stripe about 4 inches wide down the side where the damage was..... your biggest problem is finding someone who can handle it.

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[zyzzyx]

Whatever system you use on your car, remember that every manufacturer has a spec on paint thickness.
The new paint on top of the old substrate will expand and contract at different rates causing cracking and
checking. If the car has any lacquer primer under the lacquer paint, It's all gotta go! With modern urethane
paint prices being what they are, I wouldn't want to experiment with dissimilar materials. The worst spot
on any car is the hood and deck lid where temperatures are elevated, and things first start to go south
here first. I would definitely go to bare metal, and follow it with with a good quality Epoxy Primer.

 

[eldubb440]

Thank you for the follow up. Just to ensure there is no reactivation of the lacquer, should I lean to one of the new water based paint systems. I’ve seen several of those paint jobs and been pretty impressed.

Your thoughts?

I have no experience with water based stuff, I'm into epoxies myself; but the deeper into it you get, the more sense it makes to strip it and start from scratch...…. you made it sound as if your car didn't need a total repaint...… I literally saved somebody multiple thousands in regards to that corvette

 

[eldubb440]

back in the early 80s there were

urethane clear coats ​

specifically made to go over lacquer...…… I remember R-M 2K clear..... as stated above, the lacquer will be the weak link; but it is doable

 

[dan juhasz]

just use the lacquer as a blocking base and use a quality sealer over it

 

[WileERobby]

I've heard talk to not use water based. Only the color coat is water based carrier, the topcoat is solvent based. The question is, are the water molecules completely evaporated by the time the solvent based clearcoat seals it in ? I know painters in the industry who've told me of these issues.

 

[zyzzyx]

A booth designed for water-based coatings has alot of air movement compared to a booth for
Urethanes, and yes, all of the water is gone by the time the clear coat goes on. But the good
news is there's no lifting or fish-eyes.

 

[1967coronet]

Call me crazy, but........... why not just do the repaint with lacquer ?
If you are set on switching to a base clear product myself I would advise to strip the car.
unless your paint guy is over 60 and knows both systems.

 

[hashmaker]

I am over 60 and have been in the body and paint industry since '71. I took a body repair college course for fun and it lead to a great career. If the existing paint is 15 yrs. old and has been buffed by the time it is sanded and prepped you will be through the color. The correct primer/sealer will be fine to base coat/clear over.

 

[flypaper]

Call me crazy, but........... why not just do the repaint with lacquer ?

I don't think it is available any more
i wish it was,I used to really like the stuff myself..

 

[Photon440]

http://www.tcpglobal.com/Automotive-Paint/AL-Acrylic-Laquer/?range=121,144,952