Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[WOODY2]

Hi everyone,I'm working on my first restoration project and this is my first ever post on a forum.The car is a 1951 Simca 8,1200cc that I found in a barn in my local village where I live in France.If I can work it out I will post some pics of the work so far.
So far I've stripped the body down to the metal then treated everything with Rustol Owatrol,then filled(not too much to do)then,after reading advice on forums decided to prime it myself with cellulose to save money then get my local paint man to top coat it.Then the complications started.He only seems to use what he calls Polyurethane,which I think will be too shiney.He insists it wont and even said it will fade with time?Not sure about that either.
Another paint man said I should use epoxy with a satin finish but did'nt think I could spray this over celly.I dont really want to top coat with celly because its not really tough enough?and would'nt it need lots of coats so be more expensive?I kind of wish I could start again now and I'm a bit worried about that Rustol coat.I would really appreciate any advice.Thanks,Tony.[/list][/i]

[Uncle Alec]

I wouldn't worry about the rust coat, but the polyurethane is I suspect what we would call synthetic, or fleet enamel. It's plastic paint and looks it. For the likes of lorries, trailers, sometimes you get away with using it but it does tend to look cheap and nasty.
If I were you I would stick with cellulose. It's not over expensive here in the UK if you have a look on eBay. Do you have a way of shipping it over?
Cellulose is far and away the most forgiving for amateur use.
If the Simca is a bit rough 'n ready maybe synthetic would do. For a good looking gloss I would say cellulose. Sprayed of course.

[peppiB]

I painted a 1960's car with fleet enamel (sprayed) last year. I have severe asthma and that paint was suggested so as not to affect this. It looked cheap, common and tatty and shone way too much. Took weeks to dry enough so I could flatten the yuk effect. Car currently undergoing a full respray with 2 pack in a local body shop

[WOODY2]

Thanks for that,now I'm sure I really dont want polyurethane.If I get cellulose when I'm back in England next month,how much should I get?How many coats will it need and should I then just give it a good wax after?Will this be a long lasting finish for a car I want to run regularly in the summer?
Cellulose paint seems to be impossible to get in France which is strange because it's usually the French who ignore the european laws if they dont like them.The company Restom who sell everything for old car restauration in France have a one pack paint so I asked them, but it's Glycerophalic!They rekon it's in between celly and poly in hardness, needs 2 or 3 coats and is available in satin and matt.
Would I need a barrier coat between the celly primer and glycero or the celly and maybe a satin epoxy?I've now spent more time fretting over the paint choice than anything else on the car.I think I will go and have a lie down.

[ajlelectronics]

[Uncle Alec]

[WOODY2]

I think I have'nt been too clear,I dont want to spray the top coats myself and I only did the filling and base coats to save money.If I could persuade my local spray man to use 10litres of celly that I provide, wont that cost a lot more because of the extra time for all those coats?
I would really be interested in anyones opinion or experiences with using glycero or epoxy top coat.If these can be made not too shiney, would'nt they be a harder wearing alternative than celly?
I dont know what HMG paint is but I would be interested in Rick's opinion on it anyway.Cheers.

[Rick]

[Uncle Alec]

Why not spray it yourself? Easy enough, big money saving, equipment about £250 all in. Plenty on here could talk you through it, including me.

[WOODY2]

Thanks for the offer of help if I top coated the car myself but I would prefer to let the expert do it in his clean spray booth instead of me in my leaky old barn.I'm quite pleased to have done all the prep myself because at the beginning I did'nt intend to ,then I heard what a full paint job costs!
Has nobody used glycerophlalic or epoxy then?They both cost about 50€ a kilo (same as a litre?)here but maybe the epoxy would only need 2 coats.Cant do any more about it now for a month anyway because France shuts for holidays in August.Thought I would try posting a pic or two.ooo la la,bon nuit!Tony[/url]

[WOODY2]

Here's the simca as she arrived from the barn









The only welding to do was under the petrol tank which had to be cut out and replaced with a formed piece of sheet (did'nt have the right hammer so I hit it with an old ball hitch,worked well)



All the front suspension parts were completely covered in a thick crud which I had to chisel off!



back on it's wheels



first coat of primer on (celly high build bought in England)



thats not me in the pic it's my friendly neighbour Paulo who's renovating 2 Matra's at the same time!

[Uncle Alec]

You do know that you can't leave it in that cellulose primer for long, as it absorbs water? It needs some sort of top coat pretty quick.
I must reiterate - spray it yourself! Celly is tolerant of leaky old barns, as long as you can stop water from falling on the car whilst the paint is wet.
Cost of equipment = big saving over paying someone. Unless you know someone who will do it cheap?

Looks a lovely little car. Loadsa fun heading your way in that one.

[WOODY2]

Yes I did read that celly primer is porous but how long is too long?I sprayed that 3 weeks ago and if my local paint man does the job it wont be before the 17th of
August when he's back from holiday and I come back to England to see my old mum in Chorley.The weather here has been pretty dry for months and the car is protected from any leaks.Thats one thing I dont miss about the North West,the bloody rain!On the other hand I do miss friendly english people such as yourself Uncle Alec.
I have a big compressor and spray gun and could have a go at the job myself but want the guarentee of a good job.Done as a cash job it should'nt cost too much.
One day I may even try a trip back to Chorley in it!

[Uncle Alec]

I would say that's way too long. What happens is you get micro-blistering under the topcoat as the water vapour releases from the porous primer.
If it were me, I would DA off the primer, apply the same primer again, then wet flat, repeat until satisfied (allowing the intense French heat to dry off thoroughly between coats) then apply topcoat more or less as soon as the last primer is dry and flatted.
If all this is boring other forum members, I'm happy to continue off-forum. PM me your email.
Of course there may be others on here more qualified to comment?

[D4B]