I am progressing towards the point of laying down some color on my 914. Going back to its original L96D.

I have shot color in the trunks, and engine bay using a smaller HVLP detail gun with a 1mm tip, and much to my surprise, I had NO metallic runs.

Have decided to give painting the whole car a shot. My question is this: Should I stick with the smaller gun and 1mm tip for shooting it? I know i can do a good job with it, but its going to take a lot longer due to its smaller spray pattern width, and small paint cup. I have a larger gun that I have used for primer, its got a 1.4 mm tip. Will the larger tip size have a big effect on the way the metallic goes down?

With regard to using a touch up gun, the down side, especially with the metallic paint, is the increased opportunity for tiger striping, not to mention loss of your wet edge when you go to re-fill the gun,or even walk around the car(coelation is the key). If you have plenty of clams, you should go to your paint supplier and ask him which Iwata gun you should get. If your shooting base clear, only get it for the app. of clear, as this will reduce the subsequent work load on cut and polish. If you go that route just buy a Harbor freight h.p. 15$ gun. When new, they work really well, oddly enough. In the past we shot laquer, and others that allowed you to "rub-out" imperfections, you can not do this with a single stage metalic, This is why I prefer a base-clear, I find it more forgiving, it allows you to get the color just right before you lock it all down with the clear. The other bennie is you get to keep on top of the clear between coats, buy nibbing dust, lint and sanding out runs etc. Good luck it ain't easy but it's totally worth it.

1.4 tip is on the larger side but should work good for metallic. There should be a tech sheet available from your paint manufacturer with recommendations for tip and air pressure for various guns.

I'd load a pic but I can't figure out how to reduce the file size.

Thanks!

For what its worth, both guns mentioned are HF cheapies. Not looking to do a ton of paint, after all this work, I aim to make this the last car I paint (famous last words).

Have not painted a car since the days you could shoot lacquer, and what i liked about it was the ability to color sand out my mistakes. The new base/clear seems to offer the same advantages.

Here is a close up of my inner rear fender. I decided not to clear the trunks, but think this came out pretty well.




Click to view attachment

Did you shoot a single in the trunks? If not, you'll be sorry if you don't clear it, just won't hold up to the abuse.

No just two coats of base. Hmmm. Maybe i should clear it just for the practice of shooting clear.

My PPG guy kept telling me to shoot the clear without reducing it; never could get it to lay down well. A painter told me to reduce it 25% and you'll get a better result. I watched him do it and it indeed layed down much better.

jeffdon, I too am old school and kept reverting back to my siphon guns as I would always get a better result. I've stubbornly kept going back and trying to work with my HVLP guns, but the results never seem to be as good. BTW, what silver are you using? Mine is the Porsche GT silver.

Andys

If it's not single stage it will be easily damaged. There is a time frame on most base coat clearcoat paints to put the clear on or you get to put another color coat down before the clear is put on. I use hf guns a lot for primers and enamels on non car paint jobs. I use a optima, binks, sata and devilbis for the top coat or clear. I try not to use a color in the clear gun which is normally the optima, but if I use a single stage the optima is so nice I will put single stage in it. I just takes a lot more care in cleaning it up after the color. The paint is just a fog when it comes out of the optima.

I am using a PPG omni, supposedly in then original L96D light silver. Actually, I am doing pretty well with the HVLP guns. First time for me. Enjoying the reduced overspray. Original plan was to have someone else shoot the color and clear, but this kid that worked at HF started talking to me and said "F-it. You can shoot primer, you can shoot paint!". The results on the trunks and engine bay gave me the confidence to go for it.

Funny, I like what that kid said. FYI, if you want high end PPG at a lower cost, look for a Matrix supplier, You'll get a better choice on clears as well. Also, Before you clear the trunks and engine bay, scuff it with a gray scotch bright, and lay down an even, thin coat of base again. If you don't the clear wont stick, you only have about a 24 hour window for a chemical grip between base and clear.