Elwood, all, thanks, this information is what I was looking for.
I came across some information yesterday about what your saying that epoxy is superior in grip and sealing in the Hot Rod forum because the non epoxy polyurethane primers aren’t as good at sealing moisture out and shrink.
I hope you all understand in looking for answers I prefer to find answers to problems beyond opinions. People like what they use, that’s natural and I prefer a simpler systems that works and hopefully less steps for better consistency. Posts 5, 9, 10 and others talk positive about SPI with information. I don’t have a problem with steps but putting on layers of different components doesn’t make sense to me from a shrinkage perspective
View attachment 25140 if I can use one or two. I like the idea of using epoxy and a poly higher build or just epoxy if it builds on some jobs.
I graduated from Alfred Tech in 1972 with a collision and painting degree and had good grades but I only really spent a couple of years working in shops. I went to the plants because of better wages and benefits and painted part time here and there. Lacquer and acrylic enamel until I painted single stage lacquer and Imron clear. I did a little bit with lacquer candy apple and Imron clear. I took a seminar in frame pulling which helped me a lot in repairing some cars on the side but none of that qualifies me to be an expert like guys who do it day after day full time. My college collision painter was an excellent teacher and painter. Ben use to say “boys, just when you think your a pretty good painter move to Florida and you can learn how to paint all over again!”
Kohler Bros King Kong is our old car. This picture is from 2013 or so and the car was painted originally in 2004 with all PPG by my friend Dewey Dilcher who’s paint won the best paint in show for King King a couple of times. Dewey won awards with 3 other gasser hot rods as well.
The body was not totally repainted, only the rear fenders and front end. When I built King Kong the first time I built him so we could do nostalgia racing and after 3 years we decided to restore him as he raced in the 60’s. For my first build up I didn’t want to take a chance with the original 60’s fiberglass front end and some accident so I got a Griz Bear (former Corvette guy) fiberglass front end (all separate parts) and I molded them into copy of original 4 parts front. When we restored KK we wanted to use the originals and that’s the reason for partial repaint. I had saved the original parts of the car and undid the cage, front and rear suspension and steering we used for racing.
That front end was tired and had cracks as you can imagine because KK was raced hard back in the day. Dewey knocked the ball out of the park restoring the original front end and it looks as good as the first. The graphics were done before and second time by Dan the Sign Man Delaney who’s an artist, drag racing historian and painter in his own right.
In 2019!we took KK to a Concours D’Elegance in Michigan and KK was awarded a Red ribbon!
I hope you guys understand more about me and while I understand a lot about paint my it doesn’t qualify me as an expert painter.
I look forward to becoming acquainted with SPI and God willing I can live long enough to get some paint work in.
BTW King Kong resides in Irwin Kroiz (Corvette collector’s) museum these days and Dewey’s and Dan’s work is as it has been for a long time.
I have been painting for almost 12 years so I am relatively still inexperienced and I have noticed a lot of suppliers really pushing the use of epoxy primers after blasting, stripping or any use over bare metal. My question is why go to the extra steps of using the epoxy when there are several...
www.hotrodders.com
“Your absolutely right ,theres way to many steps and the extra expense plus the drying time between primers,what a PITA... wouldnt it be nice to have an epoxy primer thats also buildable if you need it too so you only need one primer for the whole job what about the sealer lets include that too,One primer for all your needs...and lets keep the price down to around 150.00 a gal and an ez 1:1 mix ratio so you actually get two sprayable gal.and when reduced 10-40% it makes a great sealer....and lets have a tech hot line thatcan answear any and all paint related questions for the pro's AND newbies..
Sounds like a dream dont it....
SPI epoxy primer”