Painting Stripes

[PatG]

Hey All

This spring, I'm doing total paint on my 59 TR3A. I plan to spray an epoxy sealer, then paint with PPG DBU white (Mercedes Arctic White). I plan to paint a big fat black stripe right down the middle of the car, with two small border stripes; Then at least three coats of Universal Clear.

Has anyone painted stripes like this? If so, can you let me know the recommended order of painting/striping? Do I just let white BC flash past the tape time, and then tape and mask and spray stripe. Unmask, and clear? One guy said it was easier to paint stripe area with black single stage first. Then, lightly sand black, mask to keep your stripe, and paint the white BC all over the car. Said it's easier to paint car after stripe then paint stripe after car. Any advice?

Thanks

Pat

here is the look I want (this is a toy car)

here is my first test panel

Home-made twirler

 

[Senile Old Fart]

I would use black base coat for the stripe.
Whether you shoot the red first of the black first seal the basecoat with a coat of intercoat clear before masking.

The big dogs will have the easier sequence of application of the graphics, I usually do the poorer hiding color first, would be your red, then I put the better coverage color on top which requires less film build and a less of a tape edge.

 

[PatG]

Just to be clear, I'm painting the car white with a black stripe. The red toy car was an example of the planned stripe, as info. I know you guys like photos.

Also, I don't understand "intercoat". I recognize it's used to lock down graphics like airbrushing. What is benefit of intercoat on this stripe? Sorry, this is a new one for me.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

I usually do the poorer hiding color first,

Exactly! Shoot the white and a coat of intercoat then mask and shoot your black stripe-it'll be covered in two thin coats, then unmask, clean up any tape residue and fingerprints off of the intercoat, then shoot your clear.

If you're looking for a more correct/as original job you'd have to shoot the complete car then do the stripes in singlestage so the tape edge can be felt.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

Intercoat is essentially just a clear basecoat but it protects the base during taping so you don't scuff fragile metalics or leave finger prints or smudges.

 

[Dub]

Holy cow! it looks just like mine lol

 

[sellersrodshop]

heres a set i added to a previously painted car (custom mix magenta pearl) that had a bad spot in the hood. we decided on the stripes as a more affordable "cover up" to trying get the color matched/blended.

hood sanded/striped before clear:

after clearcoat:

 

[PatG]

Wow, stripes look great. Did you just sand BC and then stripe and clear? Or did you use intercoat, as recommended in this thread? Beautiful work.

was this color sanded?

Thanks

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

I believe his car was already covered with clear and he sanded that to prep for stripes.
The intercoat is applied to protect your base coat from a number of potential problems that can arise while masking and spraying the stripes.
Follow Bob's advice and you'll do fine.

 

[PatG]

One last question. With intercoat, do I need to spray the entire panel or can I just spray the part of the panel that is to receive the stripes? If the entire panel, then I've got to spray the front apron, hood, cowl, trunk lid, and rear apron, which is a lot of area. Didn't know if I could just spray intercoat on the area to be taped and striped and sort of blend it out towards outer parts of panels. Hope that makes sense???

PatG

[QUOTE='68 Coronet R/T;18069]I believe his car was already covered with clear and he sanded that to prep for stripes.
The intercoat is applied to protect your base coat from a number of potential problems that can arise while masking and spraying the stripes.
Follow Bob's advice and you'll do fine.[/QUOTE]

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

You can use the intercoat on the masking areas without shooting the whole car, make sure your hands are perfectly clean when masking for the stripes, cover the complete car with masking plastic when you shoot the stripes, and tack rag the complete car after unmasking and before applying the clear. If you end up with any tape residue during or after unmasking that needs to be cleaned off the basecoat use straight mineral spirits because anything stronger might melt/smudge the fresh basecoat.