Using DuPont ChromaPremier Pro Paint - The AMD Chevelle, Part 5

Sucp 1206 001 Laying Dowm Some Color From Dupont The Amd Chevelle Part 5

In the last five months we have been covering how the crew at C. Hopkins Rod & Custom in Commerce, Georgia, have been resurrecting a dilapidated '67 A-body, dubbed the AMD Chevelle. It's an original 1967 SS396, so there is a reason we were saving it from the scrap heap. The previous five stories were focused on replacing all the metal on the car, and we do mean all. The only things left from the original car are a few sections of the firewall and the inner roof structure. All the other sheetmetal has been skillfully replaced with brand-new Auto Metal Direct (AMD) panels by Craig and Aaron Hopkins, and the rest of the crew, Caesar Brecino, and Chris Dyer.

Now that the team has spent hundreds of hours installing all the sheetmetal and blocking it straight, the car is ready for some color. To keep with the theme of the build, which for now is as stock as possible, the color of choice is the one that came on the car--Emerald Turquoise Metallic. This car also came equipped with a vinyl top so the roof of the car won't really get painted.

Since Craig's shop is located in Georgia, he has not been mandated to use low VOC products like water-based, water-borne, or whatever you call it. Craig looked to DuPont and the company's ChromaPremier Pro line of paints. The ChromaPremier line has a few things going for it that appeal to the paint and body shops. Starting at the primer filler, which has all the qualities of the high-build primer with the curing times of a spot primer. All of the products feature simple 2:1:1 or 4:1:1 mix ratios for less chance of mixing errors.

Speaking of mixing, the primer, sealer, and clearcoat share a common activator so there is a reduction in mixing issues and inventory needed. The activators are based on temperature ranges and DuPont has one for just about any climate. The basecoat is offered in just about any hue imaginable with solid, metallic, and pearlescent finishes available. This story will hit the highlights of how it all went down, and we even have a sidebar on DuPont's new line of Water Base paints for the painters in low VOC mandated states.

1 For this project, Aaron Hopkins will be spraying DuPont's ChromaPremier line of paints. Aaron says, "This paint covers very well and is very user friendly as long as you mix it per the data sheet provided. Another cool feature about the paint is the 24-hour recoat window that allows you to add a second coat from the moment the first coat flashes off up to 24 hours later." This car will receive the factory-correct Emerald Turquoise Metallic.
1 For this project, Aaron Hopkins will be spraying DuPont's ChromaPremier line of paints.
2 Once everything was sanded with 800, the body, along with all the fenders and such, was pulled into the booth. You will notice that all the panels are set up, as they would be on the car. This is because the paint is a metallic, and to get consistent results they need to be that way. Let's say one of the fenders was hung up vertically. When it was sprayed the metallic particles on the paint would lay down a bit differently than the door or rear quarter and look a bit off once installed and in the sun.
2 Once everything was sanded with 800, the body, along with all the fenders and such, was
3 We are picking up at the second coat of the jambs. Aaron sprayed the first coat earlier before the camera was pulled out. He wants to get three medium coats on the jambs before spraying the exterior for even color and coverage.
3 We are picking up at the second coat of the jambs. Aaron sprayed the first coat earlier

4 Before the first coat, Aaron wipes everything down with pre-clean and then a tack rag to remove any oils, dirt, or dust. Also, after each consecutive coat Aaron quickly hits the panels again with the tack rag to pick up any loose overspray.
4 Before the first coat, Aaron wipes everything down with pre-clean and then a tack rag t
5 The car is masked off with green tape and coated paper. "The green tape has great solvent holdout for less bleed-through and a clean release for sharper lines," Aaron says. "I also recommend using coated paper instead of the normal green paper because the coated paper allows the overspray to actually stick to the paper and hold onto it. The uncoated stuff can let the overspray turn to dust and release it back into the air and can possibly show up on your next coat."
5 The car is masked off with green tape and coated paper. "The green tape has great solve
6 Aaron is using a Sata HVLP spray gun fitted with a 1.3 tip. Here he is spraying the second coat on the jambs. As you can tell by the underside of the trunk, this stuff covers well--that's just one coat.
6 Aaron is using a Sata HVLP spray gun fitted with a 1.3 tip. Here he is spraying the sec

7 After the second coat flashed, Aaron jumped right back in and laid down the third coat. The term flash is the time it takes for the solvents in the paint to evaporate, or another way of saying dry.
7 After the second coat flashed, Aaron jumped right back in and laid down the third coat.
8 After the jambs flashed it was time to spray the outside. Here Aaron is tacking the areas to be sprayed one more time. The cleaner the area being sprayed the cleaner the results.
8 After the jambs flashed it was time to spray the outside. Here Aaron is tacking the are
9 Here we can see the first of the two wet coats going on. With the same Sata gun with 1.3 tip, he sprays 6 to 8 inches away from the panel in 50-percent overlapping strokes.
9 Here we can see the first of the two wet coats going on. With the same Sata gun with 1.

10 Here is a tip: It's a good idea to get the car high enough in the booth so you don't have to lie down to spray the low sections of the car. Also remember that the hose and regulator protrude off the bottom of the gun pretty far and will limit how close to the ground you can get and still properly hold the gun. After the second coat flashed off, Aaron comes in and does a third coat (called a drop coat). In this coat he is changing his spray pattern just to mask any streaks in the metallic. This is an old-school tip that still works to this day. Then the color was sealed up with two coats of clear.
10 Here is a tip: It's a good idea to get the car high enough in the booth so you don't h
11 The car was left to dry for a few days before being taped off in preparation for the blacked-out taillight panel. Once masked off, he scuffs the area with a gray Scotch-Brite pad to provide the proper tooth for the satin black paint to stick.
11 The car was left to dry for a few days before being taped off in preparation for the b
12a In these two shots you can see exactly how this area was masked off.

12b Aaron did some Internet research and found a factory brochure that showed the layout of the panel.
12b Aaron did some Internet research and found a factory brochure that showed the layout
13 The tail panel was sprayed using DuPont's Hot Hues line, which features this single-stage satin black dubbed Hot Rod Black. The Hot Hues line has hundreds of colors and all kinds of satins and flats as well. The line is best suited for the custom car builder who wants more colors than what the factory offered. The car is one step closer to being complete, so make sure to stop by next issue and check the progress.
13 The tail panel was sprayed using DuPont's Hot Hues line, which features this single-st
14 This car was sprayed with solvent base, which is fine for the states that don't have such strict VOC regulations. For the shops in states like California, painters are being mandated to switch over to low VOC rated products like water-based. DuPont wants to continue selling quality products to everyone no matter where they live, so team DuPont sat down with painters, chemists, and all kinds of smart people to come up with the Cromax Pro line. Since this line was thought up with a clean slate mentality instead of trying to make it like solvent-based stuff, it really is different. The best way to get the point across is this statement from Steven Chaparro, Brand Specialist at DuPont: "The Cromax Pro Line only requires one-and-a-half coats sprayed wet on wet to achieve the same coverage as a solvent base." That's right: You don't even need to let the first coat flash off before starting on the second half coat.
14 This car was sprayed with solvent base, which is fine for the states that don't have s

Sucp 1206 019 Laying Dowm Some Color From Dupont The Amd Chevelle Part 5

15 Here are some other advantages of the Cromax. It's nationally available and much better for the environment. It has a quicker turn-around, from base to clear in 20 minutes with heat and 35 without. The toners (color) are thicker in Cromax so more color is left behind in one coat. Also, since there are fewer coats to spray and less time to wait for it to dry, more vehicles can be painted in the same amount of time. It is compatible with all the normal sealers. Colors are more vibrant because the water is way clearer that any solvent, which can slightly yellow some of the lighter colors. While solvent is cheaper to buy, when buying the same quantity of material you have to think about the big picture. You use less water base to get the same results so once you figure out that you can order less paint, the prices are more comparable. If you consider the fact you can do the same job quicker with it, then the savings start to show up, at least in a professional shop scenario. Another thing DuPont is extremely proud of is the fact that candy colors will be available by the end of 2012. there is way more information on Dupont's website, so if you are interested in learning more just fire up the ol' computer or get on the horn and give them a call.

SOURCES
Dupont Performance Coatings N/A www.pc.dupont.com	C. Hopkins Rod & Custom 7314 Hwy 115 E. Cleveland GA 30528 706-348-6653 www.theinstallationcenter.com
Auto Metal Direct 940 Sherwin Parkway Suite 180 Buford GA 30518 866-684-5942 www.autometaldirect.com