Gloss or Satin Finish?

[The "A" Team]

Hi everyone,

I'm probably going to get to priming and painting my 1930 Model A Coupe soon, but I have a little bit of a dilemma on the finish. In your opinions, should I do a gloss black or a satin black? I always remember the car having a satiny look to it from when my father first bought it back in the 70s all the way up to when he started sanding and priming it 15 - 20 years ago, so I may be looking at it through nostalgic glasses. Which do you think will look better?

Thanks.

John

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by The "A" Team

Hi everyone,

I'm probably going to get to priming and painting my 1930 Model A Coupe soon, but I have a little bit of a dilemma on the finish. In your opinions, should I do a gloss black or a satin black? I always remember the car having a satiny look to it from when my father first bought it back in the 70s all the way up to when he started sanding and priming it 15 - 20 years ago, so I may be looking at it through nostalgic glasses. Which do you think will look better?

Thanks.

John

Original finish was a gloss black enamel on the fenders, and a gloss rubbed-out lacquer in whatever color on the body. Firewall was not rubbed out so it had a sort of satin finish in the body color. I think an intentional satin finish on the body panels would not look good and certainly would not be even close to original. Why repaint it and then mess up the finish intentionally. (I remember the hot-rodders at one point had something called a "suede" finish - flat primer with motor oil rubbed into it to impart a low gloss. Looked ridiculous IMHO).

JayJay

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

There is kind-of a misconception about semi-gloss vs. gloss. It is the reflectivity of the paint's texture which makes it have an un-shiney finish. What I have learned only after spraying a car in Nitrocellulose Lacquer is adding flattener to urethane paint really does not mimic the look of unrubbed Lacquer. Spray some old Lacquer paint onto a panel and when it dries, note the texture. Mimic that texture with urethane 2K paint (very hard to do) and it will look just like unrubbed Lacquer. Also remember that Pyroxilyn paint pigments were in their infancy in the late 1920s, and so they were not as pure (i.e.: clean) back then like we see in modern urethane paints. That changes the depth of the finish too.

[gdmn852]

Hello, the older lacquer finish would require periodic buffing to keep the gloss up , the black enamel fenders not so much. Today lacquer is an “obsolete “ finish, even illegal in some states. Probably the best option today may be single stage enamel with hardener. Enamel will usually have some “grain” that can be wet sanded with 1200 grit then buffed to closer look like lacquer,I have seen some street rods done in the semi gloss finish and to me look like a neglected car. The two step type paints with clear top coat have a lot of gloss, some people say too much. I used the two step on my 49 Buick but it was a metallic gray, this was sanded and buffed to resemble the original lacquer.

[CWPASADENA]

Single stage urethane, cut and buffed. That is what I would do.
Satin finish, absolutely not.

My opinion,

Chris W.

[Phil Brown]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by CWPASADENA

Single stage urethane, cut and buffed. That is what I would do.
Satin finish, absolutely not.

My opinion,

Chris W.

Agread

[J Franklin]

Just a note, the paint on truck bodies was not buffed out at the factory. Lacquer will rise to a shine with washing and waxing.

[ronn]

if its a DIY and you are afraid of the outcome, satin.
shows less defects and isnt horrible for a driver. Many rodders are going this way, do to the cost of getting a paint job professionally done.


If you want a real nice job and correct to original, it has to be gloss.

[Chris in WNC]

Gloss or satin?
Neither.
I vote for something in between, but don't know how to advise you to achieve it.
Most restored cars are waaay too shiny for my taste, but satin is not shiny enough.

One of my friends has a Tudor that he did a fine point restoration on in the 1980s and has been driven a lot since but not waxed or polished too much..
It has the perfect patina for me.

[ronn]

in between would be semi gloss.........

[Werner]

Good evening John,


I can understand your request. High-gloss cars are wedding cars, but not old-timers.



My car should be painted with one-component resin paint and a little bit of matting included. The painter did that but in an other way and sprayed a layer of clear coat over it. It was a great finish with a lot of deep gloss but not appropriate for my classic car. (We had some very bad argument because I didn't pay for everything.)



At home I sanded the whole clear coat with the finest 4000 wet sandpaper. (All friends said you're plemplem.) Then polish the matt paint to a shine with a polishing machine.

Now the car paint looks like the original nitro paint that has been lovingly cared for over the decades.

[gdmn852]

As an addendum to my previous post, the two step paint with clear coat can be dulled down, reduced shine with addition of gloss reducer , I did an approximate 50 per cent on the dashboard and interior moldings and top frame, thes were never a hi gloss from the factory. You may have to experiment to get the gloss you want.i

[ModelA29]

Originally Posted by gdmn852

Hello, the older lacquer finish would require periodic buffing to keep the gloss up , the black enamel fenders not so much. Today lacquer is an “obsolete “ finish, even illegal in some states.

Lacquer is illegal here in CA - for commercial shops to buy/apply. Perfectly legal for the home owner/mechanic to buy and apply.
New waxes with UV protection will help extend the gloss time of lacquer paint exposed to the sun.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by ModelA29

Lacquer is illegal here in CA - for commercial shops to buy/apply. Perfectly legal for the home owner/mechanic to buy and apply.

Functionally, that means that it is unobtainable for everyone in California, just like the enviroweenies are pushing to outlaw chrome plating. Do you have a source?


JayJay