"Two part System" paint??

[angelo7]

Bought one of these today.  The label says," Two part system.  Base + Clear required".  What exactly that means?  

[Miatatom]

You'll need to buy a can of Model Master or Testors gloss clear to go over the red.

[angelo7]

Thanks Tom.  So I don't need a primer or anything else before I spray the red?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks Tom.  So I don't need a primer or anything else before I spray the red?

Prep and primer as you would for any decent paint job.

[Mark]

I've used these without the clearcoat, and gotten decent results.  The metallics should get a clearcoat if you intend to wet sand, but I've applied a couple of the solid colors without using the clear.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The solid colors used without a clear will never develop the same gloss as they will if cleared. They are soft, they can be polished gently, but it's not the same effect as you get with a clear topcoat.

Basecoats generally dry somewhat flat, and for that reason, they make excellent paints for interior parts...if not cleared.

It all depends on what effect you want, and what you consider to be good enough results.

[Mark]

Lousy photos, but this '57 Chevy is painted with half of the Testors "two-part" system.  My experience with their clear is, if anything, it's soft compared to the colors even given additional curing time.  I don't load it on either; if anything, I don't put enough paint on which makes polishing problematic.  I've had a tough time with the clear in the past, so for this one I went without it.  I'm not crazy about clear over white in any case.  Both the lower body and roof are Testors "two-part" lacquer. 

[angelo7]

Wow that Chevy looks great Mark.  Sometime ago I messed up a white job by using Testors High Gloss Enamel.  The thing has a yellowish tint.  Didn't know it then.

I thought that the "two part system" meant that I needed some coat of something before applying the actual red.

[Mark]

If you've got bodywork to cover, primer is an absolute must.  I use as little as I can get away with.  I'll dab primer onto bodywork areas with a small brush, and only spray the whole body after all those areas are smoothed up to the best of my ability.  The Chevy body had two nasty sink marks; one on each quarter panel near the rear of the car, above the "washboard" side trim.  There were some small areas on the tops of the front fenders and on the hood, no big deal though.

On the other hand, the white roof is sprayed over bare white plastic.  I was able to smooth out the roof without using any filler.  If anything, I used a coat of the gloss white itself as a "primer".  This was a club project built to a deadline...life got in the way of things that summer, and I rushed a few things to get this one done.  I've got an original issue of this kit that I want to do; this one was a learning experience that will be applied to it.

I'll probably go back and try the two-part system as it was intended to be used.  I've used the clear over a couple of the metalflake colors, and it worked fine.  I've got a couple of other clears to experiment with too.