I'm about ready to put color (!) on my Mustang GT convertible project. It was a bare metal up project, with my goal to be as close to perfection as humanly possible. It has gone through the whole proper priming sequences (80, 180, 320, 400), and will be sealed before I apply the PPG single stage black. I will do the 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 sequence prior to buffing and polishing the car. I did a similar project about 8 years ago, but the difference is that I did not start from bare metal. I did not record how many color coats I used back then, but I think it was five, and then polished it as I described above. I guess my real question is how many coats are enough for the really deep, mirror like shine I'm looking for? Is there a difference between 5 coats and 7 or 8? My other project has never cracked, and given it never sees the inside of a garage I'm amazed. Each spring I lightly polish and wax it and it still looks amazing. This car will get much better care, and may ultimately be taken to my Florida house where it won't be subjected to extreme cold like it would at my Pittsburgh house. I only have one shot at this, and I want it to look stunning. Any thoughts from the pro's would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Mark.

You need enough for full coverage and true color.
Get a spray out card (black and white checkerboard) and count the number of coats it takes to achieve true color, i.e. no subtle shade differences over the black and white squares.

You can shoot a couple more coats after that for cut and buff insurance.

i got some single stage from the local paint rep for my rabbit and have only done a test panel so far. typical instructions say 2 medium wet coats. i got a couple drips on a sunroof panel learning.

paint coverage wasn't a problem on mine but 2 coats didn't sit well with me so im going to go for 3 on the rest of my parts.

another interesting thing is you might be surprised that the paint will lay out in a way where you don't need to go so aggressive with the sandpaper after paint!

for mine it said 1200 for dust nibs to start. i did some experiments with the paint on another piece and tried a dry dustcoat or tack coat even though they told me not to. this panel came out with orange peel. i did some more tests and was surprised to see with guidecoat that 1500 worked just fine and i only had a handfull of passes in most areas to level things despite what i saw as major peel. after this i have some higher grits for the finishing sander and soft pad that i haven't tried yet. but would probably do so wet. for that test panel though i would have probably worked my way up to 4000 grit i have but i assume uniform and quicker passes to get rid of previous grit, ready for a final buffing that would be quick. the buffer was taking away the orange peel im talking about.


BUT the panel i put on wet, as in i could almost start to see the paint puddle, ending up drying to a shine and with no orange peel! i forced myself to put it on wet with my directions overlap, etc. and walked away until the next day.

im doing this at home so i know i will get dust, etc. so i guess i will have to experiment with a flat panel and see if i could possibly go right to the finishing sander wet with higher grits when the time comes. i guess each bug, dust and how deep they are will determine how low you want to go on grit.