chopolds wrote:Respect you a LOT, Painter Dave, but gotta disagree here

Have to agree.

Add it up:

Typical factory DFT = 120μm
Epoxy (as sealer, non-sanding) = 30μm
Epoxy (2 coats, sanding) = 100μm
HS primer (2 wet coats) = 120μm
Basecoat (3 light, wet coats) = 45μm
Candy (3 coats, medium wet) = 90μm
Clear (3 coats, medium wet) = 90μm

That's 495μm using just a single sealing coat of epoxy or 565μm if 2 coats of epoxy. Either way it's well over 300μm which is the effective DFT limit for a job that will last. Understand that intent is to keep the car inside/covered but he wants to take it to shows and paint that is too thick will hurt his results. Extra coats of candy or clear will just make it worse.

You or I might be able to put coats down a bit lighter but still even, however someone inexperienced is much more likely to lay the coats much thicker and heavier.

If it was me, I'd block existing paint back as far as possible to get a level base before paint and then just a very thin sealing coat of epoxy, followed by just two coats of base, wet on wet with only two coats of candy and two coats of clear. Leave that all to cure for a week or two then maybe two more coats of clear as sacrificial layers to wet sand and buff.

As you know, two coats of candy means you have to get it down very evenly, again a risk for someone new.

Thick Candy Job= Cracking I see it all the time at car shows around me. Miles deep looking candy jobs, then you look closer and you see micro cracking. I think for guys that generally keep the cars garaged that it is a worse problem. You end up bringing that ride out for a nice sunny show and you are just inviting metal and coating movement. One of the ricer guys at a show had a super dark red candy job and it had just begun to show cracking. He wanted to know what he did wrong and he's telling me about all the layering he did over the OEM paint. I had my laser pyro gun with me and showed him that in the sun his hood temp. was starting to climb over 155 degrees..... what thick job can stand that?

I will be repainting my C5 soon myself, I will not be using candy on mine just original colors with body mods.

Just a Tid bit of info
C5 Corvette is not a Fibeglass car it has SMC panels and Urethane plastic panels so their is No Gelcoat on it any where! You could put Gel coat on SMC but I don't think its necessary.

I am very interested in using Candies so I am following the thread. please keep the info coming.