This was my first attempt at painting a car. It's a 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk.
To start with I went to my local O'Reilly's and they said yes they mix and sell paint. They sold me nason fastdry? It's an acrylic enamel which is fine for me, because of safety and not needing to clearcoat. It went on quite bumpy but I thought it evens out. I suspect the air in the gun dried the paint before it hit the car. Well its very bumpy. I sanded a small place with 600 grit and it seems like it can be smoothed without going through the whole coat. To prep the car I only hand sanded. This seems like quite a big job. Please tell me how to proceed! I don't have a buffer or DA but I can get them.I know the pics will make you both laugh and cry.
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What's your location? I'd day they definitely sold you the wrong paint. I don't believe any new painter should spray "fast dry", especially in the heat of summer.

Your location is, largely, irrelevant. We'll deal with that later.

Nason acrylic is maybe not the highest quality acrylic out there, in terms of looks and gloss, but it's as tough as nails and can be made to look as good, if not better, than the modern paints. Don't stress on this as a factor. It's not the paint's fault.

A few things....

Firstly we need to know what kind of paint was on there before, i.e. that you painted over. Simple test is to wet a rag with thinners and rub a bit in an inconspicuous area. If paint transfers to the rag then it was probably acrylic, if not then maybe a 2K.

Then we need some better photos of the problem areas. It really is hard to tell from your pictures but is that patterning the paint underneath wrinkling or the paint you sprayed on just so dry that it's like sandpaper?

Please describe your procedure. What ratio did you thin the paint at? What thinners did you use? How far from the panel was your gun? Exactly what kind of gun were you using? What air pressures and how measured?

You were correct. I looked at those photos and cried. Especially after zooming in on the guard to door join.

That car is rare here and something of a classic. I remember when they were new and just how desirable they were. So let's not try to destroy it or incur a repair cost the size of the national debt of a small country.

millyman wrote: I sanded a small place with 600 grit and it seems like it can be smoothed without going through the whole coat.

I'm surprised, and somewhat pleased that you didn't go through. Most do because there is this belief in North America that no sandpaper finer than P600 is good for anything. So let's start by disabusing you of this furphy. Take all the P600 you have and cut it into 5mm strips. Place those strips in a strong steel container, a safe would do. Weld the door and any other joints closed. Now take the safe on a boat into the middle of the largest body of water within 3 days drive. Now drop the safe overboard and, without marking the spot, go home.

Reflect on the enormity of what you've just done, but consider that in light of a whole new world of quality that you've just opened up. Go to your local paint supplies distributor and buy at least 20 sheets of P800 wet and dry. Another 20 sheets of P1200 wet and dry, 10 sheets of P1500 wet and dry and 10 sheets of P2000 wet and dry. If you can get hold of a decent 6"/150mm DA then also get a box of P3000 3M Trizact pads. Also an interface pad and a box of each, P500 dry, some P180 and P240 because you don't know what you may uncover. If you don't already have them, get a set of blocks as well.

Report back here when you've completed all of the above.

the fast reducer is most likely WHAT caused your problem. check into Nassons Ful-thane its a urathane single stage paint, then get the reducer for your temperature. https://products.axaltacs.com/dcat/us/e ... sktop=true
SOME QUESTIONS
DID YOU use a hardener or catalyst in the paint thats on it now?
what temps are we painting in ?
do you have a good air supply?
i would think about getting a DA and sand it smooth with some 320 then hand sand it with something smoother or think about a sealer coat then sand it with 800 or so ????
HOW ABOUT SOME GOOD PICKTURES OF THE CAR???????????? is it a turbo model ?
Jay D.

Thank you all for your replys. First I have a good epoxy primer underneath. The store is in Central Wisconsin and all their paint is mixed in Menominee wi. The nason website says a pint of reducer should be added. I asked the store and he called the mixer and they both assured me it wasn't needed? But generally that paint at least there is only put in aerosol cans. I started sanding the whole coat down to the primer and then I'm going to reprime and try again.

millyman wrote:But generally that paint at least there is only put in aerosol cans.

Aerosol cans? Did you do this with aerosol cans?

No I used a sprayer at 40 psi
sorry pics are sideways

millyman wrote:I used a sprayer at 40 psi

Oh, good.

Helping you is going to be difficult if you don't give us more information. A "sprayer at 40psi" isn't quite what I was after.

NFT5 wrote:Please describe your procedure. What ratio did you thin the paint at? What thinners did you use? How far from the panel was your gun? Exactly what kind of gun were you using? What air pressures and how measured?

I have some real concerns about repairs and preparation on this car. I can see some very large rust holes in some photos which appear to have just been bogged up. Filler doesn't look to have been properly shaped and sanded - hence bridging across the joint between door and RHF guard. And there appears to be some rust holes still in the RH quarter near the RHR light. How did you do repairs in these areas?

millyman wrote:The nason website says a pint of reducer should be added. I asked the store and he called the mixer and they both assured me it wasn't needed?

Acrylic paints must be reduced. That's how the whole paint system works. A "pint of reducer" in what quantity of paint?

Hey Nice car! I have had 2 62 Hawks I want a 57 or a 53 myself next.

Just me but I would sand it down smoothing out what you have and then re-shoot it.
Depending on how many coats you put down it may be able to be saved by sanding and polishing BUT as a Newb your asking a lot of your self to do that. Better off sanding it down and re-shooting it BUT THAT IS MY OPINION!

What you got their is a heck of a Orange peel problem what caused it yes could be by to hi of heat combined with too fast of activator or a combination of things like the air pressure wasnt hi enough or too hi even. OR could be from using too small of a compressor for your gun can also be a possible cause. (I am leaning this way)

Remember its just paint and worst case you sand it down and start over.

That Nason Fastdry can be a pain to get laid down without any peel. They say it’s easier because it’s SS , idk about that. But if you’re gunna paint ,
then might as well go BC/CC and you’ll be happier in the long run. Just my opinion though. And like noted above it’s only paint and your the one who’s going to pick it apart most. Remember that.