Anyone know about 60's vintage metallic paint?

A

Alfisti

Active member
I just had a call about polishing a '63 T-bird which still has the original metal paint, according to the new owner. The paint is a gold colour called champaigne.



He describes it as being completely dull with no metal flake visible. Obviously, it's not clear coated.



Does anyone have any experience with this vintage metallic paint?

Is it safe to polish, or would it be too degraded? Has it failed?

What's the characteristics of this kind of metallic?



I've had no experience with old metallics and would appreciate any feedback. :confused:
 
I recently was asked to polish the paint on a 63 Chev, it was a light metallic green kind of like the colour that Holden used on the HR Premiers.



After a good wash and very light claying (didnt seem to need a lot of effort) I did a small area with P21s Paint Cleanser by hand.



It certainly improved it but there was no way it would look like modern paint in terms of depth and gloss.



The owner did the rest and as far as I know is very happy with the result.



As the say on the packet " test on small hard to see area first"



I hope this helps.



Cheers

Dave.
 
I don't have any experience with '60s vintage metallic paint, but had always thought that a clear coat was applied to protect the 'flakes' and seal them?

JonM
 
TOGWT said:
I don't have any experience with '60s vintage metallic paint, but had always thought that a clear coat was applied to protect the 'flakes' and seal them?

JonM
Click to expand...



As opposed to later vintage, yet pre-clearcoat metallics? Myself and my family had numerous 70's & 80's (maybe even a '69...I just can't remember if that one was metallic...it was a Ford "champagne" type color as mentioned before) metallic non-clearcoat finishes. It's single-stage paint, it just has metalflake mixed into it. Are you saying that when they first started with metallic paints it wasn't like that?
 
Alfisti,



Your PM box is full, so I have to reach you on this thread:



Please shorten your signature to a maximum of three lines total. Thank you
 
Setec Astronomy- My only experience of earlier paint systems is with lacquer or single stage (European and British (Jaguar) paints.



This is what I thought was the beginning of metallics-

1970s- Both Japanese and European began using a paint that contained mica chips (metallic paints) in an acrylic paint with a clear coat. This top layer of the paint film system comprising clear polyurethane or urethane paint that provides an outstanding hardness, premium gloss, distinctness of image and long lasting

colour retention and a hard protective layer.



The US later embraced both the metallic paints and clear coat technology, the clear coats applied to late 70s US vehicle often failed within two to three years.

JonM
 
TOGWT said:
Setec Astronomy- My only experience of earlier paint systems is with lacquer or single stage (European and British (Jaguar) paints.
Click to expand...



Well, I remember my friend's '73 Plymouth Roadrunner, a '73 Mercury, '76, '78, '79, & '81 Buicks, and my '82 Chevy that all had non-clearcoated metallic paint, which is neither here nor there, really.



To get back to the topic, Alfisti, I think you should polish it as you would any single-stage finish. Just be aware, that at that age, there may not be much paint left, and therefore you may not be able to bring it back from its dull appearance.
 
If it's original, it's acrylic enamel. Be gentle.



Can't wetsand it at all (since it's metallic), and compound is not a good idea either. I'd get a light cut poilish and see how much you can bring it up. Watch your RPMs and heat if you use a rotary, metallics will run hot and you can burn it.



It * should* respond to light polish if it's not too far gone. Good luck. :)
 
To all, thank you for your advice and experience. :bigups



I'll be seeing it on the weekend to advise the customer if it's doable. I'll try a small area and see how it responds.



I was told it's the original metallic paint so I'll be gentle.



Thanks again...I'll report back when I've inspected/tested it for any future posters who come upon this issue.
 
Alfisti,



If the biggest problem is oxidation and not swirls, I'd stick with something like AIO, at least to start with. From what I've read (no personal experience here), single stage metallics are pretty delicate.



Tort
 
I have ss metallic on the XJS and most of our family cars had such paints when I was growing up (including my mother's '62 T-bird). Some ss metallics can be worked pretty much like any other paint, while others will "die" quickly if you take off much of the clear that's sorta "floated to the top" of them (sorry about the layman's terminology, hope you experts don't mind). So you really do have to proceed cautiously. FWIW I'd stick to a PC/Cyclo as opposed to a rotary.



I've had some good luck using products like Meg's #7 to "pretreat" dried out ss. Apply it thick, don't buff it off, and let it sit overnight. Then buff it and inspect the paint and *then* do some mild polishing. Note that "old school" approaches such as #7/carnauba combos can work very well on such paints as long as you're not after the ultimate in UV protection/etc. The oils in the #7 really *do* "nourish" the paint (a rare case where this is true).
 
Tort, I was going to try AIO as a gentle approach to testing the paint. Good suggestion.



Accumulator, I was only going to use a PC.



Your suggestion of 'pre-treating' it with #7 is a great idea! It makes so much sense! Why didn't *I* think of it? :bow
 
Thanks, Accumlator...it's been so long since I really looked closely at a SS metallic, I forgot about the flakes "sinking" away from the surface. Kinda like when you float concrete to get the aggregate to sink (or is it to get the cement to float?).



Hmmm...and that whole nightmare about matching SS metallics...that it was so hard to get the same amount of "sink"...is this still an issue? If not, why not? Because the clearcoat masks it? Or because the color coat is so much thinner than it used to be?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Hmmm...and that whole nightmare about matching SS metallics...that it was so hard to get the same amount of "sink"...is this still an issue?
Click to expand...



Yeah, it's so much of an issue that I'm having an awful time getting somebody to do some work on the Jag. My first-choice painter won't do it because he's certain it won't turn out nice enough for either him or me :( Not gonna have it redone with b/c and they don't make the "correct" paint any more, not sure what I'm gonna end up having done...
 
With b/c you still have issues with getting the "metallic effect" to match, but generally it's a whole 'nother ballgame and not that big of a deal.
 
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