Flat-Black goodness

wxtornado

New member
I love this look on a car. When I had my 350Z, I always wanted to get it painted flat-black, but the wife wasn't too crazy about this color. Autopians, what do you have to do diffferently to keep this color looking it's best?



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porsche_carrera_gt_flat_black.jpg




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It all depends on the process. Is it flat black with a clear? Just Flat Black? Gloss Black with a flattening agent in the clear?



But if someone paints their car flat black I'm guessing just a wash would be sufficient for the exterior care.



I painted a FZR600 I had flat black only because it was sort of a rat bike that I did not care about and did not want to have to keep it polished and clean. LOL
 
I hate this trend...



By it can be done by paint or just primer/sealer.



A post I made in another thread...



You can get paints with the flat look in both single stage and bc/cc. PPG also has 2060 flex n flat clear. You can use it straight for flat and mix it with different ratios with gloss clears to achieve the level of gloss you want. There is no code for "flat black," if youre going PPG its black base (DMD 1683) and a flat clear (DCU 2060).... but unless you want to pay out the *** for base and flat clear, id go with HRF and stay away from PPG (or any other BC/CC system out there)



Some epoxys (PPG DPLF 90 for instance) that when they cure, look identical to what HRF now does, it had that "perfect" lack of shine, its what all the old schoolers used back in the day when there was still lead in the epoxy, for health reasons, the lead has since been removed (damn you osha) and because of that, it breaks down pretty quickly now if left without topcoat.



HRF is hot rod flatz which you can get in a variety of colors that will achieve the same "flatt" results.



Windex works really well for cleaning flat/satin paint.
 
vtec92civic said:
amazing cars . . . . . if one sprayed clear on it i don't think it would remain flat black though, or would it?



You'd want to use a flattening agent in the clear.



Although this bike I did has regular clear on it.



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if i were to do this id personally do a single stage hot rod flat. buffing the satin clearcoat is not a good idea cause it gets unevenly glossy. trust me, rubbing out scratches on a brand new satin gunmetal cbr600rr was a nightmare :think:

its cheaper and also easier to touch up a single stage flat.

or if i had a mint paintjob id put flat black vinyl overlays :2thumbs:
 
It's not really a trend because hot rodders have been doing it for years. Although most of the hot rod guys that do it do it in primer so they can drive the car whiel they wait for the cash to paint it. LOL
 
NO WAY, where did you get the first picture of that Lambo?



I saw that car in an underground parking garage in central london about 1.5 years ago. I am pretty sure there is only one with that color scheme. It had a UAE number plate on it at the time.
 
I'm also in the dislike category - flat black only looks good in HDR photos.



Also, yes, the first few weeks you have flat black you think 'goly gee, this is neat; I'm part of the internet trend'; but the novelty wears off quite quickly and then you wonder why you did it.



//my 65 cobra was in flat black for several months.
 
I primered my eclipse YEARS ago flat black. Before it become cool to do so. I hated going places and people asking "when you gonna paint it"? IT IS PAINTED!!!!! Now its cool, I dig it, always have. It looks mean, I wanted to do it to my Ghia but I like messing with the paint too much LOL. Some of the cars now with these "paint jobs" are not painted, some are covered in vinyl.
 
Nikku said:
Hey Evan,



Mind me asking what paint gun was used for that and what size compressor?



BTW she looks fantastic but the white walls on the tires not so much :)



Cheers,

Nick



Jaguar SLP-13 HVLP gun, 1.4mm spray tip.



Craftsman 26.5gal air compressor, set to 60psi.
 
Flat black looks horrible. It looks like the owner went to Home Depot and bought a pack of black spray can paint and then painted the car for under $50. Its a great way to depreciate your car, and do it VERY quickly! Most flat black jobs are single-stage, so there isn't anything you can do to it to maintain the finish other then re-painting it correctly!
 
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