I have the next two weeks off (temporary layoff), so I was thinking what a perfect opportunitty to paint my Bronco. The only experience I have painting is when i sprayed epoxy primer on the Bronco three years ago. I am planning on painting in my basement in a makeshift booth using lots of plastic and a fan. I'm planning on painting the Bronco Pepper Grey Mettalic (44490). I went and saw my local paint supplier and he told me he could mix the color using ppg shopline paint. He told me I could get single stage or basecoat/clear coat. I think I want to buy the two stage cause it will last longer, does that sound right? He also told me that I would have to sand the old epoxy primer down and reprime it before painting.
I have a ampro HVLP spray gun from Advance. Is this okay? How important is the gun for spraying the base/clear coats?
I would greatly appreciate any input/advice/lessons learned you guys may have for me.

 

You will definately have to sand and reprime.

Metalic's aren't the easiest paints to spray, but a friend of mine told me that single stage metalics are a lot easier to spray than base/clear. I sprayed our jeep with a brown metalic and it turned out alright (the second time).

I can't help you on the gun or which lasts longer.

Good luck and please let us know how it turns out. Pictures, and more pictures.

 

I see no reason why bc/cc would last longer than single stage. Clear coat is essentially clear urethane while single stage is tinted urethane. Same same under the sun's UV. The difference would be that spraying base coat is more forgiving if you make a mistake than single stage is. I use Concept single stage myself and will continue to use it until I can't get it anymore in California and then I'll drive to Reno and buy it.

 

I myself would go with the two stage b/c. believe it or not, for a beginner I think it is way easier to work with. You can spray the color dry because you dont need to worry about getting a shine. When you are satisfied with the color and the coverage, you can simply clear it. Plus, taking runs and dirt out of a clear coat when it is dry is much easier than out of single stage. cutting and repriming is a must in this situation.

 

I agree....

 

I disagree totally with whoever said metallics are easier to spray in single stage. You have to maintain both a good gloss, and even metallic. If an enamel is used, that may be even trickier to spray. You would have to live with how it is sprayed, because you will not be able to wetsand and buff out the paint job afterwards with no clear on top without blotching the metallic.
Bc/cc, you do not spray to achieve gloss, but you still don't want to spray them too dry, as the adhesion of the clear could be affected. But I believe a basecoat is much easier to spray as well as repair.
Single stage the only thing protecting the color is a thin layer of clear resin that rises to the top (although most can be cleared or an old trick was to mix the last coat sprayed 50/50 with clear).
A good clearcoat can have two different types of uv inhibitors in them, As I understand it singlestage can only use one. Clearcoat will provide more protection to the pigments and metallic then if a single stage sprayed with no clear. You don't see much fading and oxidizing of the color today with modern bc/cc finishes, like you often did when single stages were still being used. The clear usually breaks down first, and a good clear, used properly with the proper mil thickness should last many years.
And I also agree with the paint supplier that said the epoxy should be sanded and reapplied. Most tech sheets I've seen state to scuff and reapply after so many days. Probably only really needs a good scuffing up before applying another coat.