Rustoleum car paint job and adding clear coat

[Dolfan]

I've had good luck with my Rustoleum painting with the paint from the quart cans, using acetone thinner and medium hardener for painting cars, wheels, etc. Now mind you these are race cars and the idea is using Rustoluem we can touch up easily with rattle can, we aren't doing a Chip Foose paint job.

Generally, I have not done any clear coat over Rustoluem, but I did a base cost/clear coat on my personal race car and that worked great. I have a good amount of Finish1 clear and I'm getting ready to paint a buddy's track car and we are thinking to add clear over the color coat. Everything I've read says you have to wait weeks for the Rustoluem to cure, but I'm not sure if that would be the case as I also add hardener that many people dont use. Or is there another clear coat product that I could grab on a budget that would be compatible and be able to spray in the normal time frame instead of waiting weeks?

Thanks for any insight the group has.

Here is the latest Rustoluem paint job on my team's endurance e30 race car.

 

[Firstram]

I’ve been able to sand bugs out of hardened Rustoleum the next day.

 

[Dolfan]

I’ve been able to sand bugs out of hardened Rustoleum the next day.

Yeah, I'm thinking that with using the hardener that changes the timetable to be able to clear. But I've not done it.

 

[Dolfan]

Just another shot of the latest Rustoluem race car paint job.

Rustoluem Aluminum, Sunrise Red, Sunburst Yellow

 

[dscheidt]

That looks great from the stand. What’s it like up close?

 

[Copymutt]

My K20 Rustoleum paint job is now 4 yrs. old and still looks good, if you like Massey Fergusson Grey. Never bothered to rub it out.

 

[Torque&Recoil]

Oh, Champcar. Mine is Rustoleum, also.

 

[67King]

I ended up doing wrap on my 944

 

[johninct]

I am guessing with a hardner, you can work the paint sooner. Basecoat/clearcoat is properly done at the same time and is designed as one finished product. Base =color and clear =depth/protection. You have single stage, everything in one product. Does Rustoleum make a compatible clear? You will need to scuff it but the big question is will the clear lift the Rustoluem? A spray can may match the Rustoleum but not the Rustoleum/ clear combination.

 

[Dolfan]

I am guessing with a hardner, you can work the paint sooner. Basecoat/clearcoat is properly done at the same time and is designed as one finished product. Base =color and clear =depth/protection. You have single stage, everything in one product. Does Rustoleum make a compatible clear? You will need to scuff it but the big question is will the clear lift the Rustoluem? A spray can may match the Rustoleum but not the Rustoleum/ clear combination.

Yeah, I'm thinking that with the hardener even 48-72 hours should be ample time, then just a light scuff for the clear. And yes the rattle can will not match perfect for touch up but once again this is a race car paint job so not as critical

 

[Dolfan]

That looks great from the stand. What’s it like up close?

I don't think I've got any pictures up close. I can say that the colors spray differently, the red I found harder, needs more thinning, the aluminum needs less and spray just fine, the yellow flowed out better than the others.

 

[PoorUB]

Perhaps it doesn't apply, but I used Rustoleum rattle can, let it sit for a week, then sanded with 1500 and then rattle canned clear over it and it turned out pretty decent.

I never have tried to clear over Rustoleum in the quart cans, although I have painted with it a fair amount. Using hardner and giving it a few days before you clear it I wouldn't think it would be an issue. I have repainted color over the quart cans paint a week later with no issue.

 

[MileHighRover]

10-15 minutes according to this video.

 

[Torque&Recoil]

I am guessing with a hardner, you can work the paint sooner. Basecoat/clearcoat is properly done at the same time and is designed as one finished product. Base =color and clear =depth/protection. You have single stage, everything in one product. Does Rustoleum make a compatible clear? You will need to scuff it but the big question is will the clear lift the Rustoluem? A spray can may match the Rustoleum but not the Rustoleum/ clear combination.

Rustoleum makes several clear coats. You can get the Automotive Clear at Walmart for less than $10. It worked better than I expected (for a race car).

 

[Dolfan]

Well just a follow up. My buddies Mini race car is styled after the Days of Thunder City Chevrolet car. So we started with JD Yellow and JD Green, but the JD Green is to deep and needs neon. So after spraying both of those mixed with acetone and medium hardener, we then used Rustoleum rattle can for the neon and helped with the fade.

Today I sprayed Finish1 clear coat 4:1 with the medium hardener and it laid down fairly well with temps about 71* and 65 humidity. So far it is looking good and way above the standard for a track or race car!





Should look great once numbers are on it and all assembled.

 

[Ohmthis]

What hardener did you use? I’ve had good luck with the majic hardener and reducer with good success. I’ve not ever used clear coat. I’ve wondered about the two having a reaction. Good to see that you had success.

 

[racecougar]

I'd say that thing is ready to pass on the outside of turn four.

 

[Yellerdog]

Just need special tires, staggered special and matched perfect.

 

[dave377]

I painted my golf cart with red rustoleum and waited a day then sprayed with can spray clear coat. Turned out great and has lasted a year so far with no problem [setting out side in the rain and snow]

 

[threepiece]

While I have no input on compatibility, I will offer a suggestion you may find helpful.

I painted cars for a living in the past. I found some of my best work was done outside. The system I used was to prep everything ready to paint for the next morning with “good” weather. I did this indoors so no dew accumulated on the surface overnight.

There is a window of opportunity many mornings, before the wind blows, the bugs come out and the sun rises too high that I found to be perfect for painting. Timing is everything here.

This system freed up my shop for other activity, not having a dedicated spray area.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Dolfan, you have done this before! You are showing the proper way to get a good outdoor paint job. Under a sun shade. Tied down so the shade won’t lift in the wind and crash into your freshly painted car. Glad you found a good clear coat!

 

[andyvh1959]

How much Acetone to use as a thinner? What kind of hardener,, and how much?

 

[dwasifar]

Not strictly on topic, but I have a funny story about spray can car painting.

When I was a kid, my dad got it into his head to repaint his '62 Beetle. He believed cars required car paint, so he went to the Dupli-Color rack at Korvette's and bought a few of those little cans, in metalflake purple, relying on the coverage estimate printed on the cans to decide how much to buy.

Well of course, we all know those estimates bear no relation to reality. He found that out the hard way when he ran out of paint with the car barely 1/4 of the way painted. Two more trips to Korvette's followed, at which point he had bought all they had of that color, and the car still wasn't finished. He had to wait until they got another shipment.

In the meantime, he needed the car to get to work on Monday, so he had to strip off all his careful masking, and drive the partly painted car to work until more paint came in, then remask and finish the job the next weekend. In the end he needed about 15 cans. I had rarely seen him so pissed off. We all stayed out of his way until the job was done. And the paint didn't even last very long.

 

[metalmafiaboss]

just make sure you properly catalyze the rustoleum... and i only reduce the rustoleum with acetone or lacquer thinner and skip any other reducer/thinner as they can make your flash/dry time for the rustoleum take too long. as soon as the rustoleum is able to be lightly wet sanded or scotchbrited... mix up your clear and get after it.

i painted my 93 s10 panel by panel in my driveway and under my back deck this past summer... and it came out blue. lol

 

[May Pop]

if you haven’t done this yet check out the you tube channel
Rusted Rides.
Ron

 

[MileHighRover]

Here's an 18 month update to Rustoleum topped with 2k clear. Pretty nice results so far.

 

[ATC]

I’ve never messed with the quart/gallons. I’m too lazy to prep everything and clean up a gun afterwards.

I do use quite a bit of the spray cans. I’ve been really impressed with the durability of them. I painted a headache rack about 7-8 years ago and it’s still holding its shine today living outside 24/7. I just painted a trailer frame project yesterday.

 

[ColinWestcott]

I've had good luck with my Rustoleum painting with the paint from the quart cans, using acetone thinner and medium hardener for painting cars, wheels, etc. Now mind you these are race cars and the idea is using Rustoluem we can touch up easily with rattle can, we aren't doing a Chip Foose paint job.

Generally, I have not done any clear coat over Rustoluem, but I did a base cost/clear coat on my personal race car and that worked great. I have a good amount of Finish1 clear and I'm getting ready to paint a buddy's track car and we are thinking to add clear over the color coat. Everything I've read says you have to wait weeks for the Rustoluem to cure, but I'm not sure if that would be the case as I also add hardener that many people dont use. Or is there another clear coat product that I could grab on a budget that would be compatible and be able to spray in the normal time frame instead of waiting weeks?

Thanks for any insight the group has.

Here is the latest Rustoluem paint job on my team's endurance e30 race car.
https://trinityrental.com/

That looks really good for a track car finish. Curious to see how that clear holds up after a season of use, especially with chips and touch-ups.

 

[dcg9381]

So I won't use Rustoleum again for this sort of thing again.. Given, I'm brushing it on, not thinning / spraying it and adding hardener.
I'll use a catalytic automotive paint for anything that I care about due to these long term results:

I completely re-did a jetski trailer a few year ago. It looked great in rustoleum initially:



3 years later, it looks like ***, flaking might be due to my not-great prep work, but it's also faded.

 

[MovingAlong]

Quick note: I've called RustOleum (800 number on the can) a couple times and received excellent advice.

 

[Firstram]

So I won't use Rustoleum again for this sort of thing again.. Given, I'm brushing it on, not thinning / spraying it and adding hardener.
I'll use a catalytic automotive paint for anything that I care about due to these long term results:

I completely re-did a jetski trailer a few year ago. It looked great in rustoleum initially:



3 years later, it looks like ***, flaking might be due to my not-great prep work, but it's also faded.

FWIW, I thin and catalyze even when brushing. It makes a huge difference!

 

[danfromsyr]

So I won't use Rustoleum again for this sort of thing again.. Given, I'm brushing it on, not thinning / spraying it and adding hardener.
I'll use a catalytic automotive paint for anything that I care about due to these long term results:

I completely re-did a jetski trailer a few year ago. It looked great in rustoleum initially:



3 years later, it looks like ***, flaking might be due to my not-great prep work, but it's also faded.

was the trailer frame galvanized? I see the fender is..
did you use a primer 1st?

 

[dcg9381]

was the trailer frame galvanized? I see the fender is..

Fender, yes - they were new. Likely improper prep. Trailer - no.

did you use a primer 1st?

No, and I'd agree that improper prep was to blame for a lot..But the fading is fading, even the deck rails on my house are faded, they were properly prepped.

 

[MileHighRover]

Fender, yes - they were new. Likely improper prep. Trailer - no.

No, and I'd agree that improper prep was to blame for a lot..But the fading is fading, even the deck rails on my house are faded, they were properly prepped.

Can't paint galvy without proper prep.

From the American Galvanizers Association:

Preparing for paint


As for the fading, you probably needed a UV resistant top coat.