Avanti Paint!

[mfg]

Acrylic lacquer paint, the original exterior paint which Studebaker used on the 1963-'64 Avantis, is still readily available......True?

[r1lark]

This is a tricky one. 

Acrylic Lacquer automotive paint is available from both TCP-Global (their 'Restoration Shop' paint line), as well as Dupli-Color (their 'Paint Shop' line). TCP-Global will custom mix paint to match 'old car' colors, but I am pretty sure Duplicolor does not. I cannot personally vouch for the quality of these paints, since I have not used them.

I don't think you can go to your local automotive paint store and get acrylic lacquer paint anymore, but obviously it can be ordered online from specialty suppliers as noted above. So, what constitutes "readily available"? Each person most likely will have a different opinion of what "readily available" means, but here it will be what Ed's opinion of "readily available" means! 

I'll say the answer to this question is "false", since you can't just walk into a local auto paint store and pick up acrylic lacquer paint the same day. And most likely folks with a California address can't order it online from specialty suppliers either.

[Stacey]

I thought they used enamel paints? So I say false

[studegary]

5 hours ago, Stacey said:

I thought they used enamel paints? So I say false

No, the rest of the Studebaker line (Larks, Hawks, trucks) used enamel and Avantis used lacquer.  I have done a lot of painting with nitrocellulose lacquer paint.  I guess that dates me.

To the question, I will say false, due to the "regularly available" part of the statement.

[mfg]

9 hours ago, Stacey said:

I thought they used enamel paints? So I say false

As Gary states, Studebaker used enamel paints on the Larks, Hawks, and truck line...but used acrylic lacquers on the Avantis.

[mfg]

3 hours ago, studegary said:

No, the rest of the Studebaker line (Larks, Hawks, trucks) used enamel and Avantis used lacquer.  I have done a lot of painting with nitrocellulose lacquer paint.  I guess that dates me.

To the question, I will say false, due to the "regularly available" part of the statement.

False is CORRECT for the reason you mention.

[mfg]

9 hours ago, r1lark said:

This is a tricky one. 

Acrylic Lacquer automotive paint is available from both TCP-Global (their 'Restoration Shop' paint line), as well as Dupli-Color (their 'Paint Shop' line). TCP-Global will custom mix paint to match 'old car' colors, but I am pretty sure Duplicolor does not. I cannot personally vouch for the quality of these paints, since I have not used them.

I don't think you can go to your local automotive paint store and get acrylic lacquer paint anymore, but obviously it can be ordered online from specialty suppliers as noted above. So, what constitutes "readily available"? Each person most likely will have a different opinion of what "readily available" means, but here it will be what Ed's opinion of "readily available" means! 

I'll say the answer to this question is "false", since you can't just walk into a local auto paint store and pick up acrylic lacquer paint the same day. And most likely folks with a California address can't order it online from specialty suppliers either.

False is CORRECT here (and well said!).....Actually, the acrylic lacquers available today really aren't as good as what Studebaker used on Avantis, as  some of the mixing agents formerly used have been phased out due to the EPA.

Even the NCRS Duntov 'Bloomington Gold' super picky judges now accept a 'factory appearing' look, and no longer insist on the original Corvette lacquer exterior finish.

Still, to folks that remember, lacquer exterior paint, applied properly, had an unmistakable gloss that really cannot be duplicated by using otherwise superior modern urethane paints (IMHO).....Ed

[studegary]

8 hours ago, mfg said:

False is CORRECT here (and well said!).....Actually, the acrylic lacquers available today really aren't as good as what Studebaker used on Avantis, as  some of the mixing agents formerly used have been phased out due to the EPA.

Even the NCRS Duntov 'Bloomington Gold' super picky judges now accept a 'factory appearing' look, and no longer insist on the original Corvette lacquer exterior finish.

Still, to folks that remember, lacquer exterior paint, applied properly, had an unmistakable gloss that really cannot be duplicated by using otherwise superior modern urethane paints (IMHO).....Ed

This reminds me of one fancy, non-Studebaker, show that I had a 1953 Commander Starliner at.  An "expert" argued with me that the car was not painted with lacquer.  I had purchased the lacquer myself and painted the car myself.  I did not wet sand the finish down to the very last of the limited "orange peel".  I did this on purpose to make it look more like the enamel that the car was built with, rather than lacquer. I know that I did not convince this "expert", but that was ok with me.

[mfg]

8 hours ago, studegary said:

This reminds me of one fancy, non-Studebaker, show that I had a 1953 Commander Starliner at.  An "expert" argued with me that the car was not painted with lacquer.  I had purchased the lacquer myself and painted the car myself.  I did not wet sand the finish down to the very last of the limited "orange peel".  I did this on purpose to make it look more like the enamel that the car was built with, rather than lacquer. I know that I did not convince this "expert", but that was ok with me.

I guess I had a rare moment of brilliance back in 1990 when I refinished my 1963 Studebaker Avanti (63R1379) using Dupont 'Lucite" acrylic lacquer! (Avanti Turquoise)

Realizing at the time it's always good to get a 'little extra paint' from the original mix in case of a future need for touch-up.... I ordered an extra 'TWO GALLONS'!!

Fast forward to today, as that same Lucite '4444L' can no longer be purchased with that same chemical content, I can now rest assured I have plenty of the BEST automotive lacquer for a future touch up, or even for a entire refinish job!!

[brad]

I bought some from TCP Global, and had a very hard time getting it to lay down and shine. The old Lucite was far better. Although this did buff out, it should have been better to start with.  If you order from them....get a lot extra, and really lay it on, because you will be cutting most of it off. I think most of the problems can be traced back to the thinner which is reformulated for lower VOC.  

 

[64studeavanti]

9 minutes ago, brad said:

I bought some from TCP Global, and had a very hard time getting it to lay down and shine. The old Lucite was far better. Although this did buff out, it should have been better to start with.  If you order from them....get a lot extra, and really lay it on, because you will be cutting most of it off. I think most of the problems can be traced back to the thinner which is reformulated for lower VOC.  

 

How much should be ordered?

[brad]

3 gallons of paint. and same for thinner.  For a complete inside and out refinish.

[64studeavanti]

Thanks. Great info.

[mfg]

21 hours ago, brad said:

I bought some from TCP Global, and had a very hard time getting it to lay down and shine. The old Lucite was far better. Although this did buff out, it should have been better to start with.  If you order from them....get a lot extra, and really lay it on, because you will be cutting most of it off. I think most of the problems can be traced back to the thinner which is reformulated for lower VOC.  

 

Yes, new lacquer paints really aren't what Lucite, Duracryl, etc. used to be ..... however, I 'get' the environmental concerns.