3-stage paints

[Rick_L]

True candy paint was the original 3 stage paint. It is very hard to apply but the painter can also customize it in many ways. The reason it's so difficult is because it's so transparent - so it's very sensitive to film thickness and application. REALLY easy to get "tiger stripes". The OEM tricoats, and some of the custom formulated tricoats, are not quite as transparent. The degree of transparency will determine the degree of difficulty. But they will not be as striking as the true custom stuff when done right.

There are also many variations on how this is done. True candy is tinted clear w/o metallic over a metallic base. The metallic base can vary in color, flake size, etc.

"Metalflake" is the opposite. You put down a base and put the metallic/clear/tint over the base. Pearl is similar. It's "pearl" instead of metallic. And then you can mix and match variations of all.

[ilike55s]

Jeeze rick, are you ALWAYS contrary?




Up to the 1950s, Detroit-based auto paint companies were the major players in the industry. According to George Barris in vol. 4 of his "Barris Kustom Techniques of the 50's" series (Thaxton Press, 1997), at that time several California individuals and companies entered the arena, adding various dyes, inks and toners to clear lacquers to achieve a show quality. They often called the bright colors "candy" or "kandy," as in "candy apple red."


Acrylic resins



Improvements in using acrylic resins in enamels came along several years later. Those paints did not require buffing for a high gloss and also provided better resistance to harmful ultraviolet rays from sunlight. They were more durable as well. Shortly after introducing those enamels, developers incorporated catalysts that increased durability even more.


Primers and overcoats



Primer substances improved as well, especially the use of electrophoretic deposition (a form of "electroplating") to apply the primer paint directly to the metal so that rusting was almost eliminated. In that process, an electric current runs through metal submerged in a chemical bath, producing a coating on the metal's surface.

In the 1980s, finishing techniques began to include applying a basecoat under the color as well as a clearcoat finish on top, which provided a durable finish for high gloss and resistance to chipping.