Paint Technical Questions

[Alex]

I did something really, really, really DUMB. Never work when you're tired!

I finished washing my Miata and had the windshield wipers up. Then I opened
the hood to put some white grease on the hinges. Yup, the wipers took off a
chip on the hood about one-half inch down to the bare metal.

I have the RED touch-up paint that I use on much very small spots, but this
time I want a professional job done. I made an appointment with a company
called BLENDTEK INC. in Bellingham, Ma that specializes in custome mixing
paint and fixing/painting. I have the impression that most cars use lacquer
and clear coat.

Can anyone please identify the Miata RED Paint n a 1990?

(1) Enamel or lacquer?

(2) Clear Coat?

To be really technical, most cars have 1-3 microns of primer over bare
metal, then 3-5 microns of color paint, finally there is a 2-4 microns of
clear coat. Anyone know the thicknesses on the Miatas?

Also, I scraped the metal, by opening the door over a sidewalk. Its under my
driver side door (not visible) but I am afraid of rust. Should I just take
some touchup to it, or should I first put some primer on it followed by
touch up?

Thanks,

Alex

[AkiraRdstr]

>I have the impression that most cars use lacquer and clear coat. >

Most production cars today use urethane enamels, for single-stage jobs as well
as two-stage.

>Can anyone please identify the Miata RED Paint n a 1990?
>
>(1) Enamel or lacquer? >

Enamel---urethane, if that's what the body shop uses in its paint system.
That's the way it comes from the factory, anyway.

>(2) Clear Coat? >

No---single-stage.

>To be really technical, most cars have 1-3 microns of primer over bare
>metal, then 3-5 microns of color paint, finally there is a 2-4 microns of
>clear coat. Anyone know the thicknesses on the Miatas? >

Pretty damn thin. Next question?

>Also, I scraped the metal, by opening the door over a sidewalk. Its under my
>driver side door (not visible) but I am afraid of rust. Should I just take
>some touchup to it, or should I first put some primer on it followed by
>touch up?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Alex >>

If you're down to the metal, prime lightly, then cover with touch-up. If it's
in the lower part of the door, in the textured urethane chip guard and not down
to the metal...you can hit it with the touch-up directly.
--
"Akira"
'96 Chaste A/T http://www.eunos.com/keith/stripes/akira.html

Got Stripes?

[Alex]

Thanks for the paint info it will be used. Just curious but has Mazda
changed their paint over the years either urethane enamel and/or clear coat
usage?

Alex

AkiraRdstr wrote in message
<199808080156...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...

[AkiraRdstr]

>Just curious but has Mazda
>changed their paint over the years either urethane enamel and/or clear coat
>usage? >>

Most manufacturers changed their paint systems from lacquers to urethane
enamels in the '70s. The single-stage urethane used by Mazda on the early
Roadsters was almost a step back in the process, since most manufacturers had
been increasing their two-stage (base/clear) options. The new technique
employed was supposed to save weight and be easier to apply during manufacture,
but there were durability problems which showed up later.

Depending on the color, most cars today use a base/clear finish---even
Roadsters: while the Classic Red, Brilliant Black and Chaste White are still
one-stage, the Emerald, Silver and Twilight are base/clears.

--
"Akira"
'96 Chaste A/T http://www.eunos.com/keith/stripes/akira.html

"Open the door. Open the top. Open the mind."
---from '99 Roadster sales brochure (Japan)