240 Respray tips

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Angie

That sounds likely, as the body repairer seemed to know what he was talking about and does a lot of classic car work. The subject cropped up because he's going to polish the car while he has it and I asked if machine polishing might remove the lacquer.

My 1989 245DL is solid red, no lacquer. I think (been mentioned) only metallics in this period would have used a lacquer top coat - on metallic cars it is usually the lacquer that deteriorates.

Jon.
700/900 Register Keeper VOC.

[Triple-S]

Metallic paints are another way to seduce the punter into expecting a lovely shiny new car. My E-reg 240 saloon is silver plus lacquer whereas my D-reg 240 estate is white with no lacquer - easy to T-cut and polish but DON'T try that on a lacquered finish - that isn't for T-cutting (don't know exactly how one safely brings back faded lacquer to life - you probably don't). My G-reg 740 is lacquered silver, which is lifting now - good job its only my spares-car.
Lacquer isn't new: our early Golf was silver+lacquer over 25 years ago - that's where I learnt not to T-cut lacquer! In my opinion it is an answer to short-term shines - fine for the first few miles then....

P

[Angie]

I'm relieved about the lack o' lacquer (as you might say) because the young man said once he's polished the car I won't recognise it. That could be interpreted in different ways! Anyway I'm looking forward to having it back all shiny-bright, I wasn't looking forward to having to do it myself.

[Steve and his 244]

Most or all of the "solid" colours available on 240 weren't lacquered, however lacquer is a much more durable finish than solid paint and almost always results in a better finish. Most 240 colours are available in clear over base now in paint shops.

When john h painted his 240, we painted it in clear over base, but the original 601 classic red. It's far more vibrant and has a much deeper shine.

Of course if only doing one panel rather than a full respray, I would recommend going for the original solid type paint.

Lacquer most certainly can be t-cutted up (apart from t-cut is ancient, and crap. You should use modern compounds such as farecla g3 and g10)

Lacquer is more scratch resistant and fade-resistant than solid gloss paints and when looked after by being washed with proper car wash chemicals and a proper wash mitt, should require little to no maintainence

[halfnelson]

Originally Posted by Steve and his 244

Most or all of the "solid" colours available on 240 weren't lacquered, however lacquer is a much more durable finish than solid paint and almost always results in a better finish. Most 240 colours are available in clear over base now in paint shops.

Mine is an early '76 car and is laquered. The shine has held up really well and there is a really nice depth to the finish.

[andythepandy]

Thanks for all the replies. Ok that gives me a little more to go on. My car is silver green (see pic) but I'm not sure if it is metallic paint but I don't thin it is. So am I right in thinking that this is probably just solid paint?

[Steve and his 244]

No, that is metallic, and will be clear over base

[Model flyer]

It fine to T cut laquer to restore the shine if its dulled over the years, just don't make a habit of it or you risk cutting through to the base coat . To check if your car is lacquered try T cutting a small area . If the colour comes off then its not lacquered. If no colour comes off then it is. Once the shine has been restored give it a good polish. For the first polish after T cutting I use a mildly abrasive trade liquid polish . This cuts finer than T cut and gives a real shine. After that I use Turtlewax Ice . Its non abrasive , gives a brilliant shine and can be applied over all the black plastic trim restoring the deep black .

[andythepandy]

Thanks for all your help guys. I'm going to go to the local paint shop this weekend and get all the kit and get to work on this beast. If I remember to I'll post a few before and after shots of the parts I'm spraying.