Im painting the Nova white and I would like to know the differences between an epoxy primer and a laquer primer. I am using Napa Martin Senour Paints. I was first told to use the epoxy, but when I went to buy it he only had it in black. He didnt think that a white top coat(single stage) would cover the black primer very well so he sold me the light grey Laquer Primer Surfacer. Pretty much the only thing I am worried about is which (if either) paint will shrink up more over time. That is one of the main reasons I am painting it white in the first place, so that it will hide as many flaws as possible. Im not looking for a #1 paint job I just want my car 95% STRAIGHT. It only needs to be this way for the next 4 years or so while I finish college so this paint job doesnt have to last to long. I dont think im even going to cut and buff it, I dont mind the orange peel look as long as the car is straight. Although I wouldnt mind sanding the white down every other summer and re painting it white. That isnt near the job that taking everything to bare metal, patching, straightening, body filling, priming, sanding, and painting is! My plan is to prime one or so body panels each weekend and then paint the whole car white all at once at the end of the summer, im going to paint the bumper tomorro if you guys think the laquer primer surfacer will work for me!? Thanks guys!

Find another paint supplier. My epoxy primer was beige. I had it tinted toward green, so the BC would cover easier.

You can get it tinted toward the white color too. Only thing is it make the epoxy harder to sand after fully cured. So do your major block sanding within 24 hours.

This is also a show car trick. If you get a scratch that goes through the paint, it will be hard to see, since the primer below is in the same color palatte.

I might be wrong been wrong before but I believe MS makes a tintable epoxy primer.

PPG makes an epoxy also that comes in 5 colors. I belive the white epoxy is part number DPLF50 or dplf60.

Second off that epoxy no matter what brand you buy is NOT meant for sanding, or blocking smooth. Epoxy has little to no film build plus it sands like crap.
For blocking you need sometype of a primer surfacer, one in the MS line would be PH48 which is a med gray surfacer.

You can apply paint directly over this primer surfacer.

Appling lacquer in this day and age is :rolleyes:
and having a paint store even suggest lacquer tells me that you should be finding a new store to deal with one that knows what the hell is going on...Eric

What exactly is wrong with a lacquer type paint!? I know its old, but back when that was all you had to work with there were still show cars right?

a tip w/ the white paint job- it'll hide some of the imperfections on the panel surface like you said, just make sure your gaps are nice and even! a white paint job, or any very light paint, contrasts the panel gaps, and makes em pop out like crazy if they aren't dead on.

You said you wanted your car 95% straight!!!! Wal, neither epoxy nor lacquer primer will automatically accomplish that feat. There is more involved that just spraying primer on a car to get it "95%" straight.

Epoxy and lacquer primers are two completely different worlds. The fact that lacquer technology is old is just another factor. The only thing they really have in common is that they are in the category of "primers".

Ok I followed your guys advise. My boss actually convinced me to use the Martin Senour paints and just keep the primer finish on the car. I think the particular paint Im gonna get is a primer sealer. His '61 Ford is painted like this and it looks nice. Since im not gonna cut and buff it I dont want the glossy shine.