Tell me if this plan will work fine: After I have completely stripped my El Camino to bare metal (using Aircraft low odor or POR-15 Stripper) then wash it down with a water hose and scotch brite pad,let dry and then start sanding off what primer is left with a DA and hand sanding with a felible pad in some areas.After its all sanded to bare metal then I would apply 2-3 wet coats of DPLF 90 (BLACK) Epoxy Primer,then according to past postings Ive read,(Correct Me Please if IM Wrong) after applying 2-3 wetcoats of Epoxy it will take 2 weeks to Fully Cure and then I can apply any filler,IS This Correct ?????? I have read in a post by doing a search that the epoxy primer can take a couple of weeks to fully cure,then I can apply any filler. So this means after 2 weeks waiting for the epoxy primer to cure and then doing any filler work I would have to SCUFF-UP the surface of the entire car by using a RED Scotchbrite Pad and Re-Spray another full coat of Epoxy Primer over te entire car,is that CORRECT ??? Because the window time for recoating is up to 1 week without no sanding and I would be waiting 2 weeks for the epoxy to fully cure so that I can do any filler work. If this is all correct,then after any filler is done and I recoat the entire car with another full wet coat of epoxy primer then do I have to wait another 2 weeks for it to fully cure to apply my NCP Primer Surfacer ??? Thanks,Mark ----------------------------------------------------------------------------1968 Chevelle Malibu 1968 El Camino

Over night dry to apply filler, up to one week to top coat.

Brad, up to 1-week to topcoat,then after that I would have to scuff-up the entire car with a red scotchbrite pad before applying my NCP Primer-Surfacer ???

The tech sheets say filler can be added within 1-2hrs after appling, BUT NOT something I would do. I wait three days, but know others that do it 24 hrs later.

You have 1 week to topcoat DPLF without having to sand it. After that period you need to scuff then you can topcoat. You DONT need to re-apply your DPLF, just scuff then apply your NCP primer

I would use a red scuff pad and or a da with 240-320 grit.

On the bare metal prior to DPLF Id sand it with 80 grit then apply two good coats of DPLF.

When you are done with your filler and ready for NCP, I would topcoat any bare metal and filler spots with 1 coat epoxy then apply 3 coats of NCP.

One thing to remember when dealing with epoxy is that you NEEDtemps higher then or around 60 degrees. Below that temp epoxy WILL NEVER CURE.

Thanks Eric (Sevt.Chev.) After spraying 2-3 full coats of NCP-271 Primer Surfacer,what grit sandpaper do you reccomend doing the block sanding with ??? Also after all the block sanding and guide coating are done, I can just wash,dry wax & grease remover and tack rag and lay the basecoat down CORRECT ??? No need for a sealer,correct ?? Also Eric what are your thoughts on using the OMINI line just for the basecoat and clear after using the better Epoxy Pimer (DPLF-90) and the better Primer Surfacer (NCP-271) . I've got $1,100.00 to work with and I figured up with all the better brand PPG materials I would have around $775.00 just with stripper,Epoxy Primer,Primer Surfacer,Activators,Clear,hardner,and 5 gal. reducer. That doesnt count the basecoat. So that leaves about $325.00 for a gal. of basecoat,3M masking tapes,tack rags. And Im wanting to paint the Elky in a darker red/maroon type color as soon as I can find the right shade. I still should go with the better basecoat/clearcoat, I guess it would be better in the long run since its going to be my daily driver. What do you think Eric ??? Thanks Alot , Mark

Your epoxy can be coated with filler after an overnight dry if temperature is above 65 degrees, I do like to let the epoxy set for awhile and prefer to do the filler work over cured epoxy just because sanding is easier--your sandpaper will be in contact with the epoxy when shaping the filler and if it's on the soft side it will clog your paper. You'll need to scuff up the epoxy before applying the filler or any additional primer if you let it fully cure.

What abrasives to start blocking with depends on how well the bodywork has been done. If you're correcting some major problems with the surfacer then I'd start with 180 grit and step it out from there. If there's enough primer on the car you can start with 180 the guide coat it again and go to 320 and then again with your final grit. If there isn't enough material on the car and cut throughs appear then you'll need to apply more primer. Try to perfect your filler work so you won't need to depend on the primer for correcting major problems and you'll be way better off time and moneywise. NCP can be topcoated without the use of a sealer.

You can obtain good results with the Omni line but the job may not last as long. I have done a few jobs with the stuff that actually are holding up very well, stay away from the SV clear IMO. The SV urethane surfacer is good stuff- very high build with no evidence of shrinkage and good sanding from what I've experienced- it does require a larger fluid tip in your gun as the stuff is very thick. The NCP primer you've chosen is an excellent ISO free product that has been proven for quite a few years now.

If you don't want to take a chance on having a paint related failure I would use a higher quality color and clear, DBC or Global line would be my choice in PPG.

I see it this way. You've selected top grade products from the get go and now you want to finish it off with a low grade product like Omni!
How much time and enegry do you have in the car NOW??
Wouldnt really suck say in a year when that Omni clear starts to turn yellow and now all that hard work and money, IMO flushed down the drain!!
Am not a fan of Omni what so ever. Ive sprayed the topcoats like base, clears and single stage urethanes, never sprayed their primers.
Yes the clears spray down nice and look nice but i think that they dont last as long either.
Omni clears yellow out, meaning they turn yellowish.

If you want to save a few bucks use a SS urethane instead of baseclear as long as the color you want isnt a metallic color. Plus IMO SS especially in black and red look deeper and richer then a baseclear job.
DCC would be my choice

Thanks Bob for replying. Thanks Eric, thats all I needed to hear about the clear yellowing. I think I will just save more up and get the DBU Basecoat and the DCU-2021 Clear. And the reason for choosing the 2021 Clear instead of the 2055 Clear is because my paint store told me that they dont have 2055 Clear in Qts. just in Gals. only. And with 2021 Clear they have it in Qts. and Gals. I figured that it would take 1 Gal. and 1 Qt. of Clear to do the entire El Camino including inside the bed and door jambs at least 3 full coats. After color sanding and buffing I would like to have no less than 2 good coats of clear protecting the color. Eric do you think that the 2021 Clear will be a good choise to put over the DBU Basecoat ?? Yes whatever color I choose,whether its a marroon,blue or turquiose it will be a metallic color. Thanks Guys, Mark

2021 is fine.
Id use DBC instead of the DBU thou. DBU requires a different reducer/hardner then the clear and primers and or sealers you might use.
DBU uses DRR the others use DT

DBU once mixed with its reducer/hardner it has a potlife of like 8hrs I believe.
But if you mix up some DBC and dont use it all you are fine as it has NO potlife.
Plus DBU is getting phased out some you might find a color you like and NOT be able to get it in DBU, many colors are now a DBC only color.
I also think DBU is harder to spray in a metallic, its not as forgiving...Eric

dbu was suppose to get phased out like 10 years ago. we switched to global found out too time consuming so went to dupont.