A friend of mine has a '73 Corvette. It belonged to his grandfather, & he "thinks" it's original paint. He says it's got some swirls in it, & he'd like me to get them out & give it a full detail. Not sure about the paint back then, & especially about Corvette paint. Any pointers before he brings it over this Sunday?
Question about '73 Vette
- Thread starter mcate
- Start date
nope .. they came later .. either laquer or acrylic enamel .. flex agent was added for use on the soft bumpers
FYI: Maybe a bit of help?
GM abandoned nitrocellulose in the late-'50s, turning to acrylic lacquer as a more modern formulation of lacquer. These acrylic lacquers replaced the nitrocellulose resins with a synthetic polymer resin derived from acrylic acid. Although these acrylic resins are also used in enamels, GM utilized the acrylic lacquer paint formulations, which, like nitrocellulose, featured very fast drying times and very easy application. Acrylic lacquer was the primary paint formulation used by General Motors for the majority of the production years in which classic Corvettes were manufactured, serving until the early-'80s. These paints were reasonably durable for the time, and moderately glossy, though the finish would respond exceptionally well to polishing.
By far, the majority of classic...
read full caption
The drawback to the factory acrylic lacquer was definitely long-term durability, especially in comparison to today's materials. The paint was susceptible to chemical and environmental damage, fade, and loss of gloss over time. Worst of all, the paint became brittle with age and would crack and check, literally self-destructing. Although acrylic lacquers are still available, these paints are all but obsolete in the world of commercial automotive refinishing. About the only application where these products would be considered would be in contemplating an authentic OEM restoration.
Eventually, by the '80s, General Motors phased out the lacquer paints in favor of an evolution of modern paint materials, beginning with acrylic enamels, and leading to the basecoat/clearcoat material formulations in use today.
Read more: http://www.corvettefever.com/techarticles/corp_1007_paint_materials_guide/viewall.html#ixzz21r03tPe3
GM abandoned nitrocellulose in the late-'50s, turning to acrylic lacquer as a more modern formulation of lacquer. These acrylic lacquers replaced the nitrocellulose resins with a synthetic polymer resin derived from acrylic acid. Although these acrylic resins are also used in enamels, GM utilized the acrylic lacquer paint formulations, which, like nitrocellulose, featured very fast drying times and very easy application. Acrylic lacquer was the primary paint formulation used by General Motors for the majority of the production years in which classic Corvettes were manufactured, serving until the early-'80s. These paints were reasonably durable for the time, and moderately glossy, though the finish would respond exceptionally well to polishing.
By far, the majority of classic...
read full caption
The drawback to the factory acrylic lacquer was definitely long-term durability, especially in comparison to today's materials. The paint was susceptible to chemical and environmental damage, fade, and loss of gloss over time. Worst of all, the paint became brittle with age and would crack and check, literally self-destructing. Although acrylic lacquers are still available, these paints are all but obsolete in the world of commercial automotive refinishing. About the only application where these products would be considered would be in contemplating an authentic OEM restoration.
Eventually, by the '80s, General Motors phased out the lacquer paints in favor of an evolution of modern paint materials, beginning with acrylic enamels, and leading to the basecoat/clearcoat material formulations in use today.
Read more: http://www.corvettefever.com/techarticles/corp_1007_paint_materials_guide/viewall.html#ixzz21r03tPe3