BASF clear coat?

I am having my 30 Model A roadster painted using PPG basecoat & clear coat. After the basecoat is laid down and after the first coat of PPG clear coat I am having real flames air brushed on a portion of my 32 hood and flames coming out of my dual vented Hagan side scoops which will be cut out. The air brush painter insists on using BASF clear over his air brushing of "Killer Flames." My concern is if this BASF will be compatible with the PPG clear coat or if it would be BEST to have BASF applied directly over the PPG basecoat? I have NO idea what BASF clear coat is or even who makes it? ANY SUGGESTIONS or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I want to do this RIGHT the first time around! :confused:

BASF is a major contender in the coatings biz. DC 92 is the clear and it will be compatable with the cured PPG clear coat. This is a pretty standard thing with painters. We all have our opinion of what works best for our shops and our application methods.

I think I would try the PPG or BASF tech support as you might have a delamination problem with any brand paint if you were to go too far past the recoat window. Without proper prep, there is no way for the paint to properly bond (crosslink). Why are you NOT having the flames put down on the BC directly THEN fully clear coating. There are just too many paint interfaces - BC/CC/Flames=more BC/CC with another brand and the percentage potential for paint failure goes way up. Phew.

I have no problem mixing brands IF you have experience with how they work together. My instinct tells me to use an intercoat, or "mid coat" clear between the color and the flames, instead of a top coat clear.

That should reduce the chance of the BASF clear peeling later.

If you use a top coat clear first, you need to shoot a minimum of two coats, or the hardener may not work. Then you would need to sand it well, then use an adhesion promotor and then interim clear before the flames. Too many unecessary steps, and expense.

Have him put it in writing just in case. I can understand where he is coming from though.:HMMM:

I have talked to my painter and the custom air brush guy who has been doing this custom work for 15+ years. The air brush painter says it is BEST to apply his work over the first clear coat above the PPG basecoat. I am aware that everything has to be done within a limited time frame after the basecoat & first clear coat are applied. I have decided to go with BASF on top of the PPG basecoat. I will need to talk to both PPG and the BASF techs to make sure these two products are compatible. After the first clear coat the air brush work will be completed and then the final top clear coating with BASF will be done. I don't want to run into issues so that is WHY I am researching this now ahead of time. THANKS

why dont you use BASF all the way through?

CleanRanger, BASF does not have the basecoat colors I have chosen that PPG has. So my only option is to use a PPG basecoat followed by a couple coats of BASF clear, the custom realistic airbrush flames, and then the final top coats of BASF. Hopefully I will not run into problems doing things this way!

try spraying a test panel first, you shouldn't have any problems, just make sure you follow the tech sheets. I mixed HOK and Dupont the same way and didn't have any problems. Good luck!