Regular line vs. "fleet" paint

[belaw]

I've been posting a lot of questions trying to educate myself on bodywork and painting and as some of you may have figured out, this is new territory for me.

My 40 was "restored" some years ago by the PO, and I plan to strip all of the paint and bondo down to metal and start over with a base of epoxy primer and ultimately top coat with old-school acrylic enamel. I've noticed that most paint manufacturers offer a "fleet" grade of AE that is typically a good bit cheaper that their regular paint. What is the difference between DuPont Centari and Nason Ful-Cryl, for example? For that matter, how are these paints any better than Ace Rust Stop (which can be custom tinted) with a hardener added?

Since everything is going to be repainted color-matching is not an issue, I'm just wondering if the regular line paints are any more durable than the fleet version?

Brian

 

[marks69cruiser]

We're in the same boat. I am learning as I go. I have never painted a rig before so I have been asking a ton of questions and doing a lot of research. What I have surmised is that you need to first know what your expectations are, and then know how much time and money your willing to spend. I have decided to use a urethane enamel, single stage paint. To keep cost down I am going with "Valspar" brand. A friend of mine who has painted a lot of rigs and done a great job pointed me in that direction. On the "Fleet" vs regular line I would go with the best you can afford. I was told that the more expensive the paint the easier it will be to spray. Not sure as I have no experience. Good luck, and please post up your results!

 

[belaw]

Is that it- is the real difference between "regular" and "fleet" paint is that the more expensive stuff lays down easier? I can see where that might make a difference in a production shop where time is money, but I'm already counting on a bunch of wet sanding!

Is the expensive stuff no more durable, scratch resistant, etc. than fleet line paint????

 

[ken_79-fj40]

I've painted a few vehicles with old school centari and always had good luck. I painted a friends POS geo a few years back with the nason enamel that supposedly doesn't need a gloss hardener and it looked like it sure did. I'm very interested in trying the paint summit now sells under their own name. It's pretty inexpensive. When I redid my 40 about 5 years ago I used high build epoxy primer and then painted it with the pre-mixed bright red crossfire urethane that napa stocks for like 90 bucks a gallon. I did a lot of wet sanding and buffing (no paint booth, not the greatest light in my shop) but it still looks great.