" Coach enamel " ??
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" Coach enamel " ??
I was on a visit to a Railway Preservation group last weekend and got chatting with one of the restoration guys and he was telling me they use a paint called " Coach Enamel" . It does seem to give a good finish especially on dark colours like green and Damson (?) . Has anyone tried this on a car ? I imagine its going to be quite expensive.
Thanks,
Tony.
Thanks,
Tony.
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
I think it only comes as a brush on.
NRW 581W Sprint
On the motorway no one can hear me sing!
Construed as a public service, self preservation in reality.
On the motorway no one can hear me sing!
Construed as a public service, self preservation in reality.
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
My Dad did his Austin A60 in that stuff, bright red, swear he knew someone down the Post Office, anyway, not a bad finish as long as you didn't look too closely, like maybe give it about 3 miles and you'd be golden.
Current fleet: '75 Sprint, '73 1850, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Honda CG125, Yamaha Fazer 600, Shetland 570 (yes it's a boat!)
Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3
Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
When I was a lad this was a very popular way of repainting a car and brilliant finishes were obtained. It was developed for coach builders and used by them for decades and using the correct brushes and technique the finish is superb. Preperation just the same as for spraying then brush on, and it didn't run easily. Rub down then second coat rub down and polish or third coat for best finish and polish. It eventually lost out to spray paint but as late as the mid seventies I had customers who were real coach builders and restorers still using it because of the superior finishes it gave.
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
Two or three years ago I repainted a Lotus Elan with brushes using International Perfection yacht paint. This is a two-pack epoxy paint and gives a fabulous shine right out of the tin, but it has to be cut back and polished with a machine after a couple of weeks to lose the brush marks. A lot of work but the final effect was good and those who saw the car couldn't believe I had done it with a brush. See the final result in my photo.
Does coach enamel have to be cut back?
Does coach enamel have to be cut back?
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Mike
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
Does coach enamel have to be cut back?[/quote]
When I saw it used all they did was rub down with fine grit emery between coats and tee cut and polish to finish. Most recommended leaving final tee cut and polish for about three weeks to let the paint harden fully, even saying get some rain on it first. It is very good (or was) at not leaving brush strokes or runs if high quality brushes are used and you get the brush load right. If there were any runs or brush strokes they just used a bigger grit to remove them and finish off with a fine grit. The paint deposit was thicker than spraying and seemed to be more resistant to chipping and fine scratching. A skilled coach builder got fabulous results and a practiced novice could get very good finishes without the need for spray equipment in their garages.
Up in the north east in the 60s and 70s it was the favoured way for the guys at the engineering co. I worked for to repaint their cars. People were much more hands on in those days, had to be, in keeping their cars on the road, just like now we classic owners tend to be.
I believe there is a company in the north east still producing coach enamels but the range of colours is very much reduced to the traditional black, blue, green and red.
When I saw it used all they did was rub down with fine grit emery between coats and tee cut and polish to finish. Most recommended leaving final tee cut and polish for about three weeks to let the paint harden fully, even saying get some rain on it first. It is very good (or was) at not leaving brush strokes or runs if high quality brushes are used and you get the brush load right. If there were any runs or brush strokes they just used a bigger grit to remove them and finish off with a fine grit. The paint deposit was thicker than spraying and seemed to be more resistant to chipping and fine scratching. A skilled coach builder got fabulous results and a practiced novice could get very good finishes without the need for spray equipment in their garages.
Up in the north east in the 60s and 70s it was the favoured way for the guys at the engineering co. I worked for to repaint their cars. People were much more hands on in those days, had to be, in keeping their cars on the road, just like now we classic owners tend to be.
I believe there is a company in the north east still producing coach enamels but the range of colours is very much reduced to the traditional black, blue, green and red.
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Re: " Coach enamel " ??
This coach paint sounds like the sort of paint I need to repaint my 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 "HL". 

Regards.
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758
Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)
Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758
Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)
Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
years ago I grew up where a "Wynns Haulage" company were. All trucks and vans were brush painted and I couldnt believe they werent sprayed, very nice finish.
Tony
Tony
Membership 2014047
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
Narrowboats are all painted by hand using enamel paints, similar to coach paint. Good old fashioned stuff with plenty of volatile solvents.
The paint is brushed or rollered on, and then 'laying-off' with a dry brush. (brushing gently one direction then at right angles). The finish is near perfect with no brush marks.
Peter.
The paint is brushed or rollered on, and then 'laying-off' with a dry brush. (brushing gently one direction then at right angles). The finish is near perfect with no brush marks.
Peter.
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- Guest contributor
- Posts: 535
- Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 4:38 pm
- Location: South Benfleet, Essex
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
Back in the early-1990s, I brush painted my Toledo with ICI Permobel Mimosa yellow together with "hammer-finish" black Hammerite. The ICI Permobel gave a reasonable finish, but I would have preferred an longer "wet-edge" time.Slowmo wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:25 am Narrowboats are all painted by hand using enamel paints, similar to coach paint. Good old fashioned stuff with plenty of volatile solvents.
The paint is brushed or rollered on, and then 'laying-off' with a dry brush. (brushing gently one direction then at right angles). The finish is near perfect with no brush marks.
Peter.
Regards.
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758
Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)
Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758
Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)
Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club
Re: " Coach enamel " ??
Splortle!

1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.