lets settle the single vs 2 stage paint debate

[bastianshaw]

89 325is is alpine i think its single stage
any one have any factory documentation?

[jw 325ic]

I believe alpine white 2 is clear coated whereas alpine white is single stage.

[reelizmpro]

Alpine 1, 2 , 3 are different shades. None are clearcoated from the factory but may have been an extra option. Only metallics are 2 stage base clear....examples include, brozitbeige metallic, lachssilber metallic, diamantschwartz metallic, sterlingsilber metallic , macaoblau metallic and so on.

[nrubenstein]

Alpine 1, 2 , 3 are different shades. None are clearcoated from the factory but may have been an extra option. Only metallics are 2 stage base clear....examples include, brozitbeige metallic, lachssilber metallic, diamantschwartz metallic, sterlingsilber metallic , macaoblau metallic and so on.

Were there any E30s in Alpine III?

[reelizmpro]

I don't think so but I know it exists perhaps on the e36 or euro spec model.

[bastianshaw]

Were there any E30s in Alpine III?

no

[dlhoovler]

My 87 325 in Schwartz has what appears to be failing clearcoat. Part of the car seems to have been repainted (right rear quarter), but not the areas with the sketchy paint (hood, driver's door tops). The sections with original paint also have painted vs. taped pinstripes. But if it's supposed to be single-stage, I shouldn't have failing clearcoat.

-Dave

[M-technik-3]

While the factory did not paint some cars BMW dealers did send out cars back in the 80's for clear coats at trusted shops. This is why we see clear on cars that are not normally 2 stage.

[PeteD]

^ interesting...

[dlhoovler]

While the factory did not paint some cars BMW dealers did send out cars back in the 80's for clear coats at trusted shops. This is why we see clear on cars that are not normally 2 stage.

Ah--that makes sense. It would also fit with the painted pinstripes: probably done at the same time. I'm just starting to save up for a basic single-stage respray in a year or two...

Thanks.
-Dave

[reelizmpro]

While the factory did not paint some cars BMW dealers did send out cars back in the 80's for clear coats at trusted shops. This is why we see clear on cars that are not normally 2 stage.

Exactly. I have been to the BMW distribution center in Oxnard and work as a longshoreman so I know what happens as these cars are driven off the ship. The VDC takes care of minor and major defects on the cars. They have a full bodyshop and a master dent guy. I have also met a pinstriper who did work on E30's back in the day. I'm sure they sub out some jobs depending on the request. Same thing with chrome wheels on E30. Chrome wheels weren't available for E30's from the factory BUT dealers often offered chromed bottlecaps and weaves as an extra just like pinstriping, etc. At the time, chrome was really fancy and in style. In LA, I've seen a shitload of E30's with HOFCO alarms. It could be because they were popular or it could be because dealers contracted Hofco (culver city) to install alarms before the official BMW alarms were available or as a cheaper alternative. Same thing with tinted windows. Nowadays, these things are integrated from the factory but back in the day, all of these things were extras.

[dlhoovler]

So... as I was thinking about my clearcoated Schwarz car, I wondered: If my car was single-stage but clearcoated after the factory (which now seems like the most likely scenario), the color coat should be thicker and more durable than the standard base coat of a two-stage paint job, right? So since the clear is failing--separating from and peeling off of the color coat--could I just wet-sand the clear off, then polish the underlying base coat? While time-consuming, that would be far cheaper than paying for a whole new paint job! Or would that just be inviting disaster? I do have some limited experience wet-sanding and buffing paint.

-Dave

[bmwstephen]

correct me if I'm wrong but the durability of the clear coat is affected by how soon you apply it after the base paint. In addition, the base paint on traditional 2 stage paints are differ than that of single stage ones in that it is much weaker/absorbent so it can be receptive to the clear coat layer.

I assume slapping a clear coat on your setup would warrant adhesion issues?

[M-technik-3]

correct me if I'm wrong but the durability of the clear coat is affected by how soon you apply it after the base paint. In addition, the base paint on traditional 2 stage paints are differ than that of single stage ones in that it is much weaker/absorbent so it can be receptive to the clear coat layer.

I assume slapping a clear coat on your setup would warrant adhesion issues?

Can't help you on the durability issues but back when E30's were new they had a two year warranty and most folks that brought a car in for service PAID to have it worked on vs what we have now. Bumper to Bumper is built into the price and even then they defer alot of work.

[dlhoovler]

correct me if I'm wrong but the durability of the clear coat is affected by how soon you apply it after the base paint. In addition, the base paint on traditional 2 stage paints are differ than that of single stage ones in that it is much weaker/absorbent so it can be receptive to the clear coat layer.

I assume slapping a clear coat on your setup would warrant adhesion issues?

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting ADDING a clearcoat to my car; that was done, apparently, over the single-stage black way when the car was new. I'd say the adhesion was OK, considering it's taken 25 years for it to start to peel.

What I'm wondering about is whether it would be foolish to try to sand off the existing clearcoat, then buff the black back to a shine. Since the single-stage paints are more durable and thicker than the basecoat colors, I'm leaning toward trying this. Worst case is the hood looks ugly, which it already does!

-Dave