A few years ago 1980s I was able to get excellent results from using cellulose paint I resprayed a Mk1 Mini in red with good results and have sprayed a few Norton Commando tanks in Jet Black and metallic colours with show winning results .
I always found using cellulose paint almost fool proof with correct prep, and cutting back to get that deep gloss finish but I did use Belco paint, manufactured by I.C.I .Remember them?
In 1997 ICI bought the speciality chemicals business of Unilever. However, that acquisition placed the company about four billion pounds in debt. ICI then sold off much of its business until it was left with the adhesive and starch company National Starch and the paint brand Dulux.
Fast forward to 2023 I want to respray the near side wing of my Jet Black 1994 Eunos due to a mark in the paint that looks similar to brake fluid damage, the rest of the car is good with no rust or damage so I take off the wing (quite easy) but a few hours job,I am a bit old school, I have never used the modern paints like 2 pack so I decided to stay with what I know, I set up my Devillbiss spray gun , prepared and coated with cellulose primer cut back and all looked good and smooth and had dried hard , and ready to top coat ,I used a cellulose paint I have not heard of from ebay called ” CLOSTERMANN Jet Black “does anyone reading this know of this make, who makes it or were it comes from? It seemed to spray on ok after thinning 50/50 with anti bloom thinners but after letting it dry and cutting back and finishing all by hand I am not impressed to say the least.
1: next to the rest of the car with the sun shinning its not exactly Jet Black more dark grey to black.
2: Most alarming the paint when the car has the hot sun shinning on it goes soft, similar to how tar gets when you warm it up!!!
is it my old age and loss of skill/or is the cellulose paint available now not what it used to be .
I intend to go back to bare metal and start again Any advice on what I should now use would be welcome
My model of MX-5 is: Eunos
I’m based near: __Notts
I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __painting bodywork
Hi,
Cellulose paint does not seem to be quite what it used to be!
We have bought it from our local paint shop supplier in the past (Rainbow Paints in Dorset) and the cellulose they supply is pretty good, but I think that technically they only supply it for some industrial uses now (although we were able to get them to mix some to our paint sample for a classic car?!)
As all body shops use water based paint now, it is getting much harder to buy decent cellulose. However, there are a couple of companies that advertise online, and they supply it to classic car owners - Craftmaster Paints claim to supply ‘proper’ cellulose, according to their website (although we have not bought any from them yet, so do not have first hand knowledge)
It might be worth speaking to them, to see if they can help?
JMK
A site where the About Us / Contact us holds no company information, and all their social media links point to their website hosts (Wix) pages rather than anything official.
Companies house website however shows even more information, especially the filing history:
Could just be they’ve gone sole trader on eBay of course.
Funnily enough, mine has (from before I bought it) a mark that also looks like (presumably) brake fluid damage on the passenger side front wing (the lacquer has been streaked off by whatever it was).
My bonnet does that in hot weather. If you find out what’s causing it do post back. I suspect it may be related to a reaction between layers or I’ve put a paunt layer on too thick.
Thanks for your reply I have only ever used cellulose but after this last failed project I am thinking of giving 1 k a try ,many thanks for your reply and the link to the paintcentreonline.co.uk Kind Regards John
Thats interesting did you use cellulose? i think my wing problem its due to a ■■■■ cellulose product. I applied about 5 top coats and cut back ,as I said in post I have sprayed many Bike fuel tanks in cellulose and applied more than 5 coats my black Norton Commando paintwork is still in show condition after 20 years with no issue whatever Hot or cold
Just checked, it was an acrylic based paint, gloss black and I used a clearcoat on top. I can’t be certain but I suspect it may be the clearcoat. Any watermark will etch it it it gets hot, any specks of dirt will mark it. Going to live with it for now then take it all back to bare metal over winter.
