Hey everyone, I have a question for you guys. Pardon me if it's a dumb one. I'm going to respray my dash on my 67 camaro and the guy at the PPG paint store told me that I didn't need to use hardener. He said that the hardener would make the paint to glossy. Is this true?

Thanks,
Tony

Well, you would think the guy knows his product, but to be sure, you can call PPG.

I would shoot a test panel to make sure the paint is what you wanted. A lot less trouble to throw out a test panel than re sand your interior dash!!

alan

You don't HAVE to use hardener in the enamel but it increases durablity and shortens drying time. Reducing with lacquer thinner instead of enamel reducer makes it kick faster yet. Yes hardener will increase the gloss but this is compensated by adding more flattening agent. The formula on the mixing system reflects this but if you do it yourself you will have to add it to achieve your objective. Are you shooting black? If so you can use SEM Trim Black #39143 or PPG 9266. 67's call for PPG 9248 which is glossier but the difference is negligable. the dash tops were also 0 gloss with a suede finish; anything else is incorrect.

I'm painting it black. I have a quart of DAR Acrylic Enamel. The numbers on the can are DAR-TCP9248(H). The guy at the paint store said to reduce it with DT870. The reason I'm asking these questions is because this the second time repainting the lower dash. The first time was too shiny.

Thanks Again,
Tony

Acrylic Enamel....Damn last time I saw that stuff was back in the 70s...
We used to use 93 hardner when air temps where low, otherwise the paint could remain 'sticky' for several days...also the 93 helped prevent chalking off over the yrs (that white power one sees on old cars from the 50s and early 60s , before laquar.
The old enamels where vwery different spraying than lacqurs and modern 2 pots...
One would spray up 1st coat so can see thru, wait till would lift when touched with finger..tacky enough so the next heavy coat would hold up and not run.
Then next coat good and heavy, but just not enough to run over the next 6 hrs

Acrylic Enamel is very slow to flash off...6 to 8 hrs ..leave in the spray booth over night. the slow flash /dry meant the last coat would flow out over serveral hrs to a perfect smooth finish....no orange peel.

Baically It is a very unforgiving paint to spray, paint temps, room temps , surface temps had to be right, along with humidity.

Acrylic Enamel....Damn last time I saw that stuff was back in the 70s...
We used to use 93 hardner when air temps where low, otherwise the paint could remain 'sticky' for several days...also the 93 helped prevent chalking off over the yrs (that white power one sees on old cars from the 50s and early 60s , before laquar.
The old enamels where vwery different spraying than lacqurs and modern 2 pots...
One would spray up 1st coat so can see thru, wait till would lift when touched with finger..tacky enough so the next heavy coat would hold up and not run.
Then next coat good and heavy, but just not enough to run over the next 6 hrs

Acrylic Enamel is very slow to flash off...6 to 8 hrs ..leave in the spray booth over night. the slow flash /dry meant the last coat would flow out over serveral hrs to a perfect smooth finish....no orange peel.

Baically It is a very unforgiving paint to spray, paint temps, room temps , surface temps had to be right, along with humidity.

Delstar is not that bad compared to the older enamels of which you speak. Of course not high performance like Concept and not my first choice for shooting dashes.

Of course not high performance like Concept and not my first choice for shooting dashes.
I agree....I used lacquer, and air brush...

What paint would you guys suggest to get the lower dash on a 67 camaro the right sheen?

As I listed in my above response. SEM comes in a spray can or you can gun shoot it. It sprays and lays down nicely. I also shoot 9266 or 9248 in lacquer. I see a lot of others use Rustoleum 7777 for it's price. I've tried it but I just prefer to use professional products. You can use that Delstar you have, just add enough f. agent and shoot a test panel. The store you bought it from should give you some agent so you can hit your target. But no hardener and you better make sure you shoot the same product over it in the future if you have to.