Hey guys, a couple questions as I start to dive in on my re-paint project.

1983 XJS in Tudor White. I’m finding original paint everywhere that I’ve probed down to bare metal.

1. Was this car painted in lacquer paint?

2. If yes, can I simply take the finish down to original primer and then lay new urethane primer on from there?

Obviously will be hitting all the bare metal spots with 2k epoxy primer before adding the urethane primer.

Happy to supply videos or photos if it helps.

Thanks!

 

Ah I can’t help it, here’s a video for good measure.

 

There is some really interesting history about Jaguar paint processes that changed in 86' or 87' to a new "two part" system. Before that it was the "Thermoplastic" system. If someone can find that post it should set you in the right direction. I recall you need to take it all the way down though due to this. Someone will come along with info on the Thermoplastic process I'm sure and correct me. I had an an early 80's XJ and we had to take it down to metal, the base was just rough to paint, and it's all about prep, right?

 

the old paint process wouldn't have had any lacquer , i had a tudor white XJS that i repainted some years ago now, but whatever the original paint process i would recommend a ' sealer or isolation' coat before applying the new paint, just to ensure you limit any chemical reactions between old and new

just like you , cant resist putting up a pic , lol ,1989 V12 Sportspack XJS ( and my XJ40 in Morocco red)



BB

 

Thanks - from the research I've been doing, epoxy primer will suffice as an "in-between" coat...it will bond to pretty much anything.

That's Tudor White? Looks like a bright white in that pic - Tudor is more of a cream color, at least in my opinion. Still looks great!

 

sorry , thats ' Frozen white' by Sherwin Williams , more modern white , not the original colour

BB

 

The research has turned interesting...as Time-Pilot above had mentioned, I'm finding in some old Jag threads that Jaguar used TPA, or Thermoplastic Acrylic paint, until some time in the late 80's.

It's a single-stage paint, and guys are saying it should be brought down to bare metal, which obviously kind of stinks (though, as I mentioned in my video, 90% of the work is just getting old topcoat off...sanding the old primer down to bare metal takes very little effort once you hit the primer).

Would still like confirmation from someone: is it a good idea to sand down the TPA with 180 grit and hit it with modern Epoxy Primer?

I'm finding very little info on Google regarding TPA in general, never mind compatibility with modern epoxy primer.