What year was clear coat introduced?

[rapport25]

What year was clear coat introduced?

[Calais]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Depends what you mean. It took until the 80's for every car to have a clear coat as their standard paintjob, however, some laquer paint jobs had metallic paint which consisted of the color coat (ex: red) covered in a clear paint with the metallic component in it. Unfortunately the metallic part was usually aluminum, which got oxidized and made the paints dull and applicator pads black/grey. So I suppose you could say the concept of a clear coat goes way back, but it was not a common way to have all paintjobs until the 1980's. My '79 has single stage.

[CHzo6]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Some cars in the 50's and 60's had clear lacquer applied to them as a thick, final coat.

[BobbyG]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Yea but I think he's referring to the catalyst clear-coats that's an industry standard of today.

[BillyJack]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

In the General Motors line, BC/CC paints were introduced in 1984 with the then-new 1985 "C" body cars, the full-size front-wheel drive cars. After that, BC/CC paints were introduced whenever a model line had a major style change. It wasn't until the early 90's that all the models were BC/CC.

Bill

[rapport25]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Yea but I think he's referring to the catalyst clear-coats that's an industry standard of today.

Yes Bobby G I sure am . Just curious what people thought or believed.

I imagined around the late 80's. I thought this would be an interesting thread.

Rappy.

[bmrfan]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

I'm pretty sure BMW tried two stage (BC/CC) paints in the early - mid 70's on metallic paints but had limited success.

As previously posted, different manufacturers started using two stage paint at different times but I think many manufacturers started switching in the mid-late 80's.

FWIW - I've noticed metallic colors were converted to 2-stage before "solid" colors. My '88 M3 and my '91 Ranger both have single-stage paint.

Its nearly impossible to find single-stage paint on NEW cars - I recall Mike Stoops saying Lexus offers one single-stage color on a specific model.

[rapport25]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

I'm pretty sure BMW tried two stage (BC/CC) paints in the early - mid 70's on metallic paints but had limited success.

As previously posted, different manufacturers started using two stage paint at different times but I think many manufacturers started switching in the mid-late 80's.

FWIW - I've noticed metallic colors were converted to 2-stage before "solid" colors. My '88 M3 and my '91 Ranger both have single-stage paint.

Its nearly impossible to find single-stage paint on NEW cars - I recall Mike Stoops saying Lexus offers one single-stage color on a specific model.

Great!!!, anymore info guys?

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

I remember in the late 80's it was just available on certain models. I think it was the early 90's before the availability was widespread.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Its nearly impossible to find single-stage paint on NEW cars - I recall Mike Stoops saying Lexus offers one single-stage color on a specific model.

Honda/Acura colors Taffeta White and San Marino Red are SS paints.

[mhdena]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

I had a new 79 Datsun 280zx in 1980 that had a clear coat

[rapport25]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Interesting!!! Every manufacture had different start dates. So after what date would all manufactures being use this type of paint?.

[Ravi_1992]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

I took a complete guess and said 1980's , it looks like that was the most voted for.

[TOGWT]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

Clear Coat: [Two stage paint; base (colour) coat and clear coat was adopted as an automotive industry standard in 1982] although not all vehicles have a clear coat; notably red, black and white. Detailer’s should know, understand and be able to identify a two-stage paint finish.

To check, take a cleaner type wax and in an inconspicuous place like a door jamb rub the surface using a medium to heavy pressure and wipe off. If there is no paint colour (this is somewhat difficult to see with silver paint) on the cloth it has a clear coat finish.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: What year was clear coat introduced?

German manufacturers began working with clear coats as early as the mid to late '70s and the practice eventually spread from there. As others have pointed out, metallic paints generally preceded non metallics in this regard, with white, black and red being the last colors to gain widespread use of clear coats. Also as previously mentioned, some single stage paints still exist from at least a couple of manufacturers, but these tend to be much, much different from the single stage lacquers of years ago. Newer single stage paints are often catalyzed, high tech systems that are more fade resistant than those old paints.

Interesting!!! Every manufacture had different start dates. So after what date would all manufactures being use this type of paint?.

When the last single stage painted car comes off the assembly line you'll have your answer. But for now, there are still a handful of models/colors that are painted with a single stage paint.