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Introduction
It is the first thing you see when you go to get in your car.
It is the last thing you see when you leave your car. It is the most expensive part of the
car. Most importantly, it was the single largest factor you used to select your car. Make,
model, mileage and motor all take a back seat when it comes to the quality and color of the
finish. As demanding consumers we buy with our eyes. So how did we get to the incredible
colors and high gloss of today’s vehicle paints?
BACK TO THE EARLY 1900’S –
LETS VARNISH IT BLACK.
The history of automotive paint dates back to just after the
turn of the century. It is true that the process of coating metal, wood and stone surfaces
dates back much further. However, we have to acknowledge that a true vehicle related coating
began about 1900. It came of age about 1910, roughly 6 years after Henry Ford founded Ford
Motor Company. These coatings were products from the "varnish" category. Most were a carry
over from the horse and buggy days. Much like old wood coatings, they were brushed on the
surface and allowed to dry. The coating was then sanded smooth and refinished in the same
manner. When a desired thickness was achieved the surface was polished. In many cases the
process of painting a car took as long as 40 days. These products were not colorful.
Remember, Henry always said, "You can have a car any color you like as long as it is 'black.'”
This system was used until the mid 1920’s.
1930’S - STOVING ENAMELS
& A DENTIST INVENTS THE SPRAY GUN.
During the early 30’s the auto industry started using "stoving
enamels" based on alkyd resins. Initially the product was applied much like the "varnish"
used earlier. These enamels were originally selected because of a higher gloss yield than
varnish. They were also thicker and applied a little faster. Then somewhere between 1930
and 1940 a dentist developed the "spray gun." The spray gun application was much faster
than the brush method. It minimized sanding between coatings and applied the product evenly.
Now, what used to take over a month, could be done in a third of the time. This product and
process was the system of choice for most vehicle manufacturers until the 1950’s.
1950’S – NEW ACRYLICS &
BAKE AT 360 FOR AN HOUR.
In early 1955, General Motors started to work with a new raw
material supplier. In doing so they chose a different kind of enamel paint product. Here
instead of the early alkyd resins they chose to start using new acrylics. This product was
used in a process that GM called "reflow." The coating was applied to the vehicle surface
with a spray gun. At that point the product, still wet, contained a large amount of solvents.
Baking the vehicle in a large oven caused the solvents to evaporate and the product to flow
to a uniform smooth finish. There was some gloss, but not quite up to the level of stoving
enamels. Nevertheless, it was quick and efficient. Saving time was a way to save money and
build a product faster. So "reflow acrylics" became the popular system until 1960.
1960’S – FORD SAYS "THE EYES
HAVE IT."
In 1960 the Ford Motor Company went back to the stoving methods.
They did this after realizing that consumers made a vehicle purchase using their eyes and not
their heads. There was no denying it…Americans liked a shiny car. Ford also decided that they
liked many of the properties that the early acrylic resins provided. They went to work with yet
another new group of suppliers to create "acrylic stoving enamels." At this point Ford had the
best method to offer the consumer and it wasn’t long before the competition kept pace. This
product was also applied with a spray gun. It had a very high gloss, was durable and was oven
cured to produce a hard and colorful surface. This process was popular throughout the industry
into the early 70’s.
1970’S – IMPROVEMENTS GALORE -
JAPAN AND EUROPE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS.
Japanese cars began to become popular in the 1970’s and so too were
the paints that they used. Japanese and the Europeans had begun application of two-coat acrylic
painting systems too numerous to list here. They were also successful at providing the consumer
with metallics or metal flake paints. This was something unique and different and Americans
loved it.
Later in the decade
manufacturers were looking for harder paints. They wanted more resilient elements that could
dry faster. The answers were found in products that reacted with each other to enhance drying
rather than wait for total solvent evaporation. A "cross-linking" free radical additive is
included in the formula. At the time of use, a catalyst is added to the paint. The product
is sprayed on and the process of curing begins. This process became more popular for larger
vehicles like airplanes and fire engines. It is still in use today in both Acrylic Enamels
and newer Polyurethane products. However, it is cost prohibitive for automotive applications.
The most popular brand name in the industry is Du Pont™ Imron.
COMPETITION DRIVES
DEVELOPMENT OF THE 5-YEAR CLEAR COAT.
In the mid 70’s the number of raw material suppliers to the paint
industry had grown. Names like BASF, Du Pont™, Ditzsler, PPG and hundreds more. This enabled
the manufacturer to pick the best process and product for the job. Today’s Base Coat/Clear Coat,
and BaseCoat/Tint Coat painting processes were experimental at the time. The goal was to improve
gloss and depth of color. By the late 70’s these processes were perfected. However durability of
the Clear Coat was poor. Not until the 80’s would manufacturers have confidence in these paint
systems. The carmakers needed Clear Coats to last 5 years. This was a magic number because
that’s how long consumers usually kept new cars.
CLEANER PAINT – CLEANER
ENVIRONMENT.
Also, somewhere between the years of 1975 and 1985 the government
got curious and concerned about paint content. Just what were the ingredients in paint systems?
How did those ingredients affect people, the planet and our atmosphere? In response, the
industry went to work on lowering the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (solvents).
They also began experiments with paint using water-based systems. These products were not
very successful and were produced and tested mainly to help California with their smog problem.
1980’S –IMPROVEMENTS AND
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT BRINGS CHANGES.
The late 1980’s saw major changes for makers of painting systems.
All were hoping to capture market share with the big three automakers. Two and three stage
"clear coat" and "tint coat" systems were popular on cars. However, for their rugged durability,
the old standby acrylic enamels and polyurethanes were still in wide use on trucks and SUV’s.
The late 80’s and early 90’s
brought about rapid, extreme changes in the industry. New laws were enacted that governed the
content and application of paints. Auto manufacturers were scrutinized due to the large volume
of product they used. With the assistance of suppliers, the painting processes were changed.
The amounts of "volatile organic compounds" were lowered once again by government mandate.
"Urethane" and "polyurethane" blends, along with custom hybrids were the order of the day.
All of this presented a unique set of challenges for the manufacturers, car owners, wax
companies, body shops and detailers. Initially, these new paint systems began flaking away
and were being damaged by ordinary waxes and polishes. This created huge repair or replacement
bills and much controversy. The paint industry worked furiously and was able to solve most of
the problems early in the decade.
POWDER COATING FOR DURABILITY.
As a point of interest, the process of powder coating has been
around for a long time. Recently it has seen a bit of a renaissance. This product is almost
always applied to metal. It delivers a powder composed of resin and color pigments to a surface
without the use of a liquid carrier. The powder is placed in an electrically charged container
that is hooked to a sprayer. The same electric loop is then attached to the part. As the part
is sprayed, the charged particles adhere tightly to the metal part. The part is then baked,
melting the powder and forming a uniform protective film. This process is popular on undercar
parts and restorations that require extremes in durability but not a perfectly smooth finish.
1990’S - PRODUCT, PROCESS
AND ENVIRONMENT COME TOGETHER.
Fast-forward just a few years. Today’s paint systems, mostly base
coat/clear coats and base coat/tint coats, are better than ever. Extraordinary colors, vivid
depth and clarity, dramatically high gloss and remarkable durability if properly maintained.
These products are applied in three stages. The vehicle is primer sprayed, or E-coated. A color
coat is applied. Then lastly a very thin coat of clear product is applied. The vehicle is washed
and baked through this process to make it almost flawless. All automotive paint systems are
now well within V.O.C. limits. They also comply with all E.P.A. standards for emissions at time
of application. Some carmakers have begun utilization of the now-perfected waterborne paints.
Today, an automotive paint, even in poor environmental conditions, can last for many years if
properly cared for. So what’s in store for the future?
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS DEPENDS
ON "HOW YOU LOOK AT IT."
Futuristic applications for "color systems" are already in use on
some of today’s cars. Water borne systems are used by Volvo. M.I.C. or color impregnated
systems are in use at Saturn. Pontiac also employed them during the Fiero project. These
systems use color mixed in with the plastic that makes the final body or frame part. This
makes the color very durable. Just on the horizon is "heat bonding" or "vacuum film
shrinking." Film is glued or draped over the body panel. It is then vacuumed or heated
into place. The process is simple and quick. These films are also very strong. However,
they are costly and less widely used.
What happens from here on is
anyone’s guess. However, vehicle manufacturers are now very confident in the
fact that new car buyers make a purchase with their eyes and heart, not
their head. This explains why fully three quarters of the cost involved in
building a car plant, is put into the painting system. Carmakers want you to
be delighted with the look of your car. They have worked very hard to
perfect the gleaming finish on your car. Simply put, they know that happy
customers make more happy customers.
MAINTAINING YOUR
EXPENSIVE PAINT JOB.
There is no shortage of waxes and polishes on the market today
vying for your attention and your dollars. Choosing from them all can be a bigger job than
actually doing the work. But maintaining that right "off the showroom floor look" doesn't
have to be difficult or confusing. At Protect All, Inc. we don't sell our products with
tricks like fire or acid on-the-hood or laser beams on-the-door, we do it with old fashion
word-of-mouth recommendations. The multitude of customer comments and product reviews
contained in this website should, at the very least, make Protect All worthy of your
consideration. For the durable but soft clear-coat finishes on most new cars today, or
any quality paint job for that matter, selecting a non-abrasive care product that doesn't
scratch your finish must be a priority. So discover what millions of specialty vehicle
enthusiasts have known and used for years. Protect All's totally non-abrasive carnauba
wax formula will not only maintain that showroom appearance for years to come, but it will do the job with a minimum of time and effort. What more could you ask!
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©1999-2006 Protect All, Inc. All rights
reserved. Last revised
07/24/06 04:43:08 PM
1910 E. Via Burton St., Anaheim, CA 92806-1215 -- 800-322-4491
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