[CR]Reply to Nick Zatezalo's question on clear coating

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From: <Wornoutguy@aol.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Reply to Nick Zatezalo's question on clear coating
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 09:47:11 EST

I don't have the answer to when bike clear coating started but here is a paint history lesson. When my Dad painted cars in the 70s they used synthetic enamel, later catalyzed synthetic Enamel and Lacquer, there were clear lacquers so I guess you could think of having a clear coated bike in the 70s or much earlier with a clear lacquer but I don't consider this a clear coated bike read on. By the time I painted cars we had Acrylic Enamel (1980s). The Japanese and European's started clear coating Acrylic Enamel it didn't work very well. Then the paint company's came out with Urethane paints similar to what we use today. There are Acrylic Urethanes and Polyester Urethanes, these are true two stage systems with a base coat that is dull similar to the Lacquer paints of old and a clear that is just that a clear coat. I did not start painting cars with this system until the 90s. Types of Enamel and Lacquer have been around forever, I am amazed by some of the OEM colors on really early bikes. I hope this helps a little. Sam DiBartolomeo Riverside, CA