View Full Version : FYI - Cross Fire Paint


Rick WI
10-07-2003, 07:32:00 PM
Just my experience last weekend painting a friends 69 Mustang with the el cheapo (they bought it I didn't) Cross Fire brand base clear you can get at NAPA.

Highlights:
1) I went through 2 gallons of base to achieve full hiding.
2) Color was the stock 69 maroon, nothing special
3) Started spraying base at about eleven in the morning, finished base at about five that afternoon.
4) I lost count of the coats at around 9
5) I think it took at least 12 total
6) Clear was just fine, first coat single wet then followed after flash with 2 double wet coats.
7) Clear layed out with minimal orange peel, actually really liked the clear.

Bottom line, I would never recommend someone use the Cross Fire base unless you get a guarantee that it will cover in 2-4 coats as most all the top quality brands will. This was bull$hit. Two gallons to paint a friggin Mustang. Hell, I can spray to cover a complete on a Toyota pickup with 1/2 gallon of PPG. Doing an Omni GLH complete with 3 quarts of Black NASON base. Told the guy I painted the car for to go and raise hell.

I am starting to wonder if these companies that market the cheap, cheap lines are screwin folks by cutting this base way to far down.

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70 SS 454 CI Dynoed 650+HP (with old cam) All Aluminium Fuel Injected Small Block 708HP (based on Engine Analyzer) with new cam, 908HP with 200 shot of Nitrous Express go juice. 1208 if I put the big jets in it and want to bust rings.

[This message has been edited by Rick WI (edited October 08, 2003).]

wyntek1
10-07-2003, 07:46:00 PM
Thanks for the heads up.

Sorry about your misfortune painting your car.

I have been thinking about experimenting with some of the non-brandname paints but always seem to lose the nerve when it comes time to buy. I really wish there were some cheap alternatives to PPG or Dupont so that it might drag the price of the paint market down for a change.

archemedes
10-07-2003, 10:49:00 PM
sounds like naason or sherwin williams way to thin to do it's job

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nasty355
10-08-2003, 12:06:00 AM
used sherwin williams on mine hate it.very hard to get coverage and the clear kinda sucked.i never do the spraying my friend does i do all the little stuff.he hated working with it.he put alot of base on car for coverage.

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TICK
10-10-2003, 06:40:00 PM
Did you use any sealer/primer? I just did my Toyota truck using only half a gallon of priner, base coat, and clear coat. The truck was red before I painted it white. I thought crossfire base coat/clear coat covered well. The paint is nice but it won't be winning any car shows! LOL

mark wagner
10-11-2003, 10:38:00 PM
seem to recall painting a Ford pickup that color,in PPG base-it didnt cover for s--t,I think maybe its the color,(combined with light gray primer)but even so thats a lot of paint to blow at anything!
FYI a good quality "off brand" clear is Mipa.you do need to over reduce it some for best flow out.Made in Germany,good quality stuff,and the price is reasonable.