What color epoxy primer should I use?

[Challenga]

I am just about to go and buy some Omni epoxy primer to start priming my car before doing the little bit of body filling I need to do.  I was planning on buying the gray, but I was thinking about getting the black because it would be easier to see imperfections, it would seem.  Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

FYI - I am painting it Go Mango in the end.

Ben

[sleepychallenger]

i just bought the black. havent used it but my buddy says that it makes it a little easier to see the imperfections.

[Challenga]

Good, I am glad someone else recommended it. 

[Cuda Cody]

Assuming you're starting with bare metal, get red.  PPG DP74.

Epoxy and guide coats are different and you want them to be different colors to make it easier to see.  With a Go Mango color use Red epoxy and a black guide coat.  You'll be sanding most of the guide coat off and that will be easy to see.

[torredcuda]

I prefer gray or yellow primers and use a black guide coat but it is more personal preference I guess.On my road runner I am going with gray and leaving the underside in primer with only overspray for the factory look.Primer color can affect the final color somewhat also.

[LAA66]

 By using a similar color primer to final paint, it can help hide the inevitable paint chips that occur. Especially behind the wheel wells.

[Topcat]

By using a similar color primer to final paint, it can help hide the inevitable paint chips that occur. Especially behind the wheel wells.

I found this recently and thinking to use it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270514469699&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Question:
What types of primers are compatible with what types of paints?
It says urethane. Is that a 2 stage or a single only?

[RUSTY Cuda]

Not a pro here but I've been told if your using it as a metal sealer you are going with high build over it so you want to see when you hit it so as not to sand it all off, so a different color from your high build should be used. Rich.

[Cuda Cody]

Exactly. 

By using a similar color primer to final paint, it can help hide the inevitable paint chips that occur. Especially behind the wheel wells.

[Challenga]

How does this sound for a plan guys?  When I have it in the paint booth, I put down two coats of yellow or red epoxy primer, then shoot some different color high build primer, and then one thin coat of black on top as a guide coat?  Do you think that would be a good combo?  I would be doing it all in the matter of 3 days or so.

[mopardave]

waste of material imo 

epoxy is your first coat and will be coated many times after. Black has a higher zinc content,  if your going with  an orange color then your sealer is more important before painting.

[elitecustombody]

^ yep

[Challenga]

Dave Stefan - you guys think I should put on black epoxy, high build primer, then some yellow or red sealer?  What i am getting from everyone is the fact that the layers I put on should all be different colors so that I can "see" where I am at when I sand or build up. 

One question though - Dave, you mentioned "zinc content".  Does the zinc make it bond to the bare metal better?

[mopardave]

epoxy the car what ever color you want to use, then put on a high build primer, a little guide coating NOT a full coating as that would be a waste of material, block the car smooth to what ever grit you want or upto 400. If you break through on a high spot reprimer and block until flat. sealer is the first coat BEFORE painting, other wise if you use the sealer now you will have to rescuff and reseal before painting. the sealer you can tint with base coat to aid in better coverage of the base coat.

ZINC is the key to metal prepping, either a zinc wash as in metal ready or ospho, this neutralizes the metal so moisture doesnt penetrate the steel and start rusting again. Black has a higher zinc content vs, grey, red, yellow. at least in the RM/BASF line that I know of.

[elitecustombody]

Keep in mind, most epoxy primers can be converted into sealer by just adding more reducer in the mix, but if you want red ,you'd better off just buying 2 quarts of tintable sealer.

I've been using Sherwin Williams epoxies and just love the way they cover ,lay down and flow out,amazing adhesion and it sands fairly easy too