[alfa] Clear Coat Conclusions

["Ray Manners" <rmanners@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the responses about Clear Coat vs. Not on my '87 Spider in
Alfa Red. This is actually my 2nd '87 Spider Veloce in Alfa Red (1st was
totalled by a Camry driver asleep at the switch) and I don't believe either
came with a Clear Coat. Every time I have used any kind of cleaner, up to
and including polishing compound, the polishing rag always had at least a
little red, and John Reeve is right- "it fades quickly if you don't wax
often enough." I wax 3-4 times a year with Zymol Ital wax ($$$!) and despite
that great product, I'm still searching for that perfect shine.
Unfortunately, living in Miami and not having a garage doesn't help things-
but 17 years isn't too bad for original paint, is it? In the next year or
so, I hope to get a full and proper re-paint- I'm sure we'll have some
lively discussions then!
BTW- I have a friend with an '86 Spider Veloce in Champagne Metallic (only
one I've ever seen in that color) and her car is definitely a clear coat. My
gut feeling is that the metallics were clear coated, and the solid colors
were not. I think that was fairly normal practice in the mid-late '80s. When
I finally do get the repaint- I will probably go with the Clear Coat- it
certainly does add to the sparkle...

Oh- some of you have asked about the paint label- There is a PPG logo and
another logo that looks like a double "V". Here is the entire text: "Rosso
Alfa A.R. 530 / Smalto Acrilico / I Ritocchi di vernaciatura devono essere
eseguiti con tipo di smalto e modelita di impeigo secondo prescrizioni Alfa
Romeo"
Sorry for any spelling errors- recorded by flashlight at 10:00pm...
No mention of "pastello" or the like.

-Ray Manners
'87 Alfa Spider Veloce
'83 Pininfarina (Fiat) Spider
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