How to tell if paint is Enamel or Lacquer???

[CCURTISS]

I have a 54 MG TF and the car has been repainted but the firewall looks to be an original color so I want to paint it to match the car.

The issue I am having is how to tell if the paint is Enamel or Lacquer, can someone help me out?

Also I am looking for a small detail paint gun to paint the firewall in small sections, any gun recommendations? I thought about airbrush but I think the area will be too large.

 

[vette]

Curt to paint small sections, buy yourself a touch up spray gun. believe it or not i bought an in expensive one at a car show about 15 years ago, it doesn't even have a name on it and it sprays beautifully. the spray pattern can be shrunk down to about the largest setting on an air brush.
If you think the paint on your firewall is original paint, then go to the books and find out what type of paint MG used back then. I don't really remember off hand. You also could ask this question in the MG forum. If it is lacquer, you can spray anything over top of it without danger of lifting the underlying paint. Also, if it is very old paint, it is very cured and dry and hard. You can spray almost anything on top of it without risk if you mist the new layers on lightly, use a fan to keep air moving well so the new paint will flash out it's solevents quickly. Don't let the new paint lay on it wet and heavy and soaking in. Of coarse if you spray enamel, that can be sprayed on top of anything without risk. And you must spray enamel with two tack coats, with 10 to 20 minuets tack time between coats and then one very wet, thick coat to get the shine.
Dave C.

 

[CCURTISS]

Thanks for the info! I just bought an inexpensive touch up gun and a quart of Urethane color matched paint. They claim it can be pained over just about any paint so hopefully it will turn out ok.

 

[PAUL161]

They were painted in cellulose on the body and synthetic on the fenders, with the exception of the green metallic cars which were entirely painted in cellulose.

What color is the fire wall/original paint?

<span style="font-weight: bold">Don't know if you want to give it out, but if you do, what are the body code numbers on the MFRs plate?</span>

 

[CCURTISS]

I think the fire wall is MG red and the rest of the car looks to be an MGA color (Orient Red). I am just about ready to paint the firewall in urethane, they claim it can be painted over just about any paint.

 

[PAUL161]

Only from what I've read and not personal experience, MG did not have strict formulas or consistent suppliers for their finishes, so even during the production of the "T" series, there would be large discrepancies between cars of the same color. Supposedly, no new red cars shipped to North America had tan dashes or interiors. Again, supposedly? the black cars and green cars were the only ones available in North America with biscuit interiors. Ivory was available with a red or green interior and Birch Grey was available with only a red interior. These color combinations include the dash. Some green cars were painted with a metallic paint. The grey paint was non-metallic solid grey. I remember seeing a grey TD once, had red wheels and it didn't look that bad.

 

[Richard Dickinson]

Rub the suspect paint with lacquer thinner, if it lacquer it will rub off on the rag.

 

[Bayless]

But if you rub very long on enamel, it will come off too.