Flat clear coat over primer?

I love the primer look. Not satin but the flat look of primer. I want to do my '56 Chevy four door a primer gray. The paint guy suggested a two stage gray with a pre mixed flat clear coat. Easy to keep clean and easy to touch up. So i got to thinking why not just use a good quality primer and then clear coat it? Good idea? Not so good idea?

honestly -- and i could be wrong (if i am someone please correct me)
but im pretty sure -- if you went with rustoleum primer grey -- the clean
up would be just as easy and youd have the look you were going for.

LarryH said:

I love the primer look. Not satin but the flat look of primer. I want to do my '56 Chevy four door a primer gray. The paint guy suggested a two stage gray with a pre mixed flat clear coat. Easy to keep clean and easy to touch up. So i got to thinking why not just use a good quality primer and then clear coat it? Good idea? Not so good idea?

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You can get a single-stage grey with flattener and that will save you a step. I painted a car single-stage black with flattener and it came out satin, looked nice. A "flat" clear will come out more like a satin anyway, not as flat as a pure primer.

Big is right its hard, almost impossible to get a true flat with clear coat. But I like that satiny finish myself.

Lets not forget primer absorbs moisture, may not be a problem for you rust lover out there tho [ddev

BigIrish said:

You can get a single-stage grey with flattener and that will save you a step.

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I thought about that. But like the paint guy said, if you ever have to touch it up it could be a real pain to get it to match. He also sells a pre mixed flattened clear. I know a single stage would be easier but a two stage isn't that much more expensive. I just thought maybe since it was going to be flat anyways i could save a step (instead of prime, paint, clear i could just prime and clear). I'm not to worried about the extra cost. I'll be getting it through the wife's job (NAPA) so i get a healthy discount.

i think it would work-i haven't tried it though, so its just an opinion (i do have a few yrs experiene in painting) i think if i were to try it id put on the primer i wanted-just as though i was planning a regular paint job...and then after the primer had cured fully, go back and sand the primer with a 600 grit wet before clearing it--i don't think the primer will "hold" the clear without sanding it.......ya might try a small "test panel" first....

once again this is just an opinion but believe it would work --and let us know what you do--id love to hear about the results