Paint type info

[JohnPR]

Hi,
Newbie question about paints: I see all kinds of paint types; lacquer, enamel, acrylic, urethane, etc. I apologize for my ignorance, but I know nothing about paint. I've searched, but the posts I have found on the topic often seem kind of skewed one way or the other, with a generous amount of "opinion sharing" being thrown back and forth, but I haven't yet found a good "pro's and con's" description of each type.

All I've been able to glean so far is that lacquer is apparently an old technology, not very durable, but is easy to work with. Sounds like it is a 2-step process (3 with primer, I guess), requiring clear-coat on top. Does spilled gas around the gas cap really instantly destroy it?

Sounds like enamel has a harder, more durable finish, but is more difficult to apply, and the fumes are much more dangerous, requiring more specialized equipment.

What about the other types?

I saw some posts about guys doing their own paint, and it kind of interests me. I've seen Stacey David Gearz TV show talking about how easy it is with Duplicolor Paint Shop. Most posts seem to really dislike this product. Is it really that bad?

Finally, what grit should I sand down to prior to primer? I have seen recommendations from 180 to 1000.

By the way, my intention for my car is for it to be a weekend driver, not a show car. I have no desire for this thing to be a trailer queen; I am going to put miles on it and hopefully have a lot of fun. There will definitely be stone chips and bug guts!