When did MB stop using single stage paint
 

My rough looking 84 500SL appears to have single stage paint. The paint is pretty rough looking as you can see in the picture, but with a bit of wet sanding and buffing. I got a pretty decent shine.

The paint looks to be original and it looks to be single stage. Would this be correct for an 84?

http://www.w108.org/gallery/albums/8...t/IMGP0551.jpg

The red on my '88 was still single stage. AFAIK only the metallic paints in the late 80's used clear coat.

I know for the US cars/trucks, the basecoat/clearcoats started in the mid-90s. I've often wondered when MB started.

Good deal! I think I can save the paint then!

Color code 040 black was single stage paint in the W126 and W124 cars up until 1995.

When the W116 450SE/SEL came out, it looked like they had clear coat. I could be wrong about that.

My 89 300SE has clear coat because some areas are peeling.

metallics
 

have been 2 stage since sometime in the 70's IIRC - even Mercedes.

Thanks for the tip on the Black code 040 - I will look for that when I am shopping the next one - I hate clearcoat peel!

John in San Antonio
(whose 300E is definitely NOT code 040)

That is interesting; it explains why my AMG looks incredibly good after 26 years.