Considering the climate I'll be driving in I think I'll stick with the couple coats of clear. It looks pretty damn good right now, and close to original. Nothing last forever but I'm hoping it last a few years before I would want to re -do. It's fairly easy to take off and re-do it if I must. If I can locate some T-9 or equivalent I'll top coat too.
Thanks to all of you who helped with your input. One thing for sure, I have a hell of a lot more regard for those of you who plug through the problems to make your car concours correct now that I understand what's involved and have struggled to make mine as close as I can.
Kudos to you.
You need to put a top coat of a rust inhibitor over the clear coat from the get go because once the moisture starts to migrate through the lacquer clear coat (which it will ) regardless of if you put the rust inhibitor over it or not the oxidation process will start. With the clear coat alone shortly after the first time the coated parts get wet you will see evidence of rust . Just hate to see all that work compromised and not last the year or two that you hope for. T9 can be ordered from NPD, Purchased in some Sears stores (protecting tools and blades) and recently found that many bike stores carry it or something like it.
