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Hi Bob, My personal opinion is that a clearcoat improves the appearance of any decals. It tends to soften the hard edges and therefore blend better with the surrounding paint, making the decal look less like a decal and more like actual paint. It also serves to protect the decals from physical abuse like scratches from tree limbs, etc. I recently painted the sheet metal parts of my AC-B and decided to clearcoat over the decals. I am glad I made that decision and am very pleased with the result. One thing I would suggest strongly is that before you make a final decision on clearcoating, you consider your entire paint product system. If you do not already have your color paint, you should select it with the possibility of clearcoating in mind, following all the recommendations of the manufacturer and using all products, including the clearcoat and any additives, made by the same manufacturer. This way you are assured of a good result without unforeseen problems. If you already have your basic paint, you should try and determine if clearcoating the product you have is even a possibility. Some enamels, especially uncatalyzed enamels (without hardeners) may have problems with lifting if topcoated with anything after the initial dry and before the complete cure...which could be several months. Unless the paint manufacturer specifically indicates clearcoating is permissible, you should approach the prospect with a lot of scepticism. I would not recommend it at all without specific recommendations from the manufacturer unless you do a test panel or can find someone who has done it succesfully with the exact same materials you are considering using. As far as I know, the vast majority of clearcoats...at least in the automotive paint lines...are urethanes that require additives (hardeners) containing isocyanates. The use of such materials can pose a significant health-safety issue without the use of special respiratory protection equipment. This could also be a factor for you to consider. Any minor scratches on clearcoated paints can also show up more than if no clearcoat were present. Scratches show up as white against the basic color. Even the most minor scratch on my black clearcoated (OEM) truck looks terrible as white-on-black. Of course adding a clearcoat would also add to the cost and time it takes to complete your paint project. In some instances there are time windows for applying the clear that should be adhered to. In my own case, I had to apply the clear within one week of the color for proper adhesion. I was using a single stage color coat and not a basecoat/clearcoat system. Other brands may have different times. If you choose to clearcoat over your decals, I would recommend you plan on doing the entire tractor. The clear will change the appearance some by increasing the gloss and "depth" of the paint...you want a consistent appearance for the whole tractor. Rod
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