In This Article
Most S-chassis builds end at the bodywork. This one started there and kept going. Terryn spent two years taking a Nissan 240SX down to bare metal and back, and the color he landed on — Phantom Red — is the kind of deep candy-pearl red that reads near-black in the shade and lights up like glass under a street lamp. The paint went down over a black ground coat, sprayed by Lehman Paints. Here is how the whole kit came together, and how you would spray the same finish on your own build.
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Download the Free PDF →Meet the Builder: Terryn
This is a metal-up S14, not a quick color change. Terryn documented the full two-year process on his channel, from rust repair to final reassembly, and brought in Lehman Paints to lay the color. The system was straightforward: DTM Primer-Sealer tinted as a black ground coat, ready-to-spray Phantom Red basecoat, and HS Glamour clearcoat over the top. Spraying panels on a build this clean means the paint has nowhere to hide — the prep work is what makes the candy read the way it does.
The Color: Why Phantom Red?
Phantom Red is not a straight red. It is an Alpha custom color that blends the three best paint types into one — pearl, candy, and a traditional basecoat — so you get the depth and glow of a candy with the coverage of a base. In low light it sits dark and almost black-cherry; roll it into the sun or under a light and the candy translucency kicks in, glowing crimson through the pearl. The binder is built for pigment control, so it lays down even across a panel without striping or mottling, and the UV resistance keeps that color where it should be.
That candy depth is why the Phantom Red basecoat is designed to go over a black ground coat. Spraying it over DTM black sealer delivers full coverage and lets every bit of the candy translucency read at its deepest — the dark foundation is exactly what the color was built on, and it is what gives Terryn's 240SX that liquid, bottomless red.
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See Phantom Red in person — risk-free.
Return the painted samples for store credit toward your paint.
Shop the Phantom Red Sample →Every Way to Get Phantom Red
Whether you're painting a full vehicle, a motorcycle, a guitar, or just touching up with a spray can — Phantom Red is available for every project size. Each kit includes matched products sized for the job.
Phantom Red Vehicle Paint Kit
$854.93 USD
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Phantom Red Paint Basecoat
From$17.50 USD
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Phantom Red Spray Can
$59.99 USD
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Phantom Red Motorcycle Paint Kit
From$425.65 USD
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Phantom Red Bike Paint Kit
From$225.70 USD
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Phantom Red Guitar Paint Kit
From$130.72 USD
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Phantom Red Wheel Paint Kit
From$412.91 USD
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Phantom Red Brake Caliper Paint Kit
From$152.71 USD
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On a candy-pearl like Phantom Red, keep your gun distance and overlap dead consistent across every panel. The pearl shows any change in how heavy you lay it, so a steady, even hand is what keeps the color matching from door to fender.
What's Inside the Vehicle Paint Kit
These are all the products included in the Phantom Red Full Vehicle Paint Kit. Every product is already matched and compatible — no hunting across brands, no guessing on ratios.
The foundation of the kit. Tinted black and sprayed as your ground coat, the DTM Primer-Sealer seals the substrate and gives Phantom Red the dark base it was designed to show its full candy depth over.
Ready-to-spray Phantom Red basecoat — a three-color candy pearl that lays down candy depth with the coverage of a base. Shake, pour, and spray; no toners to chase.
HS Glamour clearcoat is the high-gloss top coat that locks in the color and brings the candy to life. It is what gives the finish its wet, glassy depth.
Alpha Urethane Reducer (AR-3000 Series) —
The Alpha urethane reducer thins the basecoat to spray viscosity. Match the reducer speed to your shop temperature for a clean lay-down.
HS Activator (AH-7100 Series) —
The HS Activator is the hardener for the clearcoat. It triggers the cure so the clear sets up hard and durable.
The TSS Cheat Sheet rides with every kit — scan the QR codes for step-by-step ratios and process so you are never guessing at the gun.
Optional Add-Ons
The vehicle paint kit has everything you need to go from prepped surface to finished paint. But depending on where your project is starting, these add-on bundles can save time and money on the prep and masking side:
Bodywork Bundle
$175.00
Body filler, abrasives, and everything for panel repair. Ideal if your project needs dent or rust repair before paint.
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Light Bodywork Bundle
From $92.99
Dolphin Glaze finishing putty and OptiGrit sanding abrasives. Perfect for filling pinholes, minor scratches, and light surface imperfections.
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Mask & Mix Bundle
$75.00
Mixing cups, strainers, masking tape, and masking paper. Everything you need for clean, precise masking and easy paint mixing.
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Linear Blocking Tools Starter Set
From $236.50
CNC-cut polycarbonate sanding blocks with lifetime warranty. Produces perfectly flat, straight panels for a professional finish.
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OptiGrit PSA Sandpaper Bundle
$64.99
Complete PSA sandpaper set in 80, 180, 220, and 320 grit. The full grit progression for blocking and prep, sized for long boards.
Shop NowThe Complete DIY Process
Step 1: Strip, Repair, and Block
A candy-pearl like Phantom Red shows everything underneath it, so the finish is only as straight as the body under it. Take the panels down, fix the rust and dents, and block the whole car flat. Work through your grits with OptiGrit abrasives until every panel reads dead straight in a side light. The hours here are what make the reflection clean later.
Step 2: Lay the Black Ground Coat
Mix the DTM Primer-Sealer as a sealer and tint it black. This is the ground coat Phantom Red was built on — it seals the work you just did and gives the candy a dark foundation to read its full depth over. Let it flash before you move to color.
Step 3: Spray the Phantom Red Basecoat
Thin the ready-to-spray Phantom Red basecoat with Alpha urethane reducer and lay it in even, medium-wet coats. Keep your gun distance and overlap consistent panel to panel — the pearl will show any change in how heavy you spray. Build the color until it is even and the candy is reading the way you want, then finish with a light dust coat for flake control.
Step 4: Clear It
Mix the HS Glamour clearcoat with HS Activator and lay your clear coats. This is where Phantom Red comes alive — the clear adds the gloss and the depth that makes the candy look bottomless. Keep it wet and even, and let it cure.
Step 5: Cut, Buff, and Touch Up
Once the clear has cured, wet-sand and buff for that glass finish. Keep a Phantom Red spray can on the shelf for jambs, chips, and touch-ups down the road, and run the TSS Cheat Sheet ratios any time you are back at the gun.
Ready to Paint Your Own Build?
Everything Terryn used — DTM primer-sealer (your black ground coat), ready-to-spray Phantom Red basecoat, HS Glamour clearcoat, reducer, activator, and cheat sheet — in one kit.
Build Your Phantom Red Kit — $854.93 USDLooking for a different color or kit size? Browse all car kits →
See It in Action
Watch Terryn's Phantom Red build below, plus TSS painting tutorials and explainers — swipe through.
"These last two years have been quite the journey and the final result is extremely gratifying." — Terryn
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hybrid. Phantom Red basecoat is a three-color candy pearl that blends the best of pearl, candy, and a traditional basecoat into one ready-to-spray base. You get candy depth and translucency with the coverage of a base, and the pearl suspension gives it that shift between dark cherry and bright crimson depending on the light. Because it carries a candy element, the black ground coat matters — spray it over DTM black sealer for the deepest read.
Phantom Red was designed to be sprayed over a black ground coat — that is how the color shows its full depth. The DTM Primer-Sealer tinted black gives full coverage and lets the candy translucency read at its deepest and richest. Over white you would get a brighter, more opaque red; over black you get the bottomless candy look Lehman Paints got on this 240SX. The kit's sealer is the foundation the color was built on.
Yes. The basecoat binder has built-in UV resistance to keep the color stable, and the HS Glamour clearcoat over the top is what gives the finish its gloss and its protection. Mixed with HS Activator, the clear cures hard and holds up to weather, washing, and sun. If you ever need a touch-up, the same color is available in a Phantom Red spray can.
Every Product Used in This Build
Phantom Red Vehicle Paint Kit
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Phantom Red Paint Basecoat
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DTM Primer-Sealer AP-7541 Kit | Alpha Automotive Paint
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HS Glamour Clearcoat AC-4521 Kit | Alpha Automotive Paint
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Urethane Reducer AR-3000 Series | Alpha Automotive Paint
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HS Activator AH-7100 | Alpha Automotive Paint
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Clearance & Flash Sales
Discounted kits, closeout colors, and flash deals — check back often, these move fast.
Shop Current Sales →Big respect to Terryn for the two-year grind on this 240SX, and to Lehman Paints for laying the Phantom Red the way it deserved. Follow Terryn on Instagram for the full build. Want to be featured? Tag @thespraysource or email sales@thespraysource.com.
