I apologize for off-topic, but.. What's the best paint to use?

[NotaHemi]

Hey, Guys..
Once again, I apologize for this not being 'Performance related', but there seems to be so many knowlegable people on here I know I can get the answer I need, so forgive my indiscretion..
I'm attempting a resto of a '74 Challenger and I'm taking the body down to bare metal. I can't afford to take it to a resto shop and have it all media blasted, so I'm using a rotary wire brush on the underside/trunk floor/interior floor/, etc. and will use an air sander on the body panels. I will attempt to cut out any rusty parts and weld in some new sheetmetal ( there's a little in the trunk floor where the rear frame rails rise up and meet it [may have to cut out a fairly large chunk of the framerail as it is pretty rotted here-the rest of the car only has minor rust]) and the rear quarters are bad at the bottom.
Anyway... After I replace what is necessary and get down to virgin metal, what is the best undercoat/protective paint that I could use. I would like to be able to shoot it in my 2 car garage at home ( I live in a subdivision so the neighbors may fuss a little!). Bear in mind I'm NOT a skilled BodyWork guy. I'd like to eventually paint the finished car Viper Blue, with the two white Viper Stripes.
Thanks.

[dusterbd]

ive heard nothing but praisde for PPG products. so try them first. you may also want to call up one or two of the resto shops and see what they use. good luck.
mike

[Glen440]

Heres a quick rundown of what I do. I do enamel striping with 80 grit on my air grinder and DA. Lacquer ussually requires chemical striping and I hate that stuff. Once the car is bare steel and all patches welded in and dents hammered out I put on a couple coats of epoxy primer. If there are any panels with light rust pitting that does not come out I use metal prep before the epoxy primer.Lightly scuff epoxy where filler is going on. I use fiberglass reinforced bodyfiller on all patches as first coat, then bondo from there. Once the bondo is straight with 80 grit on goes a real thin coat of finishing putty and finished with 120-180. All bare steel is then gets a coat of either epoxy( needs to dry good before primer) or a good etching primer(fast dry and can go wet on wet with primer).Then 3-4 coats of urethane primer surfacer. Then I block almost all the primer off with 180 and then quickly run over with 240 then another 3 coats. Block it with 500 and your done. a light Guide coat of flat black bumper paint on the primer before sanding helps you see any low spots and its been sanded good enough when its all gone. I have used RM and Dupont. I like Dupont better and especially their primer. You have the pick between single stage urethane and Base clear. With a metalic colour- base clear is better and solid- single stage is better and cheaper and easier. It all comes down to money what you use.
I use $1000cnd in material to do this.
Hands down Epoxy primer is the best undercoat for the outside of the car. It is waterproof so it can sit for a while. There is stuff that is tuff you can use on the floor like Por15, Rustmort. It puts a black coating on the steel then can be painted over. All bare steel needs an etching primer on it before primer surfacer for adhesion purposes.
Glen440

[NotaHemi]

Thanks for the responses guys.
Do you think this is something I could embark on myself? I have limited space and not an ideal enviroment, but would like to try. I have no real experience in the resto/body work processes, but figure that if I'm careful and dilligent and follow the guidelines/tips laid out by those with more experience I should be OK.