Question for the Experienced Body and Paint Guys

Detroit Iron said
Right!?! Plus the bottom line for me is that single stage just looks stock. I mean base/clear looks super nice. Don't get me wrong. I love to look at cars that are super nice. I appreciate the talent that goes into fine work. But, I like the look of a less than perfect car. Just my taste. I like to do a fairly good job with prep, squirt paint on it and drive the damn car to work and the grocery store. Single stage fits the bill for this lifestyle.

I so agree. But, single stage an be applied with lots of gloss.
I am no expert and having done more than a few does not make me an expert. But, I had several paint guys do cars for me back in the 80,90s mostly. One guy in particular, was a tremendous custom car guy. Unknown to most. He could do anything, body, paint, drivetrain, and he cold put down a case of beer a day. It was all single stage and he tried to explain to me a lot of it was using a very slow reducer, (today even slow hardner), humidity, and of course technique of pressure, tip, and laying it on. He could do single stage to revile any bc/cc.
But like you say, I too want it to look like back in the day even though our single stage paints today are better.