Good info!
I've done enough rattle can finishes to have learnt the importance of the prep! (learning didn't come without it's mistakes though)

I haven't done a full-on candy, just basic metallics. Interesting about the faint black patterns with the airbrush too.

Since exchanging posts in this thread, I'm thinking about doing a blue tinted clear on the aforementioned strat build.
I was wondering if a silver basecoat under the tinted clear would make for an interesting effect. I want the blue to come up as a trans-blue. Is that something you've ever tried?