Help with Automotive Clear..

I've sprayed my 300ZX with Halfords (holts) nissan cherry red. It's a pearl colour, and has a slight metallic look to it, and I'm going to clear it. I've noticed that using automotive paint, the orange peel affect is a little worse then TS, but it covers better.

I've brought a can of clear (halfords) as well, but the directions on the can tell me to sand the entire area down before applying the clear.

Can someone help me, as I always thought you never sanded down pearl or metallic colours, you just applied clear and polished the clear coat..

Very confused.. Thanks

PS - I wasn't sure if I could use TS clear, this is why I brought automotive clear.

I've been using Halfords paint for a few years now and when I recently belatedly got round to reading the can it confused me as well.
As you say it's not possible to flat down metallics,pearls or candies as it'll spoil the base coat - having said that the clear will go on top of them ok without flatting down the colour coat - just be prepared to spent a bit more time polishing out the clear. Personally I don't aim for a super glossy basecoat as the clear seems to give a better finish over a matt(ish) base.
Hope above is some help
Andy

I've been using Halfords paint for a few years now and when I recently belatedly got round to reading the can it confused me as well.
As you say it's not possible to flat down metallics,pearls or candies as it'll spoil the base coat - having said that the clear will go on top of them ok without flatting down the colour coat - just be prepared to spent a bit more time polishing out the clear. Personally I don't aim for a super glossy basecoat as the clear seems to give a better finish over a matt(ish) base.
Hope above is some help
Andy

Yeah, that makes sense.. The base coat is pretty dull already. Most metallics etc dry dull.. Hence the clear coat, to give it a gloss look. Just confused me.. Gald I wasn't the only one.