Joe is exactly right. The skill of the person who will do the work is the most important.
A case can be made for either paint technique. I just got my 280SL out of the paint shop this week. The fellow doing the work said that he would be more comfortable with a clear coat, and he thought it would be best for the classic white. The car looks great, even without the chrome. I had my Acura painted three years ago by a guy who did a great job with a super white single stage. It has held up quite well with the car parked in the Florida sun every day.
Either way, today's paints are far supeior to those of just a few years ago. So, what was true in 1995 has probably changed.
I didn't do a body off, however I pulled the engine for a rebuild and had the engine bay done along with the trunk interior.
Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe