hawgn68

I'm finally starting the body work on my '69 coupe, with an old white-candy type finish.

So I start applying the Capt Lee's Spray Strip I used on my '73 a year ago, and virtually nothing. The clear seems to crystalize into sand, but the paint doesn't bubble. Me thinks that the stripper must be old. I order two fresh gallons with the same result. I take a t-top to my local PPG dealer who recommends their own fiberglass safe stirpper. Same results. The clear crystalized, but the paint and primer undeneath don't even get soft. So I try the razor blade method and the paint just won't come off-can't get underneath it.

So now I'm thinking that the car is pretty straight and the paint undeneath is definately holding, but it's got a number of hairline cracks, so I think I'll just scuff up the current paint with 80 grit and sand out the cracks prior to sealing and priming.

When I start sanding on the hairline cracks, I get down a couple layers and see what looks like Bondo. Ah hah, the Bondo is seperating, causing the cracks. Makes sense and all is well. So now I start sanding where there are no cracks, and it's the same Bondo materiel two layers down, all over the damn car. Everywhere I sand, I get down to Bondo, on top of two different colored primer coats.

Here's the door corner with all the layers



Around the mirror. It's like this everywhere.



So what gives? Is it a skim coat of Bondo, or is there a primer that has all the characteristics of Bondo? I think I've got to get this stuff off my car or the new paint will do the same cracking. Does any one know of a "super stripper" that might work where others fail? I don't know any blasting operations here in Bayou country, and I probably can't afford it. Any suggestions other than a flame thrower would be welcome.

Jim

MEGALADON

You need to use AIRCRAFT stripper
It does work, I have used it. Lots of folks here
will say don't use it. Use what you like, but its never
hurt any of my jobs

Auto Zone and plenty auto parts carry it.

Durango_Boy

I will agree that Aircraft remover will turn ANY paint into a slimy gel. It's VERY noxious so apply it in a well ventilated area, and keep lots of cloths under the car to catch all the gelled paint.

I would suggest using it to strip the paint, and if it works, on the filler. Once you get to primer, stop using the Aircraft stuff, and pull out sanding blocks and 180 grit to finish off the old bottom layer of primer. Get it to bare glass surface.

The reason people will say not to use a chemical stripper down to bare is because it can get soaked up into the fiberglass and cause problems after you lay the new paint down.

MEGALADON

I forgot to say that. It will hurt you if not used
correctly. Do the job outside the garage with heavy gloves.

l88rocket

Myself and several painter I know skim coat a car with bondo to get a smooth surface,my 69 is skim coated.

HighHeat303

Yeah when it comes to C-3's a skim coat is the only real way to get that perfect finish, because the fiberglass molds are not perfect and you can see "ribs" in them, with a good skim coat it will be perfectly smooth and a dark color will look like glass, and with a bad one it will look terrable. I have a skim coat on my 81, which has been holding up for about 5 years now, no cracks.

MassVette

IMO almost all body work has become "bondo work".
But then I'm just a silly old-timer who still believes in block & batten sanding- plus body hammers, files and dollies on metal cars.

Check and see if those undercoats are some kind of epoxy-based surface sealer and/or leveler. They are often used in fiberglass boat construction.

delamorajc

Very interesting! I read this article the other day about prep and paint and what you may have is a heavy primer on there which is generally painted on after the sealer according to this article if that is the case cool anyhow here is the link. let us know what you end up doing.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=111&TopicID=3

best.

cajos

Hi, I stripped my 72 Vette with a heat gun, works brilliantly, and is far less messy.

Regards


Cas

Durango_Boy

Too bad lead work doesn't work on our cars...

hawgn68

Thanks for the stripper advice (so to speak) and the insight on the skim coat. I guess that's where the high build urethane primer's come in, to cover what the skim coat used to. I'm just worried that since I already have cracks in the paint from the bondo, that if I don't take it all off, my new paint will crack as well. Therefore, I'm gonna try the aircraft stripper. Does the aircraft stripper deactivate with water like the other?

Durango_Boy

Bangkok Dean gives the best stripper advice...just ask him.

Yes, Aircraft deactivates with water, but you'll still want to stop short of bare glass with it.

Sand the last layer off yourself with blocks, and use a fast evaporating cleaner to prep the surface after sanding. Oreilly sells a great product called 'Paint Prep.' It's about $20 per gallon, but it's great and will help clean off any residue left after sanding, and it will evaporate before anything can be absorbed into the glass.

hawgn68

I nearly got rolled by some Bangkok mini-ninja's badazzes after watching precision stripper aerial blow-dart gunnery in Patpong.

Thanks for the tip on the stripper and cleaner. I hope I'll be able to stop the stripping action prior to getting to the glass.

rexx78

Read this before you use aircraft stripper.

http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/PaintTechPaper2.doc

Paint Stripping
There is seldom a need to strip a ‘Vette down to “bare” glass or gelcoat. You need to remove oxidized, flaking, and non-adhering paint, but you don’t need to go any further of you’re using a good sealer (which we are).

Chemical Strippers
Never use “Aircraft Stripper” on a ‘Vette. Remember the movie “Alien” when they cut the Alien’s knuckle and the “blood” ate its way right through the floor and didn’t stop going? That’s what Aircraft Stripper will do to your FRP or SMC panels: you can’t get it to stop “eating.” We once spent 2 days with a Hotsie, steamcleaning and solvent wiping a ‘Vette that a customer had tried to “strip,” before we were able to get the stuff to quit eating away the body. There are other chemical products out there intended for ‘Vettes, but I’ve never trusted them enough to use them.

popa

'Klean Strip" Aircraft stripper, has a product called Aircraft Stipper for Fiberglass. I have used it for years, it will not wash off with water . I use lacquar thinner and a scotch pad to remove last bit of factory primer. A vette restoration shop up the road from me uses it with very good results . Thier work has won at bloomington Gold. I get it from my paint guy at about $26 a gallon good luck

JustForFun

Will this stuff loosen/soften the bondo?

popa

Stripper will soften bondo you can scrape off thin layers .If I go to the effort of stripping then i redo all bondo work any way , most of the time it was'nt done right or was not even needed JMHO

Durango_Boy

Old filler should almost always go bye bye with the old paint. Going down to glass may not be NEEDED either, but you get a much better finish that way.

BLACK SHARK

What you are finding on your car might be a sprayable filler called SANDY. It is used as a final prep before priming. It is sprayed on in 2-3 thin coats and block sanded when it has set up. It is a big help to fill sanding marks and small imprefecions. Much easier than skimming the whole body with regular filler or bondo.

l88rocket

My didn't have any cracks or damage,so I just sanded the paint(was the orginial) sealed,and prepped form there,mine as about 3/4's gallon of bond in it to skim it.