DEEPSEA70

I'm making progress getting the red oxide primer off by blocking with 220 and not tearing into the glass. The body is luckily very straight and very smooth. Just wondering if its too smooth. Will 220 suffice or should I drop to 180 for primer adhesion. I want to maintain as much original material as possible; at the same time, keep all the edges sharp and the round parts round.








Thanks.

DUB

180 grit is fine. 80 grit can also be used to aid in blocking out some minor bad spots and will not take off that much material to be concerned about....and the 80 grit is also good grit so if any Vette Panel Adhesive is going to be used to fix low spots...it will prep the area for VPA and it will aid in adhesion

Are you planning on re-working the body seams so they do not come back later and show up in the paint job??

DUB

DEEPSEA70

Thanks Dub,

So 220 at this point is too smooth?

Also, I didn't realize the seams would show. I couldn't see them under the primer. But if I have to, I'd like it done right. How would you address the seams? Thanks again.

zwede

It will go much faster with a brown scothbrite pad and lacquer thinner. You need to keep it really wet. Pour thinner in a jar and dip the scotchbrite in it often. You can use the cheap thinner that comes in 5 gallon drums, available at any auto paint store.

For the seams you want to grind them out as a shallow V and fill with the material of your choice. We used resin & mat on my '71. Dub has good luck with VPA.

zwede

Here's the car ready for the 1st coat of primer. The body was prepped with 80-grit dry for good adhesion.

You can see the width of the ground out seam that was then filled with resin & mat. You need to keep the V fairly shallow to give the filler material a large surface area to attach to.

DUB

YES...220 is too smooth and is more than likely taking you forever.

Do not be worried about sanding on the body...COMMON SENSE will dictate that you can sand on it...but not in the same place all day. The body is thick enough to allow for this.

Using lacquer thinner and I prefer rough steel wool to remove the red oxide primer. It will work. And the steel wool will not damage the fiberglass either. 3M red scotch-brite is also good to sue like 'zwede' mentioned. I just like the steel wool more...but I do use both.

When you are ready to do your seams... I have a faster ...and I believe better way to doing seam instead of laminating them. Never had a seam issue due to the process I use...and I have done hundreds of them.

SO when you are ready...either post your inquiry...or PM me. I will be glad to help you out. from start to finish.

DUB

DEEPSEA70

Thanks, will do.

Just curious, is the seam no longer compatible with today's primer and paint that would make it show through. Did the compounds differ back then from the factory that you can't primer over it. It's pretty smooth. All for changing it, just for my own knowledge.

zwede

The original filler was never intended to last 30+ years. These cars were considered "disposable" back in the day. So you have a material that is already breaking down, and now you will spray chemicals on top of it. It's pretty much guaranteed that you will see 2 horizontal lines in your paint after a while.

DUB

The process of making the car ...and having such a distinctive line in the body. It will show up in time. Some show up faster than other that have never been touched. It is what it is.

It is wise to do something over your seams that will hold up. The choice is yours and I know you are information 'gathering' now.

Priming over this area ...even with gelcoat and or polyester primer may hold up for a while...but the percentage of possible failure and it showing a 'ghost' line is possible. I know of a few Corvettes done by the owner who brought them by my shop during the process who chose to not do anything at all to the seams and primed them and are still looking acceptable today. Are they PERFECT....NO.....are they completely screwed up....NO....but these cars are not driven often and kept in doors in a garage.

SO the choice is yours in what you expect to have when completed. If you are looking for an end product that is beautiful and really, really nice...I would do the seams and that is that. If you can live with a possible problem in the future....then live with it and don't touch the seams. Chances are you are going to have to apply Vette Panel Adhesive somewhere on the body where it has warps or buckles due to its age. So..if you are fixing those 'issues'....why stop there.

DUB