whitestreak3

Hello all,
I have been getting to work on stripping my st. louis 81 vette. I've been using razor blades, and have found some pretty interesting things under the paint. Take a look at the pictures I have attached. Once I got through some areas of the beige (which I am pretty sure is the original paint, matches door tags), I starting finding different colors of what I am pretty sure is primer. About half the car has the maroon/dark brown primer, and another half is this black/light grey stuff. The areas where the paint is over the grey is a whole bunch harder to scrape off than areas where the red primer is underneath. What is the original primer color? There are also some random areas where a couple foot patches of grey show up...with all these colors I'm worried there might have been some damage to the car that was painted over with a newer primer (the grey). Also, take a close look of some of the zoomed in pictures of the grey areas...I slightly gouged some areas on the grey, and I see fibers coming up as if the light grey areas are the SMC panels. I didn't think it could be SMC because it took barely anything to get to it...I'm worried that I am starting to compromise the glass. Aren't the stock SMC panels a dark grey/black? That is the color that comes up from beneath the red primer. If you look at piece of peeled off paint, you see black on the back of it, could this be the primer (only the pieces off of the grey areas look like this). So anyways, I'm a little confused, anybody seen anything like this before? Thanks and any help is much appreciated

DUB

BLACK

NO....light gray...looks like marble

ALL the time. The car has history...and it is showing itself. that is why you are running into different colors of primers and paint, etc.

Are you using a heat gun???? ..the reason you are gouging and lifting body material is because you are getting it too hot....or you are being too aggressive with the razor blade knife.....and or have not burnished the razor blade before use....or you are trying to get all the paint off and save time and effort ...which is a loosing battle. This thought process will cost you more time and money.

I rarely use a heat gun when razor blading off paint. I get what i can then I chemically strip the rest.

DUB

whitestreak3

Thanks DUB,
So then I am running into SMC in those grey areas (the original primer)? How do you suppose I go about fixing/sealing those larger gashes up? You're right, I think I am getting it too hot...I will try some more, but if I continue to gouge I will probably just use Chemical stripper on the grey areas. Razor blading is VERY easy on the red primer areas, paint comes right off, so I will continue to use a razor on those areas

whitestreak3

Anybody else?

DUB

The factory primer is BLACK.

I am not there to see if a panel has been replaced and the shop who did the work may have primed it in a gray primer.

You have to watch the heat. If you see you are gouging...STOP!!!!

We will get into fixing these spots that are damaged when you are done stripping....you are getting way ahead of yourself....one thing at a time.

DUB

whitestreak3

Thanks again DUB
I was asking about repairing the spots because I was worried about chemical stripper getting into those open areas. I am finding more layers of paint, and want to chemical strip the rest off. Some places right around where the SMC is open would need to be chemically stripped...is this possible? Wouldn't the stripper soak into the fibers if it did get into the open spots, even if I tried to neutralize it/wash it out right away? Sorry for all the questions...just don't want to mess it up!

whitestreak3

Any other opinions?

DUB

You stay away from any area(s) that have exposed /open fibers. You mask them off VERY WELL and make sure that you are not slapping the chemical stripper all around and NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!!!! The stripper can not get in there if YOU do not let it.

When chemically stripping paint off. If you encounter hidden body filler...do not sweat it. Do what you can and that area will be ground down and repaired again. SORRY...it is what it is.

When chemically stripping...you have to be conscience about what you are doing. SO if you apply the stripper and them scrape it off....and only spots go all the way down to bare SMC.....then when you reapply the stripper....you have to be aware to ONLY apply the stripper to the painted areas....and try NOT to get the stripper on the bare SMC that you just exposed. I KNOW it will get on the bare SMC from time to time....the point is not to allow it to JUST SIT ON IT.

If you need to know more...PM me and I will give you my shop phone number so you can call. I just can not type for hours on this when a 30 minute phone call would cover all your concerns and other questions.

DUB

whitestreak3

Thanks a lot! I'll PM you later tonight. What stripper do you recommend? I've been hearing a lot about Captain lees spra strip

DUB

I will let you know...and I use a stripper that is stouter.

DUB