Paint removal question (how far?)
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6
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Paint removal question (how far?)
I've begun to strip the paint off of my '79 corvette but am a little confused as to how far down I need to go. From my research on this forum it sounded like most people were saying to remove the dark red primer under the paint and then to stop so as not to hit the fiberglass strands, however, past the dark red primer I seem to have a somewhat thick layer of white primer followed by gray which I assume to be the bare fiberglass resin. What throws me is that in places where that gray is removed (due to cracks, repairs, etc) there appears to be more layers of whatever with no strands in sight (though this could just be due to bad repair work in the past).
So my question is which layer do I need to stop at for a repaint?
Hard to tell depth from the photo but bright red is first layer, then dark red, white, finally gray. The second picture shows where there's a chip in the gray.
So my question is which layer do I need to stop at for a repaint?
Hard to tell depth from the photo but bright red is first layer, then dark red, white, finally gray. The second picture shows where there's a chip in the gray.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,120
Likes: 9,428
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
you will never find fiber glass strands in your 79. it is made out of SMC. remove all paint and primer until you find bare SMC
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,120
Likes: 9,428
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
SMC is more whitish/ greyish in color so it could be what you are finding. I am not sure what color primer St Louis sprayed in later C3s
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 416
From: N J
Take it down till its all off. Currently doing this on my 77. Final layer can be removed with a stainless pad, some lacquer thinner and a rag to wipe it off.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 216
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From: Douglas Georgia
St. Jude Donor '12
Once you get it down to the bare glass be very careful of allowing oil, solvents or anything else to get on the car. These things can contaminate it and ruin new paint. I used a waterborne cleaner to prep mine for primer.
