KUDOS! Paint Strippers
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Texarkana Arkansas
KUDOS! Paint Strippers
Someone posted a thread about doing this with razor blades. I had'nt heard of this before and had to try it on my 74 with it's many layers of peeling paint.(Rebuild Project) Anyway, it worked great! And no fumes or slimy mess either. So THANKS! But I've got a new question for ya...Has anyone ever had a bad experience with the older OEM primers underneath the newer primers. Like..bad adhesion or anything?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
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From: Newark DE
it may or may not make a difference and I'm no painting expert by ANY means but i've got the second Vette in two years in the paint shop now so have formed some opinions anyway.........
I much prefer to strip a car all the way down to the bare fiberglass. Take off all old paint and primers and start the new paint job with a good clean, fresh fiberglass base. by starting that way, and putting on all new primer coates, sealers, and paint you know it's done rigt and everything is new and no problems. It also allows to see the condistion of the bare fiberglass to know if any repairs or problem may exist that should be repaired first.
also, in know that that spraying different types of paint over old types can cause issues from incompatibilities so it it's original primer it would have had lacquer paint over it. if you spray basecoat/clearcoat paint over that old primer there is always a chance some residue from the lacquer is still sitting in that old primer that could vent out and cause issues for you down the road against the BC/CC paint.
on the other hand, some people do just strip down to the base primer, sand it smooth and leave it and don't seem to have problems so maybe it's not always needed to go to the bare 'glass but I prefer to do it that way
I much prefer to strip a car all the way down to the bare fiberglass. Take off all old paint and primers and start the new paint job with a good clean, fresh fiberglass base. by starting that way, and putting on all new primer coates, sealers, and paint you know it's done rigt and everything is new and no problems. It also allows to see the condistion of the bare fiberglass to know if any repairs or problem may exist that should be repaired first.
also, in know that that spraying different types of paint over old types can cause issues from incompatibilities so it it's original primer it would have had lacquer paint over it. if you spray basecoat/clearcoat paint over that old primer there is always a chance some residue from the lacquer is still sitting in that old primer that could vent out and cause issues for you down the road against the BC/CC paint.
on the other hand, some people do just strip down to the base primer, sand it smooth and leave it and don't seem to have problems so maybe it's not always needed to go to the bare 'glass but I prefer to do it that way
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Aubrey TX
I stripped my car with a razor and found it to be really easy.
I found that the razor will work good with multiple coats of old paint. If you get the paint to thin like scraping just the top layers off first, it will be difficult to get the remaining layers off with the razor. Go all the way down the first time.
If the paint is to thick, the razor will work but the edges curl under which will give you a nick in the fiberglass that you will have to repair.
Be carefull and take you're time. Start at an existing chip and gentally work it so you will begin to make a "path" for the razor. Work it in several directions and make sure you have plenty of sharp blades on hand.
Use quality razors, cheap ones will break almost immediatly or will curl under damaging the fibeglass.
Good Luck!
I found that the razor will work good with multiple coats of old paint. If you get the paint to thin like scraping just the top layers off first, it will be difficult to get the remaining layers off with the razor. Go all the way down the first time.
If the paint is to thick, the razor will work but the edges curl under which will give you a nick in the fiberglass that you will have to repair.
Be carefull and take you're time. Start at an existing chip and gentally work it so you will begin to make a "path" for the razor. Work it in several directions and make sure you have plenty of sharp blades on hand.
Use quality razors, cheap ones will break almost immediatly or will curl under damaging the fibeglass.
Good Luck!
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Aubrey TX
Originally Posted by rcastor426
so what is a good quality razor? I am not sure of any name brands size, type etc
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
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From: Somers CT
So how do you handle the curved surfaces and inside corners? Seems like allot of little dings in the fiberglass. Or does it pop off that easily?
It sounds like a nice project for the winter for me especially since I can't wash off chemical strippers when it's 20 deg outside.
It sounds like a nice project for the winter for me especially since I can't wash off chemical strippers when it's 20 deg outside.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 241
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From: Aubrey TX
Originally Posted by TopGunn
So how do you handle the curved surfaces and inside corners? Seems like allot of little dings in the fiberglass. Or does it pop off that easily?
It sounds like a nice project for the winter for me especially since I can't wash off chemical strippers when it's 20 deg outside.
It sounds like a nice project for the winter for me especially since I can't wash off chemical strippers when it's 20 deg outside.
Get the sandpaper out for the inside corners.
It pops off quite easy once you get a start at it. The original paint is quite tough and requires more patience.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,577
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From: Long Island New York
Originally Posted by rcastor426
so what is a good quality razor? I am not sure of any name brands size, type etc
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by BarryK
on the other hand, some people do just strip down to the base primer, sand it smooth and leave it and don't seem to have problems so maybe it's not always needed to go to the bare 'glass but I prefer to do it that way
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
Originally Posted by GDaina
There is no reason to strip the factory primer
on my '65 after stripping we found a lot of bodywork and fiberglass work that had to be done and it wasn't seen until ALL layers were taken off including the last layer of primer.
The '78 which is just finishing up in the paint shop now needed obsolutely zero bodywork but we still took it down to the bare 'glass and that car still had the original untouched lacquer on it which was in bad condition including some cracking in the paint that went past the paint and thru the primer coat to the fiberglass. Again, we stripped it all the way down to the bare glass to start with a all new, fresh, clean surface.
Again. some people's methods and opinions on this vary, but personally my feeling is on any corvette that I'll ever get repainted I'll take down to the fiberglass first.
Thread Starter
Pro
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From: Texarkana Arkansas
Thanks for the input. Everything posted seemed true after I had stripped about 1/4 of the car. I had lots of layers, so it did come off easier than the spots which had been sanded and were thin. I also had problems with cheap razors breaking.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by BarryK
depends....... if you need to do any bodywork and fiberglass work you would want to get down to the bare 'glass.