Planning on getting the 76 painted and want to do the prep work myslef, remove all chorme, badges, handles, etc. Also wanted to do the majority of the sanding, do I just start sanding, what grit should I use, do you use any paint stripper first, I was going to use a electric palm sander would that work? Open to all advice. Thanks

 

Depends on how thick the paint is and what type of paint is under there.

On my car personally, I had a shop paint it the first time....they just left the factory paint on (VS stripping to gel coat) and painted over that.

I did have a issue where the bodyman didn't remove the headlight assemblies to sand and he layed the primer/paint thick inside that area. First time my headlights came up it peeled the paint back....he had to do a touch up there and did a poor job.

Fast forward a few years, I didn't like the way he fixed the color matching issues I had in the paint after he fixed the problems around my headlight assemblies. so I re-did it myself.

I basically I wet sanded the body and fixed the chips with 240 - 400 grit in stages to level out any untouched orange peel. It's PPG base coat / Omni clear coat.....low end stuff.

This was my first time and did a lot of research and it turned out nice with only $600 in materials invested the second time No cracking or any issues and it's a good 5 footer. Anybody that says you HAVE to pay high $$$ for a paintjob or HAVE to strip to gel coat for good results can kiss my ****....I have proof





I guess it depends on what your trying to accomplish, and how much / what kind of paint is under there.

Most shops won't paint a car without knowing what kind of paint is under there.

If it were MY car and hasn't had quite a few paint jobs in its past I would just sand, scuff, apply a sealer and roll with it Especially if it's a driver and not a hard core trailer queened NCRS show car.

But others will have different views, I know what worked for me

 

Get together with your painter first to be sure that he's willing to cooperate with your plan. Then before you sand, wash the car with a dish soap, the car wash soap has silicone in it. You need to get off every speck of crud off. Then wipe it down with a wax and grease remover because you don't want to grind any left over contaminates into the paint that can cause fisheyes. After the wax and grease remover is applied you need to immediately wipe it off with a clean rag before it dries, I buy the rags in a plastic bag from the hardware store.
Getting it to the painter without getting more road grime on it is going to be a problem, but the painter should repeat the wax and grease remover treatment, ask to be sure.
If it's a color change, you'll want the jambs painted too. I take off all the interior trim that abuts the jambs including the carpet and seats and dorr interior panels, etc. You may have to remove the door glass to remove the side mirrors, I can't remember. The handels & laiches are straightforeward, and I think the emblems and side marker lights use speednuts on a '76.
Label & bag fasteners. Have fun!

 

Sanding a vette is a hell of a job. I did mine partially and the remaining with a heat gun. My painter advised to sand with steps of 100. 80, 180, 280. But contact your painter first, mine preferred ending with 180 since there was some smoothing needed with filler. Make sure all repairs are done een smoothed out.




It's a very dusty job

One of the repairs needed


As handed over to the professional.


Filler




Control layer


Professional blocking


Epoxy


Primer


Base


Clear


End result




Okay, now the painter can give you a more precise price when the paint is removed, no more hidden repairs.

Sand with a eccentric rotary sander, with flex plate. WEAR A AAA QUALITY DUST MASK

You can try with a heat gun and razorblade

Sand layer by layer, don't dive in there and grind to the core,