i need help with paint prep!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: stockton
i need help with paint prep!!!!!!
how is it going,
my name is andrew and i have a 74 stingray.. with a very bad paint job. the hood is oxidizing, every were else the paint is alright to look at but has spidering cracks in certain areas. i was wondering if it was ok to sand down past the layer of paint. which type of primer i should use. along with if you happen to know how to fill in crater size (is the best way to describe it) rock chips. and what type of sand paper to use.. im a novice car guy.. on a very college budget thats why im trying to get the car at least one color for now..
my name is andrew and i have a 74 stingray.. with a very bad paint job. the hood is oxidizing, every were else the paint is alright to look at but has spidering cracks in certain areas. i was wondering if it was ok to sand down past the layer of paint. which type of primer i should use. along with if you happen to know how to fill in crater size (is the best way to describe it) rock chips. and what type of sand paper to use.. im a novice car guy.. on a very college budget thats why im trying to get the car at least one color for now..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
Andrew, Yes, don't be afraid to sand off the paint. You will probably find it is easier to strip it or razorblade it though...both are cheap and a lot faster.
I would not go all the way through the original primer though. Get the car down to the primer, wet sand it with 320/400 grit, and then put a 2 part epoxy primer on. Continue wet sanding up to at least 600 grit (you'll probably have to prime it again), and the car will become smoother as you go...the primer that doesn't get sanded off will fill in any imperfections.
The rock chips you speak of just may dissapear once you start removing paint and getting down into the primer. Good luck.
I would not go all the way through the original primer though. Get the car down to the primer, wet sand it with 320/400 grit, and then put a 2 part epoxy primer on. Continue wet sanding up to at least 600 grit (you'll probably have to prime it again), and the car will become smoother as you go...the primer that doesn't get sanded off will fill in any imperfections.
The rock chips you speak of just may dissapear once you start removing paint and getting down into the primer. Good luck.
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
I just painted my car, in my garage, by myself ( well with some help from my friends here on CF) it was my first car.
here are some pictures...
http://www.corvettengineering.com/cg...hotos/Painting
Here's an overview...
Strip it, use razor blades if you can. On my car the paint came off easy, the primer I had to sand.
Strip it all the way down to the glass. You don't know what is user there and it is very possible to get a reaction from incompatible paint, lacquer is bad news under modern paint
Leave good body filler but remove any obviously bad, i.e. falling off, filler
Fix ALL cracks and damage. For cracks, grind out a huge V along the crack. As deep as the crack and a couple of inches wide. You want a gentle slope to the filled area. Fill it with glass mat, NOT weave, the weave WILL show through.
Fill deep holes with short strand fiberglass filler.
Final pinhole fills you can use a normal filler, like bondo. but it should be just pinholes and very small spots. It should be near perfect at this point
Pick a paint system. PPG, Dupont, whatever just pick a system and use the system. don't just buy whatever. It may work, but why risk it, there is enough to learn painting it
Spray the whole car with a 2 part epoxy primer. You CANNOT sand this primer. It is there to lock everything down.
Spray 2-3 heavy coats of a high build sandable primer
Sand most of the primer off with a 1-2 foot long flexible board. Don't worry about sanding through the epoxy.
Spray the sandable primer again, sand it again until every part of the car is perfect.
Do it one more time because you were wrong the last time
Spray a sealer, then color, then the clear, well come and ask again when you are done sanding the primer ...
here are some pictures...
http://www.corvettengineering.com/cg...hotos/Painting
Here's an overview...
Strip it, use razor blades if you can. On my car the paint came off easy, the primer I had to sand.
Strip it all the way down to the glass. You don't know what is user there and it is very possible to get a reaction from incompatible paint, lacquer is bad news under modern paint
Leave good body filler but remove any obviously bad, i.e. falling off, filler
Fix ALL cracks and damage. For cracks, grind out a huge V along the crack. As deep as the crack and a couple of inches wide. You want a gentle slope to the filled area. Fill it with glass mat, NOT weave, the weave WILL show through.
Fill deep holes with short strand fiberglass filler.
Final pinhole fills you can use a normal filler, like bondo. but it should be just pinholes and very small spots. It should be near perfect at this point
Pick a paint system. PPG, Dupont, whatever just pick a system and use the system. don't just buy whatever. It may work, but why risk it, there is enough to learn painting it
Spray the whole car with a 2 part epoxy primer. You CANNOT sand this primer. It is there to lock everything down.
Spray 2-3 heavy coats of a high build sandable primer
Sand most of the primer off with a 1-2 foot long flexible board. Don't worry about sanding through the epoxy.
Spray the sandable primer again, sand it again until every part of the car is perfect.
Do it one more time because you were wrong the last time
Spray a sealer, then color, then the clear, well come and ask again when you are done sanding the primer ...
