Stripping Paint on a 77 Vette
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 828
Likes: 2
Stripping Paint on a 77 Vette
Hi All,
Can I get a little advice here?
What is the safest and best chemical to use to strip the paint from my 77 Vette?
I want to repaint the car this spring.
Thanks
Jack
1977 L-82
Can I get a little advice here?
What is the safest and best chemical to use to strip the paint from my 77 Vette?
I want to repaint the car this spring.
Thanks
Jack
1977 L-82
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,942
Likes: 850
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
i agree on razor blades. all it takes is a residue of stripper left unneutrilzed to ruin a paint job. razor blades are cheaper and probably faster too.good luck
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,560
Likes: 4
From: Arlington texas
Razor blades just sound like a lot of slow tedious work. How long does it take? I used Captain Lee's and it did a pretty good job until I rushed it but even then it took enough of the outer layer off that sanding is a breeze.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,687
Likes: 697
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
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2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Was thinking of striping but have lots of bodywork and don't want to chance redoing the flares again.
Went with the razor blade option, top of the body goes real fast, the sides are harder and the blades grab more.
The stuff gets everywhere, its slippery as all hell, just doing the rear deck produced this pile of silver paint. And its addictive, you just cant stop doing it, my wife even helps. I am happy with the result's it left the primmer in place with minimum damage to the glass
Went with the razor blade option, top of the body goes real fast, the sides are harder and the blades grab more.
The stuff gets everywhere, its slippery as all hell, just doing the rear deck produced this pile of silver paint. And its addictive, you just cant stop doing it, my wife even helps. I am happy with the result's it left the primmer in place with minimum damage to the glass
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 691
Likes: 25
From: Boynton Beach Florida
I just stripped my 76 down to fiberglass and the razor blades were 5 times as fast as stripper. I tried the Kleen Strip for fiberglass (have to buy at a marine store - West Marine) but I have almost the entire gallon left, it just didn't do much. I used it on the headlamp bezels and it took 4 applications then I used a DA sander to finish it followed by a lot of hand sanding.
Razor blades were great once you get the correct angle down. I would go to Autozone or equivalent parts store and buy a long handled blade holder which made the job alot easier, looks like a screw driver handle, about 7-8" long. Watch the curves around the back window and and behind the doors along the quarter panel, it's easy to gouge these areas.
For the areas that a blade won't go I used 80 grit sandpaper by hand and with the DA sander. The brake lamp pockets are lots of fun
Putting the car as high as you can on jack stands makes the sides alot easier to work on with a seat of some kind. Allow about 3 times as much time as you think it will take because you'll ultimately find other things you'll want to do "while your there" Good Luck
Razor blades were great once you get the correct angle down. I would go to Autozone or equivalent parts store and buy a long handled blade holder which made the job alot easier, looks like a screw driver handle, about 7-8" long. Watch the curves around the back window and and behind the doors along the quarter panel, it's easy to gouge these areas.
For the areas that a blade won't go I used 80 grit sandpaper by hand and with the DA sander. The brake lamp pockets are lots of fun
Putting the car as high as you can on jack stands makes the sides alot easier to work on with a seat of some kind. Allow about 3 times as much time as you think it will take because you'll ultimately find other things you'll want to do "while your there" Good Luck
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 828
Likes: 2
I just stripped my 76 down to fiberglass and the razor blades were 5 times as fast as stripper. I tried the Kleen Strip for fiberglass (have to buy at a marine store - West Marine) but I have almost the entire gallon left, it just didn't do much. I used it on the headlamp bezels and it took 4 applications then I used a DA sander to finish it followed by a lot of hand sanding.
Razor blades were great once you get the correct angle down. I would go to Autozone or equivalent parts store and buy a long handled blade holder which made the job alot easier, looks like a screw driver handle, about 7-8" long. Watch the curves around the back window and and behind the doors along the quarter panel, it's easy to gouge these areas.
For the areas that a blade won't go I used 80 grit sandpaper by hand and with the DA sander. The brake lamp pockets are lots of fun
Putting the car as high as you can on jack stands makes the sides alot easier to work on with a seat of some kind. Allow about 3 times as much time as you think it will take because you'll ultimately find other things you'll want to do "while your there" Good Luck
Razor blades were great once you get the correct angle down. I would go to Autozone or equivalent parts store and buy a long handled blade holder which made the job alot easier, looks like a screw driver handle, about 7-8" long. Watch the curves around the back window and and behind the doors along the quarter panel, it's easy to gouge these areas.
For the areas that a blade won't go I used 80 grit sandpaper by hand and with the DA sander. The brake lamp pockets are lots of fun
Putting the car as high as you can on jack stands makes the sides alot easier to work on with a seat of some kind. Allow about 3 times as much time as you think it will take because you'll ultimately find other things you'll want to do "while your there" Good Luck
Thanks
Jack
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 691
Likes: 25
From: Boynton Beach Florida
Yes no chemicals just a regular razor blade that I bought a box of 100 and used a long handled holder from autozone. Here is a pic with the tool on the back deck area and different layers coming off. You just hold the blade at a slight angle and apply a little pressure and push forward. If you get it right it will lift the paint layer in one piece, other times it flakes.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 828
Likes: 2
Can I use a blade even if it not the original paint? As of now I am getting pockets of paint that are lifting off of the car to a raw finish. I can press down and break pockets as a lot of the paint has air pockets under it.
Thanks
Jack
Thanks
Jack
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: West Point MS
I stripped my 75 down to the bare glass last year and I used a razor blade and a heat gun. Heating the paint will make the job alot easier. Just be sure to use a long handled razor blade scraper and go ahead and get a box of 100 blades. You don't want to hold the heat for too long in one place but it will soften it and allow you remove more layers at one time.
Once I had the majority of the paint off I used a DA sander with 80 grit sand paper to get any remaining paint off. You will have to use good ole elbow grease to get the paint out of the hard to reach areas by hand. It is not a hard job, just takes time. Don't get in a rush and be careful about nicking or gouging the blade into the fiberglass.
Good luck!!!
Once I had the majority of the paint off I used a DA sander with 80 grit sand paper to get any remaining paint off. You will have to use good ole elbow grease to get the paint out of the hard to reach areas by hand. It is not a hard job, just takes time. Don't get in a rush and be careful about nicking or gouging the blade into the fiberglass.
Good luck!!!