question for painters - paint stripper - ???
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
question for painters - paint stripper - ???
just gathering info: what did you use to strip the paint on your c4? havent stripped a corvette since 1990, and that was lacquer. not sure what the original base is on my 85, but its been topcoated or repainted with BC/CC. since it's been touched up several times and repainted once, there may be too many coats for a repaint without stripping - ???????? comments - TIA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,143
Likes: 488
From: Leonardtown Maryland
I am not a painter but I have used 'Captain Lee's Spra' Strip' on my '82 CE. That said I HIGHLY recommend you talk to whomever will be painting your car first. The '82 being the last year for the C3 I found out (too late) that GM used fiberglass and fiberglass reinforced plastic which used different paint primers and application techniques. I may have my nomenclature wrong but you get the idea. The rear half of the car striped great but the front fenders and hood did not go down through the primer. I then had an "experienced" media blaster to soda blast the car. I thought he could finish up what I didn't get striped. But unfortunately I think he ruined most of the fiberglass (gelcoat). Now what was suppose to be a money saver has killed the car and I don't know if I will ever be able to finish it. One paint shop has estimated over $4500 to repair/paint the car (and they don't even want the work) and I have a couple more shops to check with. So bottom line in my opinion is that regardless of what anybody says I'd get a couple of estimates and an idea of what work would be performed before hitting the surface of your car with anything other than soap and water. Good luck! - Chris
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 854
Likes: 1
From: The burbs of Denver CO
If you don't get a pro who knows exactly about your car and the plastic/fibreglass of that specific year, take a piece (side cover, gas door lid, whatever) to your local pro. paint supply store. They have been using a variety of compounds over the years, varying from the original hand laid fiberglass mesh to a plastic blend combination. The newer stuff is mostly plastic composite. You have to be very carefull with all of this stuff, because you can destroy the integrity and strength of the material if you use the wrong stripper, it will actually attack the material composition, so talk to a pro and get their recommendation, along with the specific stripper to use for your car.
