Grzldvt

My goal over the next 2 weekends is to strip and repaint the 85. I did the rear about 4 years ago, and it turned out fine, and still looks good, but the original paint on the hood and doors are now peeling, so it is time to do the whole car. I have all the equipment, including a expensive respirator(for those concerned about my lungs :D ), but it has been a couple of years since I have painted.
I used Dupont Chroma before and thought it was very easy to work with.
Still have about 2 qts of silver and 3 of the clear. A paint store told me it should be good and I would only need to buy the lower Grey and of course new additives
I am going to retain the original colors - Silver and Grey
So, questions are:
Any websites where I can brush up on the latest techniques
Dupont Chroma still a good paint? The Archive search seems to indicate PPG is a bit more popular.
Just as a sanity check it seems to make more sense to paint the lower dark Grey first then cover it and paint the upper silver?
Remove the bumpers and paint separate with flex additive in that mix????
Or mask off the rest of the car and leave on?
Any other tips from those who have done this?
I have a body shop thinking about letting me use their booth, but have the ability to create a temporary one in my garage. I used to varnish wooden boats as a hobby, so I know the "clean room" drill only to well.
Comments, advice?
Thanks

Update 7-09 It is sanded and initially washed. I did not do the 600 wet sand, although I am still thinking about it.
This car was definitely in a front end accident. I found a dark gray hood and a metallic blue front bumper. I knew I had some deep scratches showing around the headlights prior to my stripping it. Getting rid of the paint revealed a real hack job. Along the lines of what Bones thought would happen with my 60 grit work. Took some body glaze/filler and cleaned them up. About 60% is down the gel coat. The rear fenders and around the gas cap are still very solid, so I did not have to take it down as deep.
As I sanded with 320, little holes kept popping up, which tells me the remaining base was beginning to lift. That took a fair amount of time to get the paint off to the point where I was comfortable there would not be anymore peeling/lifting. I just finished the 400 wet sand and it feels pretty good.
The total bill for the material was $490. By the time you get all the required reducers, activators, primer, and Prep-Sol, it adds up pretty quick.
I have a quart of the dark grey, 2 quarts of silver and a gallon of clear. I went with Dupont Chroma Low VOC.
I am talking to the body shop that fixed my C5 to see if I can use their booth. They are thinking about it.
I have the material to create a temporary booth for priming. That will get put together tonight. I should be able to prime tomorrow evening. I may do a small section, see what it looks like. If it is still rough, do the 600 wet sand.

Update 6-28 I must strip the old paint, the base coat is gone. Here is how I did it last time I painted the rear fenders:
Used a vibrating sander with 320 to cut the clear coat.
(I know when to stop so I don't cut into the body)
Used 320 by hand to remove the remaining clear and base coat.
Used 400 and wet sanded to remove what is left and begin to smooth out.
Used 600 and wet sanded to further finish and really get everything flat.
Wash and let it dry overnight
Prep the booth, wash the floor.
Wipe car down with a wet rag
Tack the car using 2 tack cloths
Spray the primer
Wet sand with 600
Wipe, tack reprime
Wet sand with 600
Wipe, tack
Shoot base coats
Clean the gun
Shoot clear coats
Hope that helps.





[Modified by Grzldvt, 11:14 AM 7/9/2002]

Bones LT1

Dont strip it!
If you have a good base paint over it. Painting is easy the prep is the killer.
Try Dupont Centarui single stage. Its half the work.
An expensive respirator is $800. to a $1000.00 Thats an air supplied respirator, positve pressure, out side air. The only one recomended by Du Pont. Anything short of that is dangerous.

Air filtration is also very important, exhaust fan, intake filters.
No ignition source should be present, heater, water heater, gas dryer, etc.
A good spray gun is optimal, Devlbiss is the best, in both siphon and vlp.
Clear is difficult to spray as you cant see it going on, and it will slide on you.

Your best bet it to prep the car and have a good painter spray it for you.
The $500 to $750.00 is well worth it.
Modern coatings are extremely toxic and there is no antidote.

GDP

Um, painting over the original paint isn't good. The original coat will eventually crack underneath the new paint, and the new paint will look cracked. If you strip the car and bring it to a body shop to paint it professionally, the cost will be much lower than if you had them strip it and stuff for you. Prime it yourself too. Just let the body shop put the actual paint on the car, that way they are responsible for drips, orange peel, etc.

LD85

Absolutely strip it!
Someone painted over the original paint on mine and over time it becomes embarrasing with little chips and peeling.

Done it once and do it righ the firts time!

Just my .02

Grzldvt

Thanks for the tips.
I have to strip it, which is not a big deal, my origianl base coat is no good. I stripped prepped and painted the rear fenders, the strip across the top and the 3rd brake light. It is still looking good after 4 years. I have that down pat. The results of my own work is equal to what was done on the C5 when I crashed. I would like to do it myself for the fun of it. The respirator I have is up to snuf, so I am good there.
I am going to update the original post and explain how I prep the car. Maybe that will help.
I originally went with DuPont based on advice from a painter, and the paint shop. I found it extremely easy to work with.

Daves90

Grz,,,, As many guys as you ask is as many opinions on the paint manufacture as you will get. If you like Chroma..use it. Although PPG Deltron is a great product I have not had that great a luck spraying it..so I stick with what I know..Also,, No websites that I could ever find..Yes base coat the bottom grey first,, tape it off .. base coat the top,, remove the tape/paper on bottom and clear the whole car. I would NOT add flex agent to the urethane as it should retain enough flexibility for the bumpers on it's own. Only if the paint was in a relatively cool...dry area in an air tight can would I risk re-using the old base. Hopefully it has not been reduced allready.. if so ,,toss it out. I hesitate to use paint that old once it has been exposed to the air then sitting around. Removing the bumpers is a matter of preference to you..and if possible.. the booth option is always the way to go.. Doing it at home will not offer the kind of air circulation to produce the best results no matter how clean you get it. Hope this helps..like others.. this one is just my .02..! :)

Daves90

P.S. if you mean abrasive (sand paper) stripping as compared to chemical strippers... then I agree with the majority.. absolutely strip it.. DONT use chemical strippers...oooohhhhhh what a mess...! :rolleyes:

Grzldvt

After I thought about it, I think I will get new paint. It has been sealed and has not been mixed with anything, but being 4 years old, I would hate to go through the prep work and have the paint peel because it was old and had some odd reaction that ruined it.
If I am going this far with it, $400 in paint won't kill me.
Thanks

Route66dan

My '85 coupe was originally exactly the same colors as yours, but a previous owner painted it '86 dark red metallic over the silver on top. I would like to paint it back the original silver on top. (The lower gray is still in tact). I've had ALL the same questions you have, and to think on exactly the same car and colors! Pleeease let me, (us on the Forum) know which direction you decide to go and how it went when you're done. I'm not ready to tackle this yet, but will before long. Thanks.
danny :)

JonM

IMHO...1000 grit is to slick for the primer...your base needs a good place to stick to. I wouldn't go more the 650...or at least use a scoth pad on the primer after the 1000.

randy814u

Hey JonM,, I would like some info on the pieces you made for the front bumper. Thickness, template?,,,etc.....Thanks Randy

Daves90

Yeppp. I agree,,,1000 is tooo light. I have even seen peel back after scotch pad.. Fortunately not one of mine!... Anyway I would probably go 320 or 400 grit prep before priming..even with laquer primer it should cover well. then maybe a quick de-nub with 500 - 650,,then the base coats. 4 years is a llloooonnng time to have the base sitting around..You're making the right choice. Buy new.. I know here in NC Base is about 150.00 a gallon in virtually any color except red. For the bottom color I would think 1 unmixed quart would probably due.. On top probably 2 unmixed quarts would make it also.. then ofcourse there's reducer,, clear,,clear reducer,, hardener,,on and on... not like the ole' Laquer days..!! :rolleyes:

Grzldvt

Got it,,,, I will go with the 500-650. I checked my sand paper inventory and I do have some 600.
Thanks, everyone this is some great advice.
If I recall, I over bought in case I made some large mistakes and ahd to repaint. So I think I will go with the 1 quart/2 quarts, that is what I am looking for

JonM

Randy …all it is, ¼ inch aluminum plate ….I used a piece of cardboard to make the template (trial and error) Then I cut out the aluminum pieces, glued and clamped each side overnight and was done.

Corvette0096

You are right about the paint if it is peeling. Get it off. One more thing before you get started is get some wax and grease remover and wipe the car down before you start sanding. That way you are not in bedding the wax and stuff that on the car now in to the paint. I am not sure why you are going to wet sand the primer if. I can see if you didn't get it to lay down flat you would. PPG makes a good epoxy primer, Dp40 I think it is called and you can spray it on and wait a couple hour and re tack the car off and start spraying your base and top coat. You already will have a mechanical etch "sanding" and the DP 40 will provide a chemical etch. Then after the paint hardens you can wet sand and polish it out.

Oh one more thing to add to your list is Chemical prep the car again before priming using lint free rags or towels.. Here is how far i took my car down to. I didnt want a build up of paint..




[Modified by corvette0096, 7:19 PM 6/30/2002]

Grzldvt

It got too dark to take a pic, but I am a touch deeper than that. I have just a slight hint of black showing. Spent yesterday removing the side markers, emblems, mirrors,etc. The inner weatherstripping was so brittle, I destroyed it getting it off.
I have abour 2/3rds of the car rough sanded at this point. I found I needed 60 grit to cut the clear coat, using the sander. By hand the 60 was way to coarse and scratched. I should have the hood finished tomorrow evening, hopefully the front bumper and side gills Tuesday.
I am going to the paint store Wednesday I will find out what they have, and how I should work it.
Thanks

Bones LT1

Strip it, means remove all the paint to the gel coat.
Theres but two ways to strip a car, with a chemical stripper, and by sanding all the paint off.
Removing the clear coat is not stripping the car. Unless you sand thru the clear coat/base coat your painting over the original paint.
The clear coat is what goes bad in most cases. If you remove most of the clear and respray the base coat and re-clear that is in no way stripping the car.
It sounds like your removing the clear and some of the base coat to re-spray the base and the clear.
A DA sander is the best to use and not an orbital (jitter bug).
To remove the clear you should'nt use any sand paper with a heavy grit.
180 dry paper is the max for cutting, and thats only if you really know how to use a sander. 220 will remove most of the clear coat. 320 before you prime. 400 wet and dry before you re-apply your base coat.
You mentioned 60 grit? Thats for bondo repairs only.......
If you gouge your car with a 60 grit paper you'll never get the stratches out without some serious filler and lots of work.

180 grit is hard to get the stratches out of, 60 grit is death.
Remember your going to sand the clear again with 1500 to remove any orange peel so 400 for the sanding of the primer is enough.
Good luck! 60 grit????????????????

Grzldvt

Not much progress, the Zaino biz has me hopping.
Bones, right, strip it to the Gel coat. I cannot trust the base coat to hold, so I want the car down to bare. I have several spots where the base is very thin, or blistering.
Using a finishing sander the 60 grit works well for cutting the clear coat. Last night I spent roughly 90 minutes and only got 3/4 of the hood rough sanded. Equate that to the 60 grit not going deep very fast. I suspect it is the surface area of the sander and the motion is what is preventing a mess. If I used 320 I would still be out there and only have the rear bumper completed. So far I have not gouged, scratched or nicked the gel coat. I do have some very tiny sanding circles in what is left of the base coat, but they will come out quite easily in the next step, which is 320.
Looks like Friday will be the paint store, since my progress has slowed.
Barring an unexpected trip to Yosemite :D I expect to have the car fairly well prepped by Friday for a Saturday paint.

Thanks

Corvette0096

You are finishing with 600 wet?

Grzldvt

See top post for update