I have a 92 Vette that had some major bodywork issues. I had the car media blasted down to bare SMC so now the car is back to square 1. I have a plan in mind to get this car back together take a look and let me know what you would do different.


1- sand off old bodywork and paint still left on the car with 80 grit and a D/A

2- cut out all major bodywork that was done with polyester resin instead of SMC resin and redo the bodywork using SMC resin and mat

3- Fill low spots and divots with Evercoat Everglass and Rage gold

4- Epoxy the entire body with PCL epoxy

5- This is the step I'm not sure of ..... Should I skim coat the entire car with Rage gold or just spray 3 or 4 coats of Featherfill G2 high build polyester primer ?

6- Block the car until smooth and perfect

7- Seal with PCL epoxy

8- wet sand the epoxy ( What grit ? ) or should I dry sand ? ( What grit ? )

9- Paint

Please give me any and all advice you can I don't want to have problems with this car in the future and I surely don't want to do this again.

 

You an get good advice here.



http://forums.corvetteforum.com/paint-body-138/

 

1- Stick with one brand for all supplies very important.

2- Don't cut corners on paint supplies this will ruin your work in the end and won't last as long.

3- DO NOT SKIM COAT the entire car if you do not have to, use the high build primer and block it layering as you go to get a good level finish. ( early ferrari's did this from the factory and what a mess it becomes to do touch ups when the whole body is skim coated in filler. )

4- Dry sand as much as you can before you wet sand reason being is that you are blocking to find the imperfections not to be an olympic athlete at manual labor. By the time you are ready to wet sand you should already have a perfectly level finish as a good base and enough primer on it to not cut through it on edges.

5- Now onto glazing putty's this is HOTLY debated on a lot of forums as to wether to use an epoxy or the old standard of red glazing putty such brands as NITRO STAIN used before the earth was created.

The issue is the epoxy i agree is harder when dry, BUT also brittle and will if hit or dented CRACK !!!! just like cured bondo on a mixing board.

PLUS it's A MAJOR PAIN IN THE REAR to sand by hand.

I've always used PPG red glazing putty, it's slightly thicker than nitro stain and yes it's laquer based. NEVER had any issues with paint lifting etc etc. easy to sand for me.

It's your personal preference to use and what is recommended by the paint supplier/brand you use so stick with what the experts use as a paint system, follow the mixing instructions to the letter and you should be fine!

 

I'v been in the body business for 30 years... I'v done show cars for Budwieser world of wheels etc.

After all your body work is done, I would use Dolphin glaze instead of nitro stain or ppg red putty, those fillers shrink and you would end up refilling the pin holes, thats why I use the Dolphin glaze theirs no shrinkage.

Once all the body work is done I would let the car sit for 24hrs so all the shrinkage of all the repairs and glass work can cure out and then go over the car and look for any imperfections.

I use slick sand polyester primer, its a filler and high build primer... I would spray 4 heavy coats with a flash time between coats 10 to 15 mins, this primer will lock in ANYTHING that may try an bust through. I would let that cure out for 24 hrs before sanding then I would cut it down lightly just to break through the first coat with 80 grit then 120 dry and then I'd wet sand with 320, 600 and finsh with 800, I know its a lot of sanding but in the end you will be very pleased with the finish.

The slicker your finsh... the shinyer your paint will be. GOOD LUCK

 

I posted it in the paint and body section http://forums.corvetteforum.com/pain...rk-advice.html

I did look on here for a paint and body secton but didn't see one.

 

you wet sand primer to 800? have you ever had any adhesion problems with paint? I never go over 600 and I usually use 400.

I second the recomendation of dolphin glaze, I love the stuff.

as far as the polyester based resin work thats done to your car, alot of polyester resins are SMC approved. I use epoxy resin alot because it will stick to anything, problem is polyester resins dont stick to epoxy that well, but a good mechanical adhesion can fix that.

rage gold is great, stick with that. ive used the evercoat vette line and honestly the stuff sucks as a filler, its a great glue but its very hard to work with as a filler and sands like crap.

consider U-Pol Fibral Lite fiberglass filler. its SMC approved polyester based microstrand. I'm in absolute shock still every time i use this stuff, it has amazing shaping properties, dries hard as a rock but will remain flexible in thin coats, sands like butter and doesnt pin hole easily. I often use that instead of rage gold to keep the filler to a minimum. Ive shaped entire missing corners of my hood with this stuff, filled in divets and channels. it sticks to urethane as well with the proper prep.

i suggest a good primer surfacer, and although kind of a expensive the powder guide coat makes finding your highs and lows really easy.