I'm gonna repaint the 92 this spring and am getting the body prepped. What grit paper should I use to remove the clearcoat? Other than the clear flaking off it should be fairly simple endeavor.

 

I don't know the answer to your question but are you going to try to JUST sand off the clearcoat and leave the paint? Might want to go to the section Paint/ Body forum under general topics for better advice Dan

 

Go over to your local automotive paint and body store and ask what they recommend. Then you are going to be watching for the slightest bit of color to start hitting the paper, then you will know you are through. Using a DA (dual action sander) will make the job quicker and easier.

These are DA's, both air and electric. Advantage to air, is you can use them wet or dry.

https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=da%20sander

https://www.eastwood.com/search/?q=dual+action+sander

You don't need the best, you aren't doing it for a living.

If you try and do it by hand, make sure you have good sanding blocks so you don't cut depressions down into the basecoat.

 

I'm in the process of doing the same to mine. Primer is done, just need to bring it back down to 600 grit. My clear was flaking so bad in some spots I used 80 grit and it was like sanding concrete. Where it wasn't flaking 120 was excellent for cutting the clear and flaking base, but you need to have good feeling for it. 220 would cut the clear but takes longer, but was much more forgiving at not going thru the base.

As others mentioned, get a DA sander. And run it to a shop vac the entire time, wear a decent mask. 3m radio earmuffs are a great companion, you won't be able to hear your normal garage radio over the vac and sander, whether you go air or electric. There was pounds of clear in that thing by the time I finished the body. Start with a new bag in the vac, and expect to change it around the halfway point. Once you are wet sanding you should be doing that by hand.

One more thing, wear anti vibration gloves, ones with gel pads on the palms and fingers. After 30 minutes without them and your fingers will tingle, that's bad, the beginning of nerve/tissue damage. Set an alarm for 30 minutes, sand till it goes off, turn everything off, and go wash your hands and get a drink. If your hands tingle or feel weird after a few minutes of tasks not sanding wait an hour before sanding any more. With good gloves you'll be able to go for 2-3 hours easily

 

If you are very very careful you can scrape peeling clearcoat off with a single edge razor blade. Change out to a fresh blade oftern and do not dig into the surface. Use very light pressure. If delamination is present, the clear should peel off with ease. Then you can sand the base coat down with 180-220 grit with a DA.

 

I recently painted my 1990. I was not trying to make a nice car my goal is a driver that will knock down traffic cones doing autocross. In the areas that did not need bodywork and I was just sanding threw the clear and into the color I used 320. The car had been previously painted so I sanded till I was into the original paint and stopped there. No need for a DA, I block sanded it using the longest block that would fit the area I was working on. Be sure you are using Body Shop grade paper or you will double the amount of work. Normally I would take it down to bare Glass and Block sand the coats bringing it back up. In this case I block sanded it down till I felt I was into the right layer of paint and the body was straight enough for Autocross.

 

wow. i want to thank you for this. daughter and I will be doing the same. actually it will just be me. she doesn't need any issues!

 

hey viking, love your rescue threads, following your daughters build thread I recently wrote a thread on the work I did to mine

Thread on the paintjob

 

Are you only trying to remove the flaking clear coat and only shoot clear? If that is the case do not use a DA or power of any kind. Unless you have years of experience you'll cut too deep. Start off with 400 wet sanding using a block or even a rubber pad. Never use just paper on your hands. Anything coarser than 400 will leave scratches in the color. After 90% of the clear is removed switch to 600. 400 even leaves scratches that you will see through the clear if you're not careful. Put a few drops of liquid laundry detergent in the water. Helps keep the paper from clogging.