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Refinishing a targa top

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Old Dec 31, 2013 | 09:30 PM
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Default Refinishing a targa top

Been sanding with 1000 grit for days. I don't think I,ll ever get the clear coat off. Help. Should I go to a heavier grit and use a mechanical sander? Do I need to get it all off or just smoothed down to where it can be re polished.
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Old Dec 31, 2013 | 09:48 PM
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I don't know if I would use a mechanical sander, as to me it would be to much to quick in my opinion...I would maybe go down to a 800 or so..but keep in mind the lower the grit of sand paper that you use the more work it will take to polish it out in the end...I would wet sand for sure and it would make your life a lot easier
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Old Jan 1, 2014 | 08:05 AM
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I started doing this about 3 months ago. Started with 220 using a palm sander I bought at Harbor-freight. You can tell when you make it through the clear coat. It is not a standard clear, more like a hard plastic. Don't be scared cause those tops are thick enough. I have to finish up final sanding and then find some clear with flex agent added to shoot it.
GL
Chris
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Old Jan 1, 2014 | 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Cutlassmaster
I started doing this about 3 months ago. Started with 220 using a palm sander I bought at Harbor-freight. You can tell when you make it through the clear coat. It is not a standard clear, more like a hard plastic. Don't be scared cause those tops are thick enough. I have to finish up final sanding and then find some clear with flex agent added to shoot it.
GL
Chris
Ok I'll try that,no wet sanding with the palm sander right? How was the dust situation?
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Old Jan 1, 2014 | 11:00 AM
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I did it dry and outside on some plastic saw horses. You will see the coating as you go through it. Just work across and keep blowing it off with air gun. Once through it you'll notice where it is gone and still on it. Just don't sit in one spot, do a section at a time. You will understand once you get through it. Then do a section at a time until through it. Then go over with higher levels of paper. Also clean off and hold up to sun and look through it to see of crazing is disappearing. Sometimes you can get it all and sometimes not.
Chris
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Old Jan 1, 2014 | 12:12 PM
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Hi!
Here is what i did to mine

Frank

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...roof-pics.html
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Old Jan 1, 2014 | 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Cutlassmaster
I did it dry and outside on some plastic saw horses. You will see the coating as you go through it. Just work across and keep blowing it off with air gun. Once through it you'll notice where it is gone and still on it. Just don't sit in one spot, do a section at a time. You will understand once you get through it. Then do a section at a time until through it. Then go over with higher levels of paper. Also clean off and hold up to sun and look through it to see of crazing is disappearing. Sometimes you can get it all and sometimes not.
Chris
Thanks Chris,I appreciate the insight. May have to wait on the outside for awhile up to 10' of snow coming tomorrow.
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Old Jan 2, 2014 | 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Norwegian-Vette
Hi!
Here is what i did to mine

Frank

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...roof-pics.html
nice

Regards
Chip
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 03:26 PM
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Default Targa top sanding

Originally Posted by Cutlassmaster
I did it dry and outside on some plastic saw horses. You will see the coating as you go through it. Just work across and keep blowing it off with air gun. Once through it you'll notice where it is gone and still on it. Just don't sit in one spot, do a section at a time. You will understand once you get through it. Then do a section at a time until through it. Then go over with higher levels of paper. Also clean off and hold up to sun and look through it to see of crazing is disappearing. Sometimes you can get it all and sometimes not.
Chris
Hi 40 here today so I power sanded with 220 grit for couple hours. It's getting the clear coat down but am I supposed to get it completely off? How do I know when to start polishing
Thanks
Don
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 03:51 PM
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What are you going to do when done? Polish or paint? Polish, then you need to keep working up the sand paper grades till you get up in the 2000 grit or higher. Then polish the top. If painting, sand up to the 800 to 1000 range is what most have done before they painted it.
Chris
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Cutlassmaster
What are you going to do when done? Polish or paint? Polish, then you need to keep working up the sand paper grades till you get up in the 2000 grit or higher. Then polish the top. If painting, sand up to the 800 to 1000 range is what most have done before they painted it.
Chris
Polish. Just can't figure when enough sanding is enough, the clear coating is now dull, flat but not off. Ill sand more up to 2000 or higher, but do I need to get all the clear off down to bare Lexan?
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 06:24 PM
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Yes, that coating has to be totally removed. Then work up as fine as you can with sand paper and then polish and seal with something.
Chris
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 07:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Cutlassmaster
Yes, that coating has to be totally removed. Then work up as fine as you can with sand paper and then polish and seal with something.
Chris
Ok I'll keep sanding outside till it's off.
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Old Jan 12, 2014 | 07:33 PM
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I bought my C5 with a nasty, crazed top. I lucked out and found a nice top cheap on CL. If I ever have to fix it I'm just going to paint it body color. The clear roof just isn't cool enough to go through all the trouble.
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