Panama 58

So I was talking to a seemingly knowledgable guy at the NCRS Regional event in Greenville, SC last April and we got to talking about painting corvettes. He has done several C1's of notable judging quality and I asked him who does his paint work. He told me that he paints all of his cars. This led to a discussion about how he does his prep work. He said it's simple, he strips the topcoat off with a razor or any other tools that will get the paint off in tough areas. He then scuffs the remaining paint/primer/sealer (whatever is left on the surface) and then shoots it will slick sand using a cheap, throw away gun purchased at Harbor Freight. After dry he sands it lightly and then shoots the paint. That's it.

Being a wannabe painter (but have never done it) does this process make sense? Is there any merit to this process?

DUB

This subject on the process of prepping a Corvette for paint is highly debated. This also includes the products applied on the body when the pant and or primer ahs been removed.

Will his process work.. YES it will. Will other ways of doing to do just as well. if not better YES they can.

Not being in the conversation you had with this person has not allowed me to fully engage in all of what was discussed and I am sure a lot of it has been possibly left out in what you wrote.. Such as doing any body repair that is needed and what is used..along with any nicks but in the body when using a razor blade. The 'nooks and crannies; where paint is impossible to remove with a razor blade and scuffing is almost futile due to the labor to get those areas prepped so primer will adhere.. And all falls into another category of the person doing the work and that is IF they care enough to make sure products will adhere in those hard to get areas.

Some people believe that scuffing any remaining paint or primer is acceptable due to they are applying polyester type primer. That is their call on that and that is what can be highly debated. I myself remove ALL paint adn primer and start off with fresh clean body. I leave NOTHING on it that can come back and haunt me. But like I wrote and how you wrote it....it is hard to comment on this when I was not there and do not know if that person DOES remove ALL exterior paint and primer but will leave some it in the door jambs and other area that are not an exterior panel..

SO..for those of us how do this a lot...there are other procedures that at least I have found to prep these areas.

I know of many Corvettes that were painted by the owner and they turned out well but I also know the car is lucky if it sees a week or two of sunlight a year. It basically stays in the garage and is only taken out for special events.

For those of us who do this on Corvettes that are driven and exposed to the elements. The procedures and products used may be quite different due to what the paint and body is actually being subjected to on a consistent basis.

So...for example....I can paint a sheet of plate glass adn stick in my trophy case and it will never peel off. But if I stick it out in the sun and let it get hot and cold...I KNOW it will peel off in time due to I did no prep work to the slick shiny surface of the plate glass.. and thus...the paint just laid on it and did not actually adhere. I am not implying that is what he did or is doing. But it does get back to those 'nooks and crannies' and how things need to be done so the paint will stick.. Because anybody can get the outside of the hood or door prepped correctly. . It is those hard to get area that can cause for paint to peel off and make a paint job look crappy. and should not be over looked...in my opinion.

DUB

Panama 58

Dub, I was hoping you would respond because I respect the advice and knowledge you impart on this site. It is very valuable to someone like me looking to learn. We spoke a week or two ago when I learned your shop was out by the airport, so I will be stopping by someday very soon.

I am sure threads like I started are almost an insult to someone like you with the reputation and skills you have, so I mean no offense by posting this. I just found this guys casual approach to the whole process pretty interesting. I assumed the slick sand would fill most if not all small nicks in the body done by a razor blade. Is this not the way it works? Another question, is the slick sand easier to work with than gel coat? Thanks.
Garry

DUB

I will say that you are not and nor will anyone who asks for help or knowledge is offending me in any way what so ever.

YES...the 'Slicksand' can fill in the nicks if needed.

Some people choose to use gelcoat to provide a higher level of protection and this is where the procedures of 'how it is done' can differ. I use gelcoat...but that is how I feel it needs to be done. 'Others' can do it differently and still come out with a good job.

So it can boil down to the procedures and products used..and looking into how these procedures and products used can provide a benefit or not in regards to the amount of time spent...or needing to be spent on the car and costs of dealing with them. Some people do not want to spend the time and money because they feel the way they have done it is good enough...while others may take it a but further and do more..

For the record. I have offered advice here and many people will use it and some do not. Those that use it must feel that I am only looking out for them and I am not going to have them do something that I would not do on their car if it were in my shop. And those choose to take their own path and do it their way. That is fine by me. The one thing I have over some who choose to take an uncharted path is that I have honed my procedure to the point that I do not have to worry about failure...because I do not deviate from the path I know that works.

I am sure that others out there that have done it for a long time also have their methods that work for them that they trust that can be completely different than mine. And there methods may not be as extreme as my methods...or actually may be MORE extreme than my methods.

DUB

csherman

I am going to chime in
Slicksand is a high build polyester primer - some call it a sprayable body filler
There is a couple versions
Slicksand
Featherfill
Superbuild
all three have different mil thickness
I have personally used slick sand
to answer your question - maybe that painter gets good results using that method
I fear he didnt tell you everything he did after he stripped the old paint - like doing repairs - like body work etc....
After primer - I am sure he blocks the Slick sand - if he didnt it would look like a golf ball....
But the process is fairly simple
body work, primer, block, primer, block, etc....

Panama 58

Thanks for your comments. Yes, it sounded too simple and that is why I challenged him on how it was done. That's all I got.

Kevova

It depends on what you start with. The finished product is a reflection of the prep. I would be an abstract painter , still have not got it right.

DUB

Man do I AGREE with that statement.

My way of thinking has always been kind of like this. Each step of prep and repair is unique.

SO trying one particular process is like building a 'house of cards'. You build it and hope you can use all of the cards in the deck and WHAM...it falls to the ground. Well that analogy is referring to the process that was used and how it may have failed badly.

So..you try a different method and you can get it right so the 'house of cards' stands. Now you have a process that you hope lasts and does not need any further 'tweaking'.

I have been building these 'house of cards' for so long that I am still always trying to build them so a gust of wind will not blow it over. An ever pursuit of excellence. That is what can happen to those of us who do this for a living may find that we do. ALWAYS trying to see if we can make it better.

But what can happen...much like trying to 'tweak' some of the cards in your built house of cards. Extreme care must be taken when trying to improve on that house of cards or it can come crashing all down again. So...choices in 'tweaking; our formulas for doing what we know that WORKS is a very carefully thought out. Because sometimes it is best to leave it alone due to we already have it the best it can be.

DUB