91Z28

Hi thanks for your expiertise...

I have prepped one car in my life and i took my time, so i know a little but i want to make sure all my basis are covered. Ok so in april im planning to prep my 89 vert for spray and i have a ton of questions, id like to get some folks in here that prep/paint cars for a living to give me some correct advise, im not really looking for the average do it yourselfer. The car now only has flaking clear coat, the rest of the paint is in pretty good condition except for a few spots with chips, knicks ect. From what i have read so far is i wont need to go "too deep" on the current coat to prep it correctly for a re-shoot. as follows are a list of my questions, any advise is greatly appreciated.....

This is a bugdet type paint.....

The car will be strored outside during the prep process, there's just no way around it, but covered and dry.....

1. Okay can i do one section of the car at a time, like the fender sand, and primer, and move on to the next ?

2. I plan to dissassemble all pastics and such, and have them painted seperatly, chemical strip these and primer ?

3. Primer, as i understand it, pulls in mosture, but there is a sealable type in a rattle can, true ?

4. What grit sandpapers in what order do you recommend ?

5. I plan to buy my own paint to give to the shooters, what brand do you like ?

6. Clear what kind do i need ? and flex additive for the plastics, how many coats clear ?

7. How much paint for the car ? (remember it's a vert)

8. Is there a special body filler i should use for the plastics (couple of deep scrathes on the front lip)

9. How deep should i go for just flaking clear ?

Thats all i can think of right now im sure ill have more questions as we go, again thanks for your advise !!!

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

Do a search for jeff w he did his car I don't think he does body and paint work for a liveing.(but I do). Everything he did is the way to do it. Its a real long post but alot of info. If u still need some help ask away

KEVIN G.

1. yes, and the method I prefer if you are planning to strip the car.
2. Only strip these if peeling, DEFINITELY USE FLEX!!!!!!!!
3. I WOULD NOT USE any rattle can primer.
4. Start with your heaviest grit first 80, 120, 180, 220, 320, 400- wet, guide-coat in between.
5. Most new 2k urethane's are pretty user-friendly,
Buy a name brand, use the same brand through the complete job. All these products are designed to work together.
Ask the shop that is spraying the car what they want to use, the last thing you need is someone trying their hand at an unfamiliar product.
6. Stick with one product all the way through, see above.
7. Depends on the paint brand, the color, what kind of sealer you use, (tinted, non-tinted.)
It's better to have some left over than to find out you didn't have enough, (at 1:00 in the morning!) Generally about 2-3 qts of color, (mixed 1:1), Unless you are doing a color change...
And a full gallon of sprayable clear+hardener+reducer, Unless you are doing a color change. Unless you want a show job...
8. YES!!!
9. That also depends...Is the clear flaking from an old shabby re-paint?? If so...get it all off there.
Is it GM's chalking degradation and flake?? If this is the case, get down deep into the color, taking most, if not all the clear off, prime and block.

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

i wouldnt use anything bewlow 180 for just sanding out the old paint to tell you the truth, my experience with it only, galon of color, galon of clear, always good to have color left over then to have to remix and not match if you ever need to repair anywhere on teh car. Ohter then that, go talk to you body man about it, whoever is gonna paint it for ya, hell give ya info.

91Z28

I just though of another one:

Do you guys reccomend any power sanding, to help the process, the first car i did all by hand and a block, any thoughts about using pnumatics in certain areas ?

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

yea, DA the **** out of the car if ya want, just dont use anyting less the 180 on the DA, or it will scratch teh metal and the paint will sink into it later on once it fully dries. Other then that, get a DA and give it hell. You can lok at my site, its not hard, i do work at a body shop, but it should give you some inspiration.

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

strip the car with 180 dam that would take forever. I have used 40 grit on my big 8 inch DA. Than go over with 180 on your 6 inch DA primer is going to fill anything that is less. Than block sand with 180 prime than block wet sand with 400.Than seal everything than paint. but everyone has there own way of doing it. And there are a few ways that will work and give u a good looking paint job.

KEVIN G.

I'm wit' you Jay
Who wants to spend a month of Sundays sanding,?? That aint the fun part!!
Seriously, taking too long sanding on a panel, can warp the metal. Use a coarse grit to start, if it's flyin' off the car, then move to something a little less aggressive.
A longboard will have its own place in this process, but that's farther down the road...
for now just get all that old damaged paint off/or prepped.
Don't leave one single area unsanded/shiny, a lot of people make the mistake of bouncing around the job too much.
Stick with one grit until it's time for the next step... that way you will always know where you left off.

kbugjrabbit

If your car is a factory peeler, 180 grit should work great. If it is the victim of a second or third paint job over factory paint, 180 might be just a touch slow. Search around on here, this has been a popular question.
When my shop did some factory peelers in the 80s and 90s, we would use razor blade scrapers and remove the loosest paint followed by a DA. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU HAVE A STEADY HAND!!! Razor blades can do severe damage to metal and body parts, human body parts!!!

kbugjrabbit

If your car is a factory peeler, 180 grit should work great. If it is the victim of a second or third paint job over factory paint, 180 might be just a touch slow. Search around on here, this has been a popular question.
When my shop did some factory peelers in the 80s and 90s, we would use razor blade scrapers and remove the loosest paint followed by a DA. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU HAVE A STEADY HAND!!! Razor blades can do severe damage to metal and body parts, human body parts!!!

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

That what i meant, if its a peeler, 180 should be enough, if your doing a strip job, then go with heavier grits. Mine wasnt a peeler and it had one coat on it from the factory, so i just killed it with 180, did all the custom body work, primed it, blocked it 3 or 4 times, i cant really remember, and painted it, color i mixed, but depends on the state of the car, the approach you take.

KEVIN G.

Yep, every painter attacks a given project differently, as long as the end result is the same, (you have a quality long lasting job), You're golden!!!!

91Z28

Yea guys this one looks to be a factory peeler, so i kinda see where your going on this one, ill have to check some more posts and get the info i need..... thanks !

Spdfrk1990

I dont feel like typing a lot right now but ill give some advice take it to bare metal and take the windsheild out. Helps alot

HorseflyDF

I like using alot of different colors of spay paint
Kraylon is my favorite, uusally I dont wait for it to dry.
I get a nice flame like look while blowing the doors
off of other cars.