augie1209

Hows it going... Got a question for my future paint project.. I plan on using HOK products and have already picked out my package.. for the most part. I am wondering if you guys think i should sand down all the way to metal and use HOK's direct to metal primer.. or try to just sand down to old primer? I can save money if i take it to oem primer.. but just wondering if it will hold and if HOK products show up good on old primer.. I know alot of people speculate and say that the key to a good paint job is a good primer... Also I'm worried if i take down to old metal I'm going to find alot of rust, which i don't know if i want to deal with.. I figure if i run into rust i would just sand down until none left and then just fill it.. idk though let me know what your guy's take are on this one... also wondering what type of materials you suggest wen covering pieces of car when taping off.. it looks like people use a tannish paper?? where do i get this stuff? thanks guys

Motopsyco

If your current paint isnt cracked and completely shot, you really dont need to take it to bare metal or the oem primer, just sand it good then prime over that then paint, thats all you really need to do. usually you'll spend alot more time and money if you want to take it to bare metal, wich you dont have to do. the primer and paint will stick fine to a good sanded oem paint. If you speculate there might be rust or bondo that needs to be redone in areas then you really want to take that to bare metal and wirewheel it then use a good filler to smooth that out. And if theres issues like your clear is peeling then you want to sand down into the base to make it smooth. As far as the taping over, 3m makes good shop tape/paper combos, which is probably what your reffering to, it comes on a rol and you buy in different widths of paper, its tan paper and blue or gtreen tape which runs along the paper when you unroll it, usually found in body shopsand not directly available to the public in regular stores, I'm sure you can find that online, but I know my local ridge and cramer store carries that off the shelf, if you have one near you, check there. Otherwise I'd say double up on newspaper, and use 3m masking tape you can get at any store like walmart, that method works fine too, you might not need to double up on newspaper, I just do just to make sure it doesnt bleed through. hope this helps you out, and let me know if theres any other questions, I'm sure others will put in thier 2 cents worth too, I just do bodywork as a hobby, but others on here are real profesionals in that field.

augie1209

Well after the primer they say to do Ko Seal II.. which i think that might be just like a regular primer if they tell me i don't NEED their primer.. i plan on doing a burple kandy with flakes.. color wise i think it would be cool to have a green flake on the burple.. would this show up good or should i stick to blue or silver flake? And if i olny take it to oem primer what grit progression should i use? Thanks

Motopsyco

green, blue or silver flake would all look good, green maybe hard to see though, or maybe a combo, my old prurple grand am had very small flakes of gold, blue, red, silver flakes in it, and looked great, it was a factory color as well. going to oem primer id say 120-180 (depending on your current paint, if its smooth already 180, kinda rough 180), then some 220 to smooth out, theres some real proffesionals on her that can give better advice, since I mainly do backyard body work for me and friends, so my ways may not be the best choice, they always work for me. On another note, if your going with some kind of kandy style fancy paint, id go with whatever directions on what to use that they say, any variation can ruin the whole thing, and youd be out some major bucks then, so ive they say to seal it with some kind of specific sealer you probably have to.

d4nk

iTrader: (2)

Like others have said if the clear coat is fine just scuff it and shoot. If its peeling it needs to come off! You can pickup the masking paper and pretty much any automotive paint supplier or even at sherwin williams, kwal, ici....etc paint stores. Follow the kit instructions to the T. Prime, seal, base, clear.

Mudskunk

my opinion: if your going to take the money and effort to paint it take it to the metal. especially if you got oem paint and primer. my firebird had such and i made the wise decision to take it to the metal. found rust blootches UNDER the primer. these would have been gaping rust holes in a few more years if i hadnt of done that and gotten it fixed. now my baby is gonna be good to go for a good long while when she finishes getting her new black dress. OEM gm paint and primer is total crap. do yourself and your ride a favor and get that crappy UAW paint job removed and get that crappy UAW primer removed.