JeffW

So after asking all the questions here is what the car looks like so far. i have removed the rear deck lid for alignment and sanded while it was off. stripped all the layers of old paint with a d/a and 80g paper over a month of weekend here in new england. thanks goodness for space heaters and halogen lights.

so my next step is to primer and block sand the entire car and spot any low areas. anyone have an input on this step to keep me in the right direction?

so far the body is in great shape! only a few little dark spots of rust that i have grinded off so they are no longer there. No cancer spots under all the layers of paint. both doors have had some body work i don't think it looks like i have to much to do there except fix where i sanded them.

House Of Kolor here we Come

More pics on cardomain, click www below

Jeff

JeffW

someday i gotta figure out how to post more than one

WishIHadAZ

looking good man, I have no advice for you but I'm thinking about going the same route as you some day. So let me know of any revelations you make.

TomP

Be careful thinking that you've ground off all the rust. It'll come back!! Try to find some kind of chemical (like por15 which I've used, or "osopho" which I haven't- do a <a href="search.php?s="><img src="images/top_search.gif" alt="Search" border="0"></a> on this forum for that name) that converts it, or some kind of chemical that eats it (like naval jelly), or maybe even do a zinc treatment to that spot.

I know because I did the same thing back in '96... found small patches of rust and ground 'em away. Now I've got a whole quarter panel to replace from the "ground-away rust" eating away beneath my bondo jobs.

Car looks good; you're going to use a guide coat, right? In case you don't know what that is; just buy a can of cheap black primer, and mist it over your gray primer. Block sand in an "x" pattern, lifting the block off the paint at the end of each stroke. (No back and forth sanding allowed!) Eventually the black mist will wear off the gray primer. High spots will show up as metal. Low spots show up as untouched black-mist.

kakarot

Looks like your headed in the right direction! Make sure to cover any bare metal spots with an etch primer before applying primer/sealer. I ususally hit the car with 150 befoer applying the primer. After the primer/sealer is applied I will block it with 240 then smear some rattle can paint with a rag with thinner on it for a light guide coat and block it down with 400, repeat the guide coat smearing and block with 600. It is alot of time and effort but will be well worth it in the end. I am just finishing a similiar project,on my son's 87 IROC, pics are at www.geocities.com/super_saiyan0018

Good luck on your project!

JeffW

thanks Tom i was looking for a way to do just that,, hok has a product for the same thing but only seen it mentioned in a tech page. i think it is some type of powder but i could be wrong.

as for the rust spot... it came up as a bubble in the primer as i sanded no real rust just a black spot early stage of rust. can i use por 15 under primer? i wouldn't think that primer would stick to it or am i wrong in this guess.

Thanks Jeff

JeffW

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kakarot
[B] Make sure to cover any bare metal spots with an etch primer before applying primer/sealer.


is this right i thought i read some where that etch will take up paint if you spray it over areas that still have primer/paint on it. i don;t have large areas of bare metal only spots.

Thx Jeff

kakarot

I've never had any problem with using it. Just spot in the bare metal spots though . It has a very short shelf life after mixing so mix small quantities and discard any that you don't use within an hour or so.

JeffW

one more question.....

i have new gm fenders in black primer came that way. what do i need to do to prep same as rest of car, no etch just primer and block sand.

i have new front gm bumper cover and lower gfx. how do i prep this it is on the car. is it just primer and off i go?

Jeff

JeffW

well i guess that is the key then, not to spray it on the painted parts.....

thanks

JeffW

So far i wish i had a bigger compressor, i bought a craftsman 6hp 30 gal oil less. 120v 15amp.

i always seem to be waitng for it to catch up with me and man is it noisy. next one is dual stage/head unit

don;t get me wrong it works just would be nicer with 100 psi all the time this one will hold at around 75-80 psi with the d/a

kakarot

I would say it depends on the condition of the surface. If its new and in good condition I would still scuff it befoer applying the primer/sealer, but that is just my preference. Be sure to wipe down all of your surfaces with a good wax & grease remover, PPG makes a good final wash, and hit it with a tack rag before applting your primer.

JeffW

cool i will do a wash i have a post sanding cleaner for that.

so how did your paint job come out? did you have a garage to spray it in?

Jeff

kakarot

It turned out pretty slick. Luckily I had a heated garage to paint it in, it turned pretty cold here last week. It's sitting right now waiting to be buffed this weekend. I've sanded the cleat with 1200,1500 and 2000. I had to buff part of the hood just to see how it turned out and it looks good so far. The blocking the primer is very important to how your car will turn out. Every part of the car, ground effects, spoiler, and bumper covers were all blocked using the same technique. Looking down the sides of the car really shows that the effort is worth the time and trouble.

JeffW

did you use a long block? or short.

how about those air long blocks any good or more trouble that they are worth.

JeffW

ttt

kakarot

I use a long paint stick..cheap and works well.

johnsjj2

A long paint stick???!!! Didn't that take forever?

kakarot

I took about 3 weeks working in the evenings and weekends to get the primer sanded to where I wanted it. It seems like alot of time but the end result is definately woth the effort. Prep is the key to a slick paint job.

TomP

I'd think you'd only want to use an air-powered longboard if you were working with filler... you'd really have to keep that thing ultra-flat and prevent the corners from digging into anything. Those things just go "back and forth" really fast, right? As opposed to a d/a that's spinning and wobbling?

JeffW

yes tom your right. never seen one though to see what they do it may just vibrate...not sure though

jeff

JeffW

ttt

FastElectrics

Can't wait to see finished pictures.. In about 2 and a half months I'll be doing my Car.. I'm in 1st year Autobody.. so it should be fun.

deadbird

An air flatboard has about a ½-¾" stroke and has speed like a D/A but, instead of using a sanding motion of a standard flatboard, you just hold it in a steady path and 45° sand. They are better used on larger flat panels (like a hood).

Etching primer won't affect old paint or primer. MarHyde makes a spraybomb etch primer (Eastwood also carries a canned etch)that is pretty good and you don't have to worry about 'pot time' since it's not expose to the atmosphere.
To help aid in rust prevention on bare metal, you'll want to use a phosphorous (sp?) coating like OxiSolve (from Eastwood) or a cold galvanizing compound (like ZRC.. available at a welder supply store). Galvaprime (MarHyde too, I think) is also pretty good because it has some zinc content but is similar to etch primer for adhesion. All those are designed to 'restore' a galvanized part after having been welded or the coating ground through for repairs. Epoxy primer (like PPG NCS2004) works very well also on bare metal and is a good barrier against rust.