I'm trying to get my car primed before going back to school and have a couple of questions.

I've been reading every write up I can find on this site and reading books. One thing is how to strip the car? I'm thinking of going to bare metal since I have no idea if its the original paint or not. Should I use chemical (Aircraft Remover) or an Orbital Sander?

The body molding on the side of the car is riveted on (I think its aftermarket), I obviously need to remove it in order to paint, but is there any way around drilling out the rivets and having to rivet it back on?

Thank you and sorry if these questions seem really dumb, I'm new to bodywork/painting

 

Use a wire wheel on drill or an orbital sander to take it to bare metal. Paint stripper will be messy, toxic and leaves a residue. Have epoxy primer sprayed directly on metal. Sand blasting would work too but unless you strip the car completely down, there will be blast residue everywhere. Yes, removing paint to bare metal is the best but not always necessary. Is your current paint in bad shape (flaking, bubbling)? If not, you can prep and paint over one coat of existing paint and it would save you the work.

Side molding mid way up on doors? They are glued on. Pry them off with a plastic trim panel removal tool. Very gentle heating with a heat gun may be needed to coax them off.

 

Sand it using an orbital sander with 80 grit, if you are going down to bare metal. For the ground effects, use 120 grit and finish with 320. This does take quite a bit of time and creates alot of dust. I personally wouldn't use the aircraft stripper.

 

The paint on the hood is flaking off (I dont think its original) I may just take the hood to bare metal since the rest of the body looks good. The side molding looks like this picture (not my car, its from another member's post; ///DAN///) Anyone know if I can just drill them out?

Thanks for the quick responses

 

Is there a way you can see the heads and maybe grind them off?

 

i had that on the pass door on mine. i just drilled the rivet out and welded the hole closed. of course i smoothed it out afterwords

 

Ok guess I'm drilling, but I'm thinking of keeping them. I like the way the side molding delete looks but they seem uncommon so I'll put them back on afterwards Thanks for the input everyone

 

If I were to put them back on, I would get some that use adhesive rather than rivets. Much easier to deal with.

 

Good idea, I'll look into using adhesive when the time comes.

I guess last question. Would a 4 gallon air compressor be sufficient? 125 max psi and 3.7 scfm @ 90 psi. I know it depends on the paint gun, which I am just planning on getting a cheaper one for priming. I would really hate to use rattle cans on this, but if I have to I will. I will be doing this panel by panel. Its hard not having a lot of resources :/

 

No, you'll need a 60 gallon. There are some guys that have used a 30 gallon, but really to get good atomization of the paint you'll need a larger compressor to give you the cfm. Look at any gun specs and it will tell you what cfm it needs. Here is a popular primer gun http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-h...gun-47016.html

Also, you'll need a water separator. You need clean, dry air for painting.

 

stripping too messy, heres all I did on this 90 corvette. Electric sander with 220 grit. Then primed and sanded to 400 used my 15 gallon 3.5 hp compressor and cheap paint gun.











Front bumper, same sander and 220, primed then 400

 

Nice Corvette and thank you for the link and info lonesomeloser. I guess I'll either have to buy a compressor or find a friend who will let me use their's

 

here is the compressor and gun I used and did the car in my driveway and bumper in back yard. Compressor is 15 gallon 3.5hp gun is some cheapo from autozone.

 

Thanks for info Jeffs82TA. I'm starting to re-think trying to attempt this. I had wanted to paint the body before adding the 85-90 gfx so I wouldnt have to put them on and take them off again, but I think I should just wait til I have a good compressor and can afford good paint. I'd hate to start something I dont have the tools to do it right

 

heck you don't need high dollar stuff, I used 24.95 a quart paint on this vette, and it looks great from 15 feet

 

here are a few more pics of the vette. Just sand down to the base color dont go to bare metal. This was my first attempt and done in the worst of conditions with the worst of equipment. Just remember the darker the color the more attention to sanding and prepping. Use a practice panel to lear how to spray without runs, then just spray the car .... Good luck

the spots are just water but these a real closeups. If I can do it anyone can.







None of this has been color sanded, I still have to paint the doors and hood so it is all one shade.

 

you could also buy a couple propane tanks and hook them up to the smaller compressor to give you more air and that will help. But if you are doing it panel by panel like I did this vette a 15 gallon tank is plenty. But it is best to do it all at one time. So find a el-cheapo 15 gallon compressor and hook a extra 3 propan tanks to it and that will get the job done. Because you have 15 minute window for the next coat and that will give a compressor time to build up full tank pressure.

If only your clear coat is the problem just sand till it is gone and spray right over the original base. By a bunch of tack rags, some acetone, and you can do yours complete for about 300.00

 

The main problem I have finding a decent air compressor I can use, but if I can find one I will definitely give it a shot

 

here is the crappy compressor I been using, it chugs along but gets the job done.

 

So a 15 gallon is probably the lowest I can use to barely get by? Thanks for the encouragement too

 

After examining the body, I decided I need to go to bare metal. Every panel the paint is flaking with minor rust :/

 

In that instance yes you have to go down to metal and remove the rust or it will just keep coming back. The electric sander I showed you a picture of will get to bare metal fast with 220. I have to be careful with it on my vette as it will get to bare glass fast if I'm not careful. I am not sure of the process for treating panels that have been rusted since I have never seen or had a rusty car in person, however I would be tempted to say inspect the whole car for rust to make sure it is even worth the time to invest in a paint job.

Seeing as how rust is appearing under the bondo in places you really have no choice but to go down to bare metal, so perhaps in your case chemical stripping might be best.

post more pics of the car.

 

Oh and here is what the 90 basket case looked like when I bought it in case you think I started with a nice vette. probably was way worse then yours. Just take your time and you can bring it back.

 

Ok, I will post more pictures tomorrow. I hope there is not that much rust on the body but I guess there is only one way to find out. And unfortunately I cant start stripping it until I have a way to seal the bare metal.

 

I think the worst part is probably the hood. And pretty much between every panel on the edges the paint is chipped

 

More pictures

 

I picked up 2 of those hoods, and found multiple dents. They are really flimsy and hard to work with. Looks like quite a project. Should be very nice when you are finished.

 

Thanks, this hood has a functioning cowl, which I think is cool to have something other than ram air hoods. And I have the 85-90 gfx that I'm going to put on once I can start painting. Definitely posting pictures when I'm done. It'll be one more crossfire saved

 

Is that white paint or grey primer under that blue paint?

If the blue paint was shot over the the original paint is what I would do is just sand till you get to the original paint with 220 then use a high build primer and then block sand the high build primer down to 400 or 600 then spray color and clear.

No need to strip the whole car, on my vette after I broke through the clear I find the original base white works well as a starting point. Only areas on your car that I would worry about going to bare metal is where there is rust or chipping filler.

this is my white base at 220, I'm just going to block it now with 220 then prime and sand to 600 and then shoot it.

 

I'm not sure what the original color is, but yes it looks like white paint. I dont think the hood is original because it's not fiberglass (I think all Crossfire's came with fiberglass hoods?) and the underside of the hood is red. Once I hit bare metal I need to seal it before priming correct?

 

crossfires on trans ams never used a fiberglass hood, that was the camaro so your hood is correct. Use a primer sealer on bare metal.

 

Sounds good, cant wait to get started. And again thank you everyone for the help

 

-Strip with DA and 80grit to bare metal. Use an electric sander if you don't have a compressor that'll keep up.
-Treat the rust with any of the available rust inhibitors on the market. Best to remove it completely.
-Epoxy prime.
-Body filler over or under the epoxy(opinions vary)
-Sand epoxy with 180, then polyester or urethane prime
-Block with 180
-Reprime/Block
-Finish sand to 320 or 400
-Color and clear after practicing on something else. A 5hp compressor should be enough for spraying.

 

What do you mean by practice on something else? Like practice color and clear on another car?

 

Yes or facsimile thereof.

 

Hi Jeff.

What brand is the electric sander? Does it have a variable speed adjustment?
I need to sand my car back, but dont want to take it back to bare metal, so what grit would you say I should use?

Cheers.

Jonno.

 

My hood, roof, deck were oxydized, so I took them down. Everything else was fine so I painted over. Turned out great, except for my own flubs. Make sure to scuff well where you paint over... also, if you are using epoxy primer, you can reduce down and use as a sealer over existing paint, depending on what you are using. Check your data sheet. Nice to have the car one substrate and really needs to be uniform in color before you base it.

 

Yes it is variable brand name "master mechanic" (bought at hardware store) uses 5 inch 8 hole hook and loop sanding discs. I used 220 discs on this corvette and it cut through the paint very quick. But as the discs wear done it creates a 400 grit like texture. Obviously not being fiberglass you don't have to worry like I did. You could easily sand down your whole car in probably 6 hours it will sand it down fast. Has variable settings 1-like 10. You can buy 80/120/220/320/400/600/800 discs for it. All hook and loop is is the sanding discs are attached with like velcro.