I'm slowly re doing my 1992 Formula 350 and will eventually get a full paint. I will be doing all of the very light bodywork myself and have a question about the front cover. I had it repainted to remove the holes for the license plate and the paint cracked. So I started to remove all the paint that was on the cover and start from a clean slate. There was a whole lot of paint on there plus some green primer? I read somewhere that the factory had some type of "baked on primer" of some sort? I have included a picture for reference. What I want to know is if taking the cover all the way down to the plastic itself is going to create a bad finish. I would imagine whomever I choose to paint my car will know how to properly prepare it. Should I decide to prime the cover myself, any ideas on what and how to properly prepare? Thanks.

 

Anybody?

 

I have stripped them with no problems. Just wax and grease remover, thin coat of epoxy and then 2k urethane.
What grit you use?

 

I have been using 180 on a DA sander

 

That sounds about right. Some people like to use an adhesion promoter first, like bulldog. I have had good luck with a thin coat of epoxy and 2k after that. Epoxy primer is kind of gummy and the urethane primer sands much nicer. Try to keep it thin as that keeps it more resistant to flexing and chipping. Just follow the coating windows recommended by the paint Co. I do the epoxy and then the 2k right after that. HTH.
Steve


Oh and I forgot get as clean as possible!

 

thanks. I'm going to remove all paint and primer and start fresh

 

Steve87ta: Any kind of flex additive for these plastic parts?
Or is the adhesion promoter sufficient?

 

Flex additive use information should come from the paint maker directly.
Some newer paints/primers don't require that iirc.
I know of one brand that only require scuffing the factory bumper primer w a scotch pad, wax and grease remover then paint it. That thin paint helps keep it from cracking and chipping (like the factory paint).

 

What T top said. I don't use flex agent. Most refinish automotive paint will harden eventually.
It is hard to duplicate the factory flexibility. It is a balance with durability(hardness) and flexibility.

In the industry we rate the paints ability to hold a mandrel bend.
I have used some sign paints that are very flexible, but would not last very well in an automotive application.

 

I used a flex when painting bumpers and I didn't fully buy into using the stuff till one day I had two empty mixing cups one had flex in it the other didn't if I squeeze the cup the left overs inside crack and chip off the cup.the one with flex in it didnt