Body Prep

[gipperco]

Ok, I have a couple of questions for the masses. We are starting the work on my Wife's 74 Swinger. It is up on stands in the driveway, basically stripped of parts like a rolling shell. I want to start sanding it down so that I can start the repair process. My questions are as follows: Do I need to sand the entire car to bare metal? If it is recommended for the best finish do I use my DA and 80 grit for this or something else. We are using this car for a Bracket Car so it doesn't need to be perfect by any means but I would like it to be as close as possible so that it looks good for her on the track. Not to excited about her paint ideas, Pink Camouflage pattern but it is her car I am just the one that will work on it so let it be I guess. Any input will be great.


Thanks.

 

[OldVart]

First thing is to give it a good washing with something like Dawn dish soap and water, then you're starting with a good clean foundation.

If the car has been repainted, then it might be a good idea to get off as much paint as possible, although going completely to bare metal might not be necessary. You will probably be able to tell once you get started.

The DA with 80 grit is what I use for this, although if the paint is thick and tough, change the DA setting to the "grind" mode instead of orbital - it will loose some power, but will eat that old paint off there a LOT faster.

Once you're satisfied with the sanding, spray on a couple coats of Epoxy primer, and do any filler needed right on top of the Epoxy. Once the filler work is completed, give it 2 or 3 good heavy coats of high build primer, and a mist coat of some spray can black lacquer, and block sand till your arms fall off, starting with 180 grit to get it straight. Once you're satisfied it's straight, you can either reduce some of your Epoxy primer as a sealer coat, or just spray your color right over your high-build.

Good luck.

 

[73dusterPa]

I'd agree with oldvart , the only reason to go down to bare metal is if the ORIGINAL finish seems to have/is failing. The factory primer/finish is applied in almost an ideal condition at the factory. If there are many recoats on top of that , you could strip or just sand throught the until you get down to the original.
If keeping factory paint , I'd use a few coats of high build , then after blocking go with a sealer before final finish. Some high builds can be thinned out & sprayed as sealer too.

hope that helps
Jamie

 

[doug 371]

for strip to bare metal, i use a 8" stick it pad on my grinder with 40 grit stick its...then 80 grit and the da

 

[gipperco]

Well this all sounds good as it is less work to go to bare metal then just to factory primer and it seems that it is original paint on most of it. But here is another question, what about chips and deep, to the metal, scratches ? Do I just sand those to the metal and then feather them out? That sounds like the logical approach to it but sometimes that isn't the case or the best method of attack.

 

[Eric_S68]

Well this all sounds good as it is less work to go to bare metal then just to factory primer and it seems that it is original paint on most of it. But here is another question, what about chips and deep, to the metal, scratches ? Do I just sand those to the metal and then feather them out? That sounds like the logical approach to it but sometimes that isn't the case or the best method of attack.

Deep Scratches, Down to metal should be sanded down to bare metal with decent feather edging, a rust converter applied, apply epoxy prime over that. Then follow above posts.