Repaint preps?

[J37]

I've been told that to repaint an '84 with SMC glass, I will havehave to strip the paint, then seal the car, or the paint will just bubble up in short order. I realize that stripping is undoubtably the preferred method, but isn't sealing sealing? The paint's pretty gone, and I'll have to sand most of it off, but how critical is it to get every bit off? Can't I get the vast majority, and seal it and shoot? I'm leary of chemical strippers, you never seem to get 100% of it off!
Thanks;
Jerry

 

[Tom Bryant]

Jerry,

For the new paint to bubble if applied over the old there would have to be contaminents on the old paint or the 2 products would have to be incompatible, like spraying laquer over a non-catilized enamal. Or the prep wasn't done properly.

I would go to a regular automotive paint store like a DuPont or PPG jobber and ask them. They can give you recommendations on the best materials to use on your Corvette. This doesn't make a lot of sense when you think that body shops repair and then spot in or refinish entire panels on newer Corvettes every day. If you couldn't paint over the factory finish it would be very common knowledge by now.

The only reason I could think of to have to strip the car would be a concern over paint thickness or that the old finish has checked, cracked or started to lift (flake off) for some reason. In any case with just the original paint on the car I wouldn't chemical strip it.

Tom

 

[paintdaddy]

I agree,Ill only strip a car if its been painted more than twice or its cracked up.The only place you definitly will probably want to strip is the area on the hood above your ac compressor.The early c4s have problems getting oil soaked in that area.If the paint on your bumpers are cracked ,youll want to strip them too.

 

[robertha]

sanding

Can any one tell me the best method and equipment to sand with. I mean from the start. I want to do this as a project this winter. I do not want to use the chemical stripper. I am not sure if it would be better to hand sand or use some sort of power sander to start with. I need some good ideas so I can start planning . I plan on buying new bumpers and just sanding the rest myself. Help:confused