[Kcorvette]

I am in the process of getting my 84 vette sanded and ready for paint!! Keep in mind I wouldnt even class myself as a beginner yet on body work! I read that I needed to remove all the paint from the car! So I started sanding and using different wheel on the right side rear fender! I quickly found out there was at least 7 layers of paint. When I got down so far I ran into a bondoed repair job and it scared me. My friend sent me a link of this aircraft paint removal stuff I used it and the top coat quickly started to bubble and and comes off a little easier. Well to be honest im scared im going to mess this up. I dont know how far to sand or if there are any better wheels I can buy for my drill. I wish I did but I dont have alot of money for nice tools and ect. I just have the basics. I was hurt in Iraq and came back to a ruined marriage this car is the only thing I have of value, so i could use any help to walk me through this.
Thank You and God Bless

[Arrowhead]

My advice to you is put the drill down and STOP what you are doing. You should wait to get some advice from the experts on here. You start putting aircraft stripper on fiberglass and you could very well ruin the body beyond repair!

If you don't have the proper tools and equipment to do this, you might have just made big mess that's going to cost you a fortune to fix properly.

[delawarebill]

if u really want or need to remove the paint i'd suggest going to a marine store and getting the bottom paint remover.. its made for fiberglas. i've used it and works well...

[freethinker52]

get rid of the drill you need a da to do that job. its too late to stop but you would have been better off leaving the paint on. if you want to remove all the paint you need to disassemble the car.

[oldschool hero]

Not to offend but why not just take it to MACO .

[454 Rattler]

Welcome to HR.com

Now listen to some of these guys before you ruin the car.

I myself wouldn't take it to MACCO.

If you don't get more replies to your problem then try posting again. Someone around here will talk you through your project.

Good luck with it.


454 RATTLER

[marksbug]

no drill no wheel,the repair might just be where gm bonded the panels,or might be crash rash.marine striper , and a lot of it and uit is very messy. best bet is to have some one that does this type of work do it. or you may end up with nothing.or paying someone to fix way more than needs fixing now, glass is easy to mess up, way easyer than steel to mess up.find out who needs something you can trade out work for.(someone who you have seen thier work and like it)then it is pretty much just like you did it only slightly different.good luck

[eloc431962]

Right now you really need to stop on that car till someone comes along that can walk you through it, Trust me i have been down this road and when working with this type material compared to metal it's a total different process to get it ready for paint. was in my experiance anyway We have some great body men on here and when they see this they can help.


Cole

[ProStreetRob]

I have to agree, STEP AWAY FROM THE SANDER

Fiberglass is very tricky to begin with and you want it done right. Without having Body Work and Fiberglass knowledge this is truly one case where it pays to let the experts do it.

[milo]

What ever you do ,,,do it to one panel at at time blocking with 80 by hand using present paint/coating as a guide. Maybe start on the lowwer panel under the bumper instead of say the center of the hood...

I agree with the others to read more before guessing what will cut it into a wavy mess the fastest..

[OneMoreTime]

Vette bodies are made with SMC sheet molded composite which is a whole different material from fiberglass..Do not use paint stripper on SMC I will da and longboard to be sure and maintain the body contours on one of those. Vettes because of the labor involved are more expensive to paint than a metal car..

Sam

[Arrowhead]

Originally Posted by OneMoreTime

Vette bodies are made with SMC sheet molded composite which is a whole different material from fiberglass..Do not use paint stripper on SMC I will da and longboard to be sure and maintain the body contours on one of those. Vettes because of the labor involved are more expensive to paint than a metal car..

Sam

Were they always SMC or did the bodies upgrade at some point over the years?

Ok, now I get it. Did a little surfin and found that around '72 they went to SMC from fiberglass.

[Kcorvette]

Im sure yall can see by the pics what I have already done, Do yall think it would be safer just to block it as it is. I would love to have someone else do it, but i just cant afford and this also my only means of transportation. My goal was to sand it get it ready for paint then take it to maaco and have extra clear coats put on it till I can save up the money to have a proffesional job done. I really need to know how I can get paint ready for maaco??

[eloc431962]

Originally Posted by Kcorvette

My goal was to sand it get it ready for paint then take it to maaco and have extra clear coats put on it till I can save up the money to have a proffesional job done. I really need to know how I can get paint ready for maaco??

I know from your OP you have been through enough already, and your not going to want to hear this but i can't help myself, you should have left it alone till you had the funds to have it done properly exspecally since it's your only means of transportation. Sorry but it's true now you have to figure how to get it drivable again IMHO. if it was mine i would have someone or get it ready for paint, then prime it and leave it alone till i could have it painted properly. JMO




Cole

[Kcorvette]

Ya thats what I wanting to do, is just get it ready so I can get by, till I have the money to get it proffesionally done. I am well aware I bit off more than I can chew, but I am in a position where I cant stop. Im needing some advice to help me get to a point where I can get it ready..