[hp246]

Bowtie
I'd go back and read Shine's first suggestion about having some one do it for you. I understand that you are on a budget like everyone else, but he makes good sense. I have a pickup that I bought the equipment and blasted myself. After I did it, i learned that I could have had it done for less than I had in equipment and supplies alone. Not to mention unless you have a really good (read expensive) compressor, it will take you a ton of time, as blasters eat a ton of air. I would call someone in your area that specializes in blasting. You might be surprised at how little it costs when you look at it in the big picture. You may also be surprised at the type of media they recommend using.

[bowtie76]

Originally Posted by hp246

Bowtie
I'd go back and read Shine's first suggestion about having some one do it for you. I understand that you are on a budget like everyone else, but he makes good sense. I have a pickup that I bought the equipment and blasted myself. After I did it, i learned that I could have had it done for less than I had in equipment and supplies alone. Not to mention unless you have a really good (read expensive) compressor, it will take you a ton of time, as blasters eat a ton of air. I would call someone in your area that specializes in blasting. You might be surprised at how little it costs when you look at it in the big picture. You may also be surprised at the type of media they recommend using.

I understand that it may be more cost effective to take it to a shop. the problem is I am on a budget jsut like everyone else. i had it painted twice now by a place in California. The first place I should have known better. The second was the same company but a different loccation. The guy was huge into classic cars and was dying to paint it. Showed me all sorts of pics of cars he has done. looked really good. Not the typical paint job that comapany does. To include was able to tell me almost everything there is to know about my car without even looking into it. So He inpressed me. I dropped it off with a rear spoiler and all the trim removed bumpers and all. Picked it up a couple days later and looked like crap. Paint was bubbled up and you could see tons of flaws in it. He was all chipper to show it to me. Then the spoiler. LOL I was looking at it and looked good until I turned it over and they didnt even shoot the underside of it. It is the Low Profile type that hangs off the trunk lid when you open it. It was still the original color and the rest of the car was blue. So he kept it for another 2 days. Redid the car again. Came back looking jsut like it did before but bubbles in differnt areas. I was pissed. Then he tells me " Hey man. You are expecting a proffessional paint job!" WEll no **** Sherlock. THis is a proffessional paint shop. So I said forget it and drove off. SOoo now I just want to attempt it on my own. Cant be any worse then what I got for $3000.

I have a Industrial air compressor in my shop. It is used for Light Armored Vehicles. So I Know I dont have an issue with that. Just a matter of knowing how to strip the paint off to the metal. i know I will be redoing any body issues with Bondo. Seeing how I dont have the money for new fenders and such. But I figure I have roughly a year before I move again for the Marine Corps so that should give me Enough time to Strip it and paint it with Body work. So thank you for the advice everyone. I am definatley looking forward to tackling this. i may jsut cheat and pay to have it blasted then go from there HAHA

[Chris Kemp]

A lot of good advise here but the best way that I have found to strip a car was to take it out to dinner and buy it a few drinks.

[deadbodyman]

lol ,Those strippers can get expensive.

[RAYFIN]

HAHAHAHA I think I put one thru college.

[bowtie76]

LOL RAYFIN. Contributing to society. I have 3 girls. I think one of them will be contributing at some point.

[Chris Kemp]

Originally Posted by bowtie76

LOL RAYFIN. Contributing to society. I have 3 girls. I think one of them will be contributing at some point.

Do you mind terribly, if I ask where she will be working?

[deadbodyman]

One word of warning ......If you do decide to call in a professional stripper you might want to mention the camero..... before Candy and Bambie show up at the door and your wife answears....
Or worse.... YOU open the door and some pretty boy is standing there..asking if your the one who hired the stripper...

[TNshadetree]

By far the best method is to use a good 8" grinder and 80 grit disc. Since you are on a budget you could buy the grinder polisher from HF. But I invested in a good varible speed Makita grinder/polisher and I'm glad I did. It will serve you well for both paint removal and cut and buff.

80 grit makes short work of even multiple paint jobs and won't tear up the metal underneath like a 36 grit will. It's quick and pretty easy as well.

[shine]

how are you going to do the jambs? dont think a grinder is going to help there.

[TNshadetree]

On the jams I'll usually use some spray on paint remover and then a wire cup on my drill. Takes a few passes, but soon you're down to bare metal. Then it's time for hand sanding. Depending on the jam design I might use a DA to get some of it if it has enough flat area to make it worth while.

[bowtie76]

I was expecting to have to sand it off. i watched a few videos on chem paint stripper. looks messy as all hell. And to be honest. It jsut seems like a pain in the rear. The door jams are rather flat so I think it will be some what easy to grind them down with a grinder. I have a new design rubber cup grinder that I used under the hood work great and didnt scare up the metal at all. took the paintoff in seconds. they are a little more costly but in the end I think a good investment. It get them from work so i will have to find a civilian company to get them from. i am thinking the hardest part to get to will be the trunk and rear tail lights. That I might use chem stripper. not a large area but something I can get into the small areas. but i will def give the 80 grit a shot. I know there is some bondo underneath. I can see the flaws in certain locations. So I am sure this will be entertaining. Now another question. the hood scoop that is on the hood was put on before I bought it. Is there a good way to remove it. it was riveted on. you can see under the hood. but there is also bondo on top. i was thinking about buying a new one to put on instead of buying a entire hood with a scoop. Although I am sure that would be the prefered route to go.

[knighthawk]

all you need is a scotchpad thing, I don't know the proper name for it but, it's like a rigid scotch pad , about 4'' in dia, put it on a air powered cutoff tool amd I promise it will peel the paint off as fast as you can more the tool, with no damage to the metal ! You will goe thru a few pads , but it's worth it ! Use a cutoff tool, cause it has more power than a die grinder, also slower so you build up any heat. you may have to replace the center arber that comes with the pad, convert it fit you cutoff tool. that's no problem either. I think it will take 1 or 2 pads to do a fender, I used to pick up a couple pads when ever I found them . I guarrantee it !

[knighthawk]

PM answer; the pads only cost about $4.00 and some hardware stores have them, Walmart sometimes and Lowes and Home Depot always do.

[KMatch]

I stumbled on Benchmark Abrasives on ebay a while back. Good deals on these pads and flapper disks. I think they have a regular website as well. I bought some as a trial and will likely reorder soon.