[Biggarmike]

I'm in the middle of a "lick and a promise" body-on restoration of a 76 vette for my wife. I've done quite a lot of body and paint work in the past, but not very much in the last 20 years. I know that there have been huge improvements in paint technology since back then. A friend has recommended that I DA the body well, down to the gel-coat if possible, then use epoxy type primer, block it off, then paint with BC/CC wet sand and buff. There is a PPG shop close to me, any specifics as to selection and durability of their products? sealer required under BC? or just do the prep work and farm it out for paint?

 

[STATUTORY GRAPE]

If the paint isn't cracked I would just wet sand it really good with 400, then really good again with 600,What better surface to paint on than something that is STILL sticking after that many years (the problem with a DA is that if you aren't carefull you will cut into the gelcoat and then you will have to do some fiberglass body work, it is very easy to get imperfections in fiberglass). After the wet sanding,clean and primer and wet sand again (as many times as it takes to hide scratches) Then sealer (your paint will adhere better with sealer and also hide any small scratches you may have missed) Then base coat (2-3 coats), then clear coat,(at very least,use 2 coats but the more the better so if you want to wet sand or buff any scratches out sometime in the future you will avoid sanding through to the base coat), then, depending on how smooth it turns out, wet sand with 400-600 to start then 1000 then 1500 then buff your way to a beautiful finish. I painted a Corvette a couple years ago with a black PPG BC/CC "AND LOVED IT". It still looks like new today.

 

[Biggarmike]

I have a coat of failed paint, (a cheap 5-6 yr ago repaint by previous owner) on top of failed factory paint. No gelcoat showing through, but some spots are quite thin and through to the basecoat of color of paint #1.

 

[Halloweenking]

Mike, Sand off the failed paint, they also make a chemical stripper for fiberglass a fellow corvette rodder posted on the board a few months ago. I will search this oout for you this evening when I have more time. Strip/Sand down to the gelcoat and use a sealer just incase you may have went a little below the gelcoat. Sealer is also thicker so your fiberglass won't get damaged by the sun if the topcoat does,in time get thin. PPG makes good products and like your friends recomended use a high quality BC/CC. I can't recomend polyurethane or acrylic urethane enamel enough. They are the top of the line for paint protection. They are pretty spendy, but you definatly get your money's worth. If you would like a chart to follow look in the knowledge base, there is a chart with different paint caracteristics to help you out. PPG is a great paint brand, its what I use 98% of the time. Painting is the easy part, the prep work is what you need to be worried about. Painting is preetty basic and hard to screw up with BC/CC, the prep and bodywork is the real hard stuff. The prep makes the paintjob. If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.

HK

 

[Biggarmike]

Thanks HK, I was afraid I'd have to get the failed paint off. It doesn't seem to be much different than in the Du-Lux Lacquer days, an 80 hr paint job is 76 hrs prep, 4 hrs blowing paint. I'll check at the paint shop for the correct sealer to go over the gel-coat. Would PPG Omni be the line to use? It seems quite popular down here. Since I'm doing this for the wife she gets to pick the color. (big mistake!) I was hoping for something light and forgiving, she wants dark olive green over a gold base. (I haven't told her about the custom tigertails she may end up with!)

 

[Halloweenking]

PPG Omni is a value based paint line. Its good paint for just quick overall color paint, but I wouldn't use Omni if you plan on keeping the car for a long time. I'd use PPG's Deltron, its a tough long lasting finish. Omni is a good paint, but not for custom long term paint jobs that will be used daily. Omni is a low cost alternative. Omni could last for a long amount of time if cared for properly, but since its your wifes car I doubt she'd be out washing and waxing on saturday. Dark colors are tough to do, but being a metallic color helps to be more forgiving. If you do intend on going with Omni they may have a color premixed that your wife may like. I can't remember the exact name, but its a dark green/terquois with lighter metallic. Its a very cool color. I painted a cadillac brougham with this and it looked absolutly awsome, I'll look to see if I can find the exact color name and sheet code for you.

HK

 

[Halloweenking]

Mike, I think that paint color was called Carribean teal metallic, its a real deep color that you have to see in person. If your wife likes it I'm sure your local paint guy can mix you up some in BC/CC PPG.

HK

 

[jwcnj45]

We use a fiberglass stripper called Aircraft Paint Stripper. It is one of the better strippers that I have used. If you get it make sure you get the fiberglass stripper since the company also makes a stripper for metal.

 

[collins motors co.]

i would not strip it with fiberglass striper if it has only one failed paint job.i would sand it with a da with 120 grit staying away from edges and areas that the da can'tbe held flat.sand those areas by hand. then i'd spray it with sprayable polyester after body work is done. block out polyester with 150 or 180 prime with good urethane primer block&paint. reprime spots that need it. omni makes spray poly its about 75.00 per gallon. speis hecker makes poly thats more expensive but is thicker and fills better.poly is nice because it dosn't fall back.

 

[bullheimer]

BMW has a killer deep green that looks black from a distance w/o the sun shining on it. i dont know the color code however. back to the thread, i have this fiberglass rear spoiler for my camaro. it was black but is down to the white virtually every where, they are covered in little surface cracks. WHAT NOW? same as above??? how bout glazing putty (bondo), it's spozed to be plastic. signed: Dork at fiberglass.

 

[deuce_454]

before you decide not to sand all the way down to the fibreglass, be sure to check that you dont have any small bubles in the paint, this is calles fibreglass rot, or osmosis. and requires that you sand all the way through the gelcoat and into the sound fobreglass and reprep the glass with a new layer of sealer or gelcoat, otherwise your money is wasted on the paint, the boubles will come back next year...

i kinda like the color your wife picked though, sort of takes away some of the batmobile look out and adds some class.

good luck with it.