I need some advice on painting my Mav and the two of you came to mind first. The car has it's original paint on it, theres no rust and minimal body work needed ( small dings and a small crease in a rear quarter panel ) the existing paint is not crackin,peeling chipping or fading it's just getting thin to the point primer is starting to show through. I'm painting it the same color (Wimbledon White). I want to do this right but I don't want to do work that's not necessary, My question is what would you do if it was your car? I was thinking of working out the problem areas (body work, sanding and priming) just those areas and then shoot the whole car. But I don't know...that's why I asking. Thanks in advance....
Good questions. I have heard the best primer is factory original paint ... but maybe just an old wives tail. I know they didn't strip the paint off my Grabber when they painted it. The sprayed sealer/primer over the original paint after scuffing it down.
Rick since I have seen your car and can attest to the fact that your paint is still good, just thin. I saw no sign of primer failing underneath and would have no problem leaving it on there. I would for certain DA the car with 120 grit and then give it 3 good coats of an epoxy primer, or if you need a primer/surfacer to build. I usually block down 2 of those coats of primer. I always seal every paint job I do immediately before I do the real paint. I like Dupont grey sealer. Like Dan H stated I have always heard that there is nothing better than the tooth of the factory primer and especially the primer Ford used. The old GM black primer used in the 60's and back is about the hardest primer to remove I have ever experienced. Keep us posted Dan ps I always completely prime every car I do. Sealer helps with cut thru areas but I like the confidence of having a totally primed car. I feel in the end I have a straighter car.
I agree completely with both Dans. As long as the original paint is in good condition, there is no need to do nothing more than sand, prime, seal and paint. As Dan S. has mentioned, it's always a good idea to block sand the primer to be sure you have found all the little dents and dings. Keep us posted on how things work out.
I agree also , except for the 120 grit part. 320 grit if the paint is smooth and not cracking/chipping peeling. 320 wet or dry and wet sand it. Dave
Correct me if I'm wrong Dan, but I think the heavier grit paper is in preparation for the 3 coats of epoxy primer? And THANKS!! very much for the advice everyone. I'm gonna follow Dan's procedure to the letter. One other question for now...when joining two colors of a 2 tone paint job how do you get this line smooth and prevent the colors from bleeding one to another.
Rick, use the 120 grit for your first sand. But depending on the job I use anywhere from 80 grit to 220 grit on this first step. It really is a matter of what the car needs and your preference and skill. My advice is to use the 120 grit and use it to remove the top layer of paint. Remember give that primer some tooth to bond with. I never have a problem with paint popping. Then put the primer on that. To seperate paint with tape I like 3M plastic striping tape. I always use 1/8". Then you put the masking tape on that. The paint will not bleed into the plastic tape like it can with regular masking tape. Also, I like the 3M green masking tape. There are miriads of tapes, sandpapers, etc. we all find what we like and use it to our needs. Once you have completed this paint job you will find your own ways to do certain things, then you share with others on here and the knowledge grows. Dan
I'm the new guy here and I know you don't know me, but I would suggest you ask where you purchase your primer and paint what they recommend. I grew up in the body shop business. ( My father owned a body shop for 30 + years) We would never ever use something as course as 120 on smooth paint. 80-120 on bondo, 220-320 on putty and if the surface was just in need of new paint (lost shine, dull etc) then 320-400 was plenty of tooth for primer. The better your base the better your finish paint job. My thoughts are 120 and most of your primer will be filling in the scratches you make sanding. I haven't worked in his shop for several years and things could have changed. But the old saying about the better the base the better the paint job is still true I am sure. I also think if you are talking about your paint being thin showing some primer in spots you may be sanding straight through to the metal with a 120 grit. 120 is pretty course when talking about auto body work. Again things may have changed so I just wanted to caution you to ask where you purchase your paint supplies what they recommend or if they have a tech paper on the finishes that may tell you. Dave
ingroller..... very well put.... this is what i have done in the past and it worked for me grind bare metal areas to be filled with bondo with 36 grit 60-80 for sanding body filler. 220 to initial block sand the car using a guide coat spray another coat of primer all over entire car (thin in out and out a thin coat of primer) spray a guide coat block sand car with 320 (wet sand it) make sure you remove all of the guide coat use glaze for any small imperfections you find just before paint and sand with 320-400 if there is no evidence of high spots or low spots ( high will shot bare metal) (low will show guide coat) wash the car with clean water tack rag the car or use a solvent to wipe any oils on the primer from your hands or anything else that may have contaminated the paint then spray the car with the paint and clear and all that good stuff * if there is evidence of high spots you should work the metal down or build up around the high spot....and work until it is smooth with the rest of the surrounding area if ther is a low spot you have 2 options. 1. spray some unreduced primer over the sanded area and let dry and then block sand the area after a guide coat until the area is smooth or 2. sand the area down using a 80-120 grit and apply body filler (use your best judgement: if its deep fill it with filler, if it can be filled with primer then use priimer) * this whole process takes time. if you try and rush it, your paint will show it. i just hate it when someone sprays a damn nice paint on a car and anyone can look down the side of the car and see ripples the size of tsunamis. a paint job is only as good as your body work.. the more time you take the better it will look. hope this clears some stuff up
I heard that applying body filler directly to bare metal is a bad thing. The pourous bondo holds any moisture right on the metal and promotes rust is the reason. I have heard to apply a coat of epoxy primer on the bare metal, a 2K primer over that, and then filler. Or, epoxy, filler, then 2k depending on how much you like sanding. Then again, if you use a metal type filler, I guess its ok to apply onto bare metal.
I was always taught to apply Bondo directly to bare metal. It won't adhere well to primer. it goes like this, Bare metal, Bondo, sand smooth, prime, putty, wet sand, prime again sand again, wipe down, paint. Again, it has been several years for me and there may be new products that work differently then when I was doing it. Only use bondo if it is a damaged area, small imperfections etc can be taken care of with putty.
bondo should ALWAYS be applied to metal.... lets say you put it on the primer.... and you got a rock chip and moisture got into the primer. the bondo will seperate and the entire area will disbond.. you can use putty, glaze and stuff like that on primer...but bondo should be on metal and the courser grit the better. like 36 grit to 60 grit or a grinder *(but dont heat up the metal too much when grinding, then you will have warpage)
Interesting...I am a member on an autobody forum and ALL of the "pros" there say NEVER apply bondo onto bare metal. I hate it when different people who know what they are doing disagree with one another. Now its up to me to decide which person to believe, and I hate to make decisions like that
Hmmm .. what do the manufacturers instructions say on the filler? Perhaps it differs from filler brand to filler brand.
