Repaint Question

[626gn]

Everything I’ve read says the only way to PROPERLY do a repaint over the factory lacquer finish is to take it to bare metal. While I don’t dispute this, I did come across a car that had a “glass out” quality repaint but it was taken down to metal only where the original paint was badly checked. Non-checked areas were taken down to primer only. Is this practice acceptable? Or should this be considered a poor repaint? FWIW the paint job is now 5-6 years old and still looks fantastic in the photos I have seen.

 

[GN918]

My body shop told me to correctly paint it we would need to prep it by some kind of high pressure chemical wash because my paint is crackling on top. He said no matter what if you don't take it down to metal it will show through.

 

[skidlid]

Laquer paint is a non catalyzed paint. It will always continue to shrink and expand with the weather changes. If you live in an area where it is always 60 degrees with no change in temperature it may last. I would never go through all that time and money and paint over it. I did one 20 years ago where the owner would not pay to strip it, 3 years later the decklid was cracking.

 

[626gn]

Appreciate the responses. So in the case of original paint there is no benefit to sanding to primer only and if you do it will crack in time anyway?

 

[skidlid]

Appreciate the responses. So in the case of original paint there is no benefit to sanding to primer only and if you do it will crack in time anyway?

That is basically correct.

 

[626gn]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Rugby]

Whats the best way to strip it? Is sanding the best way or using a chemical stripper?

 

[skidlid]

Chemical can be hit or miss. Sometimes it works good, others not. It can be messy and you must tape up areas you do not want to damage. I sometimes like mechanical better, can be just as fast at times and less likely to damage areas I do not want removed. Make sure you do not leave the bare metal open to the elements long. I usually want the are reprimed the same day.

 

[Rugby]

My plan is to strip and fix, seal/prime one panel at a time.

How long will sealer/primer protect the sheet metal? It will probably take me 6 moths to get everything ready for paint. The car would either be in the garage or storage out of direct weather but in Houston the humity can be 90-150%.

 

[Wahoo]

Chemical stripping you need the weather to be warm like 70 degrees, in cold weather it doesn't work.

I'm in the process of stripping mine to bare metal as well. I'm going to prime each panel one at a time. Then high build, line up panels and then final sand, base and clear

 

[skidlid]

Epoxy primer can sit for a very long time. If it sits for more than a month just scuff pad it up before you topcoat it with primer or paint.

 

[Wahoo]

Also chemical stripping can bite. You in the ass if it seeps out of seams. You have to tape off the panel gaps so it doesn't get in side.

I'm stripping with a DA and 80 grit

 

[captndave737]

I had mine stripped 22 years ago using plastic beads to bead blast. I had the interior out and the only problem was getting all the beads out of the nooks and crannies on the interior. Unlike sanding it took off all the paint but not the chemical etch they did before painting at the factory.