Prepping a car for paint.

BruhBrahBrad · Apr 17, 2009

OK well since I have decided I am not going to mess with my motor, I wanna work on the bodywork. My car is pretty faded and half spray canned. If I get a paint stripper will that take it down to bare metal, and is this a good idea. I have a uncle who does body work but I dont like to bother him much cause thats all I ever really talk to him about is my car :nono:. Or should I just suck it up and Sand the shit outta the car and do the filling myself? Im not sure If I wanna repaint the car laser red as I know its a very expensive paint, but I dont wanna take my motor out to do the engine bay. So I guess I might go with RedFire or somthin close.

Im going to try and have pics of all the problem areas tomorrow so until then suggestions are welcome. I promise I wont get mad.

Dairy King · Apr 17, 2009

You want it done right? Spend the money and take it to someone who knows what their doing. Buy a junker or a project car, research the hell out of it on the internet, buy some books and practice on that.

sbr420a · Apr 17, 2009

BruhBrahBrad · Apr 17, 2009

Ok any other suggestions? I do not want to have a pro do my body work.... most likely my paint will be pro. But I've got a Plymouth Neon I might be doing paint practice on. If that comes out good I will paint the Stang.

D3VST8R96GT · Apr 17, 2009

plymouth FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get some practice in on sanding ...go read some stuff and when you feel confindent ..hit up the neon body work and painting are a true art ...i fail at them (well lets just say i learned my lesson and thankfully it was the shop classes car hahaha) ....but there is only one way tolearn and that doing it ...i also recommend notlow balling your self on material get the good stuff and plenty of it ...there is nothing like being dirty and wet sanding to find out you ran outta the grit of sand papper you were using

Mr.Bolt-on · Apr 17, 2009

Otay otay... Have no fear i shalt help thee... I am a paint and body man... ask and ye shalt recieve thine answer!!!!

No, never ever strip your car down to bare metal.... Unless it's an old fossilized laquer paint job from a rust bucket 60's car. You want a workable layer for your sandpaper. Remember, you CAN BE THE PRO. You can do a striped and scalloped with 10 coats of clear mini-truck monster if you want!!!! All for less than 1000 dollahs!!!! If you have an air compressor that is, and the correct preparation tools. You can do a 4500 dollah custom paint job if you want it bad enough.

Remember, you are the hot rodder, you are the master of your own domain. You can do this... because I can. Yes, painting a car is easier than it seems.

Here is what I suggest you do. To sand the car down quickly, I suggest using 220 grit sand paper... always wet sand... because it makes the job easier... Also, Block sanding is only for bondo/fiberglass... so you can hand sand.

Now, if you are into a really really awesome looking show quality paint job I suggest you hold your horses and prepare the car for AT LEAST 3 to 4 months just to make sure you've sanded EVERYTHING down correctly.

Ok, 220 grit is just to rough the paint up quick, so now you want to go back over the whole car with 320, to 400. Then after that go with an 600 or 800 grit sand paper, to make the prepared surface as fine and velvety smooth as possible. You use the lighter grit sandpaper to get out all the imperfections that the 220 caused... If you do not go back over the entire car with 600 to 800 grit sandpaper IT WILL SHOW, especially after you shoot your clear.

Ok, so you've sanded the whole car down... next prime the whole car... then repeat the sanding process. To make the prepared surface as smooth and good looking as possible. AFTER this, you are ready to paint the car.

Yes, I did leave out some information, so feel free to ask.

CC'S95GT · Apr 17, 2009

if you have clearcoat peeling, does all the clear have to be sanded off or just sand it down enough to feather the edge into the base coat? thanks

Mr.Bolt-on · Apr 17, 2009

If your clear coat is peeling, I suggest lightly feather edging it, then shooting another coat of clear onto the panel that's loosing the clear. Just make sure you don't go too far into the paint.

BruhBrahBrad · Apr 17, 2009

So I cant use my drill with a sander attachment, to sand the whole car? Also I've been doing a lil bondo here and there. Can you give a basic how to on that? Just so I can Check my self or start over. I can post pics of the progress so far if any one wants 2 see.

Mr.Bolt-on · Apr 18, 2009

Hand sand everything. Get a block, and sand the bondo with that. I usually only use power tools on older 60's cars that are getting the paint stripped off. One reason you don't use power tools, is because it causes scratches, that you'll have to later hand sand anyways, just to get the smoothness back.

I do recommend using a power tool for knocking down rough bondo though.

BruhBrahBrad · Apr 18, 2009

OH thank godfor the last thing you said cause thats what I've been doin. So how do I properly Apply the bondo, right now Im just sandin the imperfections with 80 grit to get it too bare metal then laying thin coats of bondo and smoothing it out. Once I get it smooth though, do I use a can of primer?

blown98gt · Apr 18, 2009

Sanders or Da's are really good for knocking down huge chunks of bondo but i'd recommend using a block and sand paper on the rest of the car. key is to tape off everything really well before starting. when spraying you want to be in an area that has 0 wind to make sure no particles get in the paint. I was lucky enough that my father owns a cabinet shop and i did my front bumper in his shop. when stripping the paint you don't have to go all the way to the metal, some people just say to get through the clear coat and try to get to the base coat. From there you just lay a new base coat (primer) then go ahead with painting. A spray gun is a must and an air compressor, there are tons of guns gravity fed, can fed, and so on, and it's harder to make sure you don't over spray and get drips. Other than that the only other part that is hard is actual body work, if you need to bondo something then it does need to go down to the metal... i've only painted my front bumper and rear bumper but i read several books and i even had a cd/dvd guide that i got cheap, with a full walk through on paper so before you just jump in.. READ READ READ, and then READ SOME MORE!