'72: Strip the primer?

[Patricia Brown]

My cowl-back body is presently off the car, gutted. I am about to strip it. I planned to strip with Captain Lee's down to the primer, then use lacquer thinner and a scotch-brite pad to rub the primer off.

However, it will be at least a year before it's painted, as I figured I'd get the whole car together and paint last. (Correct me here if I should consider painting body before back on frame...?)

My concern is having the body's bare fiberglass exposed with the possibility of a spill or oil contamination somehow. Would it be safer to just strip down to the primer now and wait to remove the primer until just before painting? I'm wondering the wisdom of attempting to remove primer while the body is sitting on the freshly painted and cleaned frame, though, and yet I'm concerned about bare fiberglass sitting around, exposed.

What do you guys recommend?
Patricia

[Jim T.]

Re: '72: Strip the primer?

I am not an expert, however I used liquid stripper to remove paint from my 68 and 70. Used wet sand method to remove the primer, it came off very easy.

[John L.]

Re: '72: Strip the primer?

Patricia, you might want to find out whats under the primer, you might have more work there. I would want to know myself. My 71 is in this same state now, I found some old repairs under the red primer on the left rear quarter panel. Before I repaint I want to remove that 30 year old bondo bubba left there.
Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck on the project!
John Liner

[Patricia Brown]

Re: '72: Strip the primer?

I'm definitely going to remove the primer; the question is whether I should remove it now or later. I'm concerned about bare fiberglass sitting for a year or so before the paint job, but if I wait until the body's on the car and everything is back together I risk getting paint stripper or lacquer thinner dribbling onto all my suspension and frame.

I guess it might be best to strip it all off now and just be super careful not to let anything get on the 'glass.

Yeah, I'm worried what fun surprises might show themselves when I take off this pretty blue paint!

Patricia