how to remove red primer?

[Richard W.]

I am restoring my 63 and have been stripping black paint off the bottom of body to get to the white fiberglass. After getting through the black I ran into red primer which I cannot get off. sanding is about the only thing that works.

What can I use to get the red primer off and get back to my white fiberglass?

thanks richie

[Rich P.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

I am restoring my 63 and have been stripping black paint off the bottom of body to get to the white fiberglass. After getting through the black I ran into red primer which I cannot get off. sanding is about the only thing that works.

What can I use to get the red primer off and get back to my white fiberglass?

thanks richie

Richie.

lacquer thinner and red scotch brite and a whole lot of elbow grease. Works every time.

Rich

[Peter J.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

Richard,
I used a cheap contraption you hook up to a garden hose and it sprays a mist of water on the body of the car and if memory serves me right 200 grit wet/dry sandpaper. The constant flow or mist of water kept the paper from clogging as fast as dry paper. I may have gotten the mister from Eastwood.
Rich is right - there is a lot of elbow grease involved and I had no primer on my car when it went to paint.
Pete

[Michael H.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

I am restoring my 63 and have been stripping black paint off the bottom of body to get to the white fiberglass. After getting through the black I ran into red primer which I cannot get off. sanding is about the only thing that works.

What can I use to get the red primer off and get back to my white fiberglass?

thanks richie

Richie,

That's probably factory primer. You can leave that in place, if you want to. Or, as mentioned by Rich, lacquer thinner. I wouldn't sand it as that will change the texture of the fiberglass completely.

[Peter J.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

Mike,
The guy that painted my car has been in the Corvette paint and body business for 35 years and told me was it was a good job. He didn't have any trouble with the sanding method. The fiberglass was as smooth as a baby's ass when I was done. The reason I used sandpaper is that was what was suggested to my a couple of Top - Flight do it yourself owners. I am amazed I could have screwed my fiberglass using this method.

[Michael H.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

I am amazed I could have screwed my fiberglass using this method.

It doesn't screw it up. It does change it though. It would have been rougher and a bit shinny when new.

[Chuck S.]

Re: how to remove red primer?

Mike,
The guy that painted my car has been in the Corvette paint and body business for 35 years and told me was it was a good job. He didn't have any trouble with the sanding method. The fiberglass was as smooth as a baby's ass when I was done. The reason I used sandpaper is that was what was suggested to my a couple of Top - Flight do it yourself owners. I am amazed I could have screwed my fiberglass using this method.

Just to clarify, the paint Richard is asking about is on the underside of the subfloor, not on the exterior body surfaces. Sanding IS the preferred method to remove factory primer from exterior body surfaces that are going to be painted...a sanded surface is NECESSARY for the new paint to adhere.

I agree with Michael that it is probably factory primer, but I am surprised there is much overspray underneath from the factory. If it is overspray just inside the frame rail, you could leave it...it's original. If you want to clean it up completely and start over, then remove it. I'm surprised there is enough film build in that area to be a problem removing.

On the subfloor, you probably want to continue with lacquer thinner and scotch brite as suggested...sandpaper will be easier and quicker, but it is going to change the appearance of the raw fiberglass surface.