repainting question on 1960

[Steven K.]

I have a 1960 vette with what appears to be the original paint with another coat of paint that that is probably 25 years old. I want to change the color of the car but don't want to go through the process of stripping or media blasting the car. The current paint isn't that bad there are a few spider cracks

Can I just block sand, focus on the stripping the problem areas and repaint ? I am not looking to take the car to pebble beach but want a nice driver paint.

My fear with stripping or blasting the car is that I will end up sticking thousands into body work

Your thoughts ?

[Dan H.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

You're kidding, right?

[John H.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

I have a 1960 vette with what appears to be the original paint with another coat of paint that that is probably 25 years old. I want to change the color of the car but don't want to go through the process of stripping or media blasting the car. The current paint isn't that bad there are a few spider cracks

Can I just block sand, focus on the stripping the problem areas and repaint ? I am not looking to take the car to pebble beach but want a nice driver paint.

My fear with stripping or blasting the car is that I will end up sticking thousands into body work

Your thoughts ?

Steve -

There are LOTS of reasons why that's not a good idea. A re-paint is only as good as what's underneath it, and that will come back to haunt you after spending a lot of money to cover it up. Others who know paint better than I do may expand on this issue.

[Domenic T.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

As John said "it may come back to haunt you".

In the 60s that was a comon problem especially with acrylic laquer.
Stripping was also a hazard in the 60s because the strippers then were not to be used on fiber glass, so sanding was the best option and if you do it right your finger tips will end up bleeding.
The spider cracks have to be wet sanded to the primer if they are on the first coat which should have been straight laquer. We used 220 but you can try 180 wet or dry 3M paper.
I would bet that the spider cracks are on the second coat in they used acrylic laquer that would have been used back then if the car was re-painted about ten years after it was new.
If you wet sand it smooth you have to make sure the spider cracks are gone and they get smaller in size and are harder to see as you reduce the surface.
If you go thru all that then spend the money to get a 2 part epoxy primer to lock down the old paint that can haunt you.
lightly sand the epoxy primer with 3M 220 wet sand paper then coat it with a primer that is a different color, again I would only use a 2 part primer.
Block sand the top coat primer for smoothness, but don't enter the first primer that you used to lock down the old finish.
I get my epoxy primer by the gallon (white) and tint the 2nd coat so you can see if you are sanding to deep in areas.
Then concentrate on the areas that need mor primer and spot prime them.
Try to sand as much primer off as much as you can without entering the first coat of primer, you dont want the primer to be to thick

Follow the instructions for the top coat of the paint you use and your done.

DOM

[Domenic T.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

As John said "it may come back to haunt you".

In the 60s that was a comon problem especially with acrylic laquer.
Stripping was also a hazard in the 60s because the strippers then were not to be used on fiber glass, so sanding was the best option and if you do it right your finger tips will end up bleeding.
The spider cracks have to be wet sanded to the primer if they are on the first coat which should have been straight laquer. We used 220 but you can try 180 wet or dry 3M paper.
I would bet that the spider cracks are on the second coat in they used acrylic laquer that would have been used back then if the car was re-painted about ten years after it was new.
If you wet sand it smooth you have to make sure the spider cracks are gone and they get smaller in size and are harder to see as you reduce the surface.
If you go thru all that then spend the money to get a 2 part epoxy primer to lock down the old paint that can haunt you.
lightly sand the epoxy primer with 3M 220 wet sand paper then coat it with a primer that is a different color, again I would only use a 2 part primer.
Block sand the top coat primer for smoothness, but don't enter the first primer that you used to lock down the old finish.
I get my epoxy primer by the gallon (white) and tint the 2nd coat so you can see if you are sanding to deep in areas.
Then concentrate on the areas that need mor primer and spot prime them.
Try to sand as much primer off as much as you can without entering the first coat of primer, you dont want the primer to be to thick

Follow the instructions for the top coat of the paint you use and your done.

DOM

Sorry about not proof reading I was typing and on the phone

[Terry D.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

Steven

If the paint is not that bad and all you want is driver quality, drive it and enjoy it. If you are determined to chage colors or just want a better paint job there is no easy short cut if there was everyone would do it. However, you can save lots of money by doing the majority of the work yourself. Sanding two layers of paint is not that difficult, you can do a section at a time, prime it and still drive it while working on it. What ever you decide do not paint over the existing two paint jobs, you will not be happy in the long run.
Terry

[Peter V.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

Believe me when I suggest to you how unhappy you will be with the result of painting over previous paint. There is the right way to paint fiberglass and all the wrong ways.
I would drive it as is or decide to do the repaint properly.

[Chuck S.]

Re: repainting question on 1960

...My fear with stripping or blasting the car is that I will end up sticking thousands into body work...

Painting is like roofing...It's probably NOT a good idea to have more than two jobs without stripping everything all the way down to the deck...especially on fiberglass.

Media blasting by a low experienced operator can rough up your fiberglass, possibly leading to a lot of surface repairs. I wouldn't ever do it personally; stripping is too easy and safe. There is some work, but you can do it yourself and save $$$.

Take it a 4 sq ft section at a time, working until the area is completely done, then move to the next section. Take your time..."By the mile, it's a trial; by the inch, it's a cinch". You'll probably have to sand off the factory primer, and that's a good thing because the factory primer keeps most of the stripper off your bare fiberglass. After you've stripped the area, wipe it down with lacquer thinner, then clean and rinse thoroughly with soapy water before moving to the next section.

Use a stripper indicated as safe for fiberglass; you'll have no repairs except the old repairs you uncover. Some people like to grind those out and redo to insure they're sound. If they seem good and solid, I would leave them.

Apply one coat of epoxy primer to properly prepped fiberglass to seal the surface, then apply 3-4 coats of urethane sanding primer and block sand. Apply another coat of reduced epoxy primer as sealer, then two coats of color, and two coats of clear.