Painting My '65

[Mike M.]

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I have stripped my '65 (a pretty tough job) and now have some epoxy primer on it. It is pretty straight now and will be more so soon.

[Dick W.]

Re: Painting My '65

Depending on the epoxy, application of the primer/surfacer may require sanding after seven days. PPG DP series will chemically bond without sanding during that period of time.

[Mark H.]

Re: Painting My '65

Mike, what method did you use for stripping the car, and how did it go? Just curious as we're going to start stripping our '66 coupe this summer. Thanks.

[Mike M.]

Re: Painting My '65

Mark: I used a product by Klean Strip 'Aircraft Stripper For Fiberglass' (or something pretty close to that.) A gallon cost about $25. This is some pretty tough stuff so you must use rubber gloves and eye protection. I had some big fans blowing away the fumes which are pretty tough too. It takes a number of coats of this product to remove the paint and will take more if there are more than one coat of paint. My car had mainly it's original paint. I used a plastic bondo 'spreader' to push the sort of liquified paint off the car. I 'caught' it in one of many small cardboard boxes. It is quite a gooey mess. You have to experiment a bit to find the best technique. I used up the entire gallon of stripper on the car. Once I had most of the paint off (Goldwood Yellow) I used a rag wet with lacquer thinner to clean off the remainder of the paint. Under the paint was red primer. This stuff does not come off as easily using the stripper. I found the best way to get it off was with a red Scotchbrite lots of lacquer thinner and much elbow grease. It will come off however. I worked on the car quite a number of days getting the paint/primer off. There are a number of ways to strip a Corvette. This is the way that I did it. Good luck.

[Michael G.]

Re: Painting My '65

Mike, what method did you use for stripping the car, and how did it go? Just curious as we're going to start stripping our '66 coupe this summer. Thanks.

Another quality stripper is Captain Lee's, probably similar to Kleen Strip. Have used it on numerous cars. Be sure to throughly.......throughly wash, wash...wash the remenants off.

[Russ S.]

Re: Painting My '65

I have all the cars I do plastic media blasted. This removes the red primer as well. If you don't mind paying about $700. to have it done it is an awesome way to go. I would make sure tho that your blaster has experience blasting fiberglass just to be on the safe side. One of the great things about blasting is that all of the hard places to get at when sanding or stripping, come out nice and clean. This alone saves lots of time.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Painting My '65

Mike,

Your method of stripping is the best way and it's the way I have always done it. It's important to just do a little section at a time.

Your car looks very nice, what type of topcoat are you using?

[Mike M.]

Re: Painting My '65

Tim: I am going to paint the car with ppg lacquer. There is about as many opinions on lacquer as there are car owners but it will be back Goldwood yellow by next week.
Thanks,
Mike

[Rich P.]

Re: Painting My '65

Looks good, the first coat of primer is always the worst looking with all the loose hairs standing up. the second coat after sanding is my favorite, you can really see how it going to come out!!

[Domenic T.]

Re: Painting My '65

Another quality stripper is Captain Lee's, probably similar to Kleen Strip. Have used it on numerous cars. Be sure to throughly.......throughly wash, wash...wash the remenants off.

As Michael said WASH, WASH,WASH.

I saw a vette specialty shop strip and paint a custom acrylic laquer color that came out beautiful, till the striper that was trapped or absorbed in damaged glass decided to keep working.

It took a few cleanups to finally get it out and a complete sanding to recoate the custom paint.

I took a different approach after seeing that and used a single edge rasor blade and 2 days later and sore fingers I was done. To much work but acrylic laquer( if it didn't craze or fall off) was easy to blade off.

DOM

[Mike M.]

Re: Painting My '65

Here are several more photos:

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[Michael L.]

Re: Painting My '65

Hi Mike
Looks Good

[Tom N.]

Re: Painting My '65

Hi Mike,
The car looks like it is going along great, I know epoxy primers have super qualities against corrosion but not
filling qualitites... it is a primer that can be use if lacquer topcoats are being use... urethane primers aren't
recommened by any manufacturer if lacquer finishes are being done. It may work but I wouldn't take the chance.
Yes, I had purchased 3 gallons of PPG lacquer costing $525.00 per gallon,ouch !!!
Tom...

[Mike G.]

Re: Painting My '65

So what is the best PRIMER for applying acrylic lacquer on top of?? Is there a "safe" catalyzed primer that can be used?

I'd like to never use the one-part DZ primer again, if it can be avoided.

[Rich P.]

Re: Painting My '65

I use a catalized urethane primer then sand and use epoxy as a non sanding sealer coat spraying lacquer right on top.