Paint prep

[sm3570]

Alright guys and gals, I've never done any body prep or painting before. I probably won't spray the paint on myself, but I'm pretty mechanically savvy so I should be able to do the prep work myself. The body is straight and in pretty good condition with only some pinholes in the rear quarterpanels. You can't see the pinholes from the outside, but you can see light from inside the trunk.

So, any suggestions on how to fill the pinholes and with general body prep? Maybe suggestions on technical resources that may help me out? I've heard I can't wet sand bondo (if required), so should I bondo, dry sand, then prime and wet sand?

Last, is it necessary to remove all the interior stuff (along with the windows and trim) before paint, or is it realistic that I can cover up the interior with plastic?

Thanks!

 

[Tnfastbk]

Alright guys and gals, I've never done any body prep or painting before. I probably won't spray the paint on myself, but I'm pretty mechanically savvy so I should be able to do the prep work myself. The body is straight and in pretty good condition with only some pinholes in the rear quarterpanels. You can't see the pinholes from the outside, but you can see light from inside the trunk.

So, any suggestions on how to fill the pinholes and with general body prep? Maybe suggestions on technical resources that may help me out? I've heard I can't wet sand bondo (if required), so should I bondo, dry sand, then prime and wet sand?

Last, is it necessary to remove all the interior stuff (along with the windows and trim) before paint, or is it realistic that I can cover up the interior with plastic?

Thanks!

Q, is our resident expert in these cases.

 

[Shannon Edgmon]

I can't help ya with any of that but it sounds fun ......I will be needing a paint job on my mach1 in the next few years so let me know how it goes with you my fiance could probably prep B4for paint as well.....

"Madam Blue"

 

[Qcode351mach]

Alright guys and gals, I've never done any body prep or painting before. I probably won't spray the paint on myself, but I'm pretty mechanically savvy so I should be able to do the prep work myself. The body is straight and in pretty good condition with only some pinholes in the rear quarterpanels. You can't see the pinholes from the outside, but you can see light from inside the trunk.

So, any suggestions on how to fill the pinholes and with general body prep? Maybe suggestions on technical resources that may help me out? I've heard I can't wet sand bondo (if required), so should I bondo, dry sand, then prime and wet sand?

Last, is it necessary to remove all the interior stuff (along with the windows and trim) before paint, or is it realistic that I can cover up the interior with plastic?

Thanks!

Sm..If you could post up a few pics of the pinholes it would help..If they are just pinholes then you weld/ fill in with a mig welder.. Then grind smooth..How you prep the car depends on what your final outcome goal is..If you just want a quickie to freshen it up then..the prep would be different than a "quality paint job" Quickie job= scuff up entire car red scotch brite pad WET Just keep in a bucket..repair you dents dings etc..spot prime your body work with a quality 2k primer http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/Product%20lines.htm sand 2k primer...with 320 wet..1 coat of 2k sealer...the shop who's painting may want to apply the sealer since YOU have to apply the paint within 6 hours...You can leave everything on the car for this type of job Just tape everything up..except for the side markers emblems & any side stripes...Quality job= stripping car to bare metal..removing bumpers..window felts....frt fender extensions...rear qtr panel extensions..grille..& anything that can come off the exterior..spray bare metal with epoxy primer...do body work on top of epoxy primer..spot prime body work with epoxy primer...reprime body work with 2k primer...prime entire car with 2k primer...block out primer with 320 wet...prime/seal car with epoxy primer...wet sand with 400...mask off jambs..spray jambs..spray car...You can watch some of my videos here www.saturdaymorninggarage.com

 

[PAPPY HAROLD]

STEVE: THE FIRST ISSUE IS THE PINHOLES. MOISTURE IS YOUR ENEMY, IF YOU JUST REPAIR THE PINHOLES WITH PUTTY, MOISTURE GETS ONTHE INSIDE AND IT WILL BUBBLE UP ON YOU. EVEN IF YOU USE A FILLER WITH FIBERGLASS IN IT,YOULL STILL GET THE SAME RESULT JUST ALITTLE SLOWER. ITS GOT TO BE WELDED UP FIRST. IF YOUR LUCKY IT CAN SIMPLY BE WELD PATCHED, OR IF ALITTLE WORSE MAYBE A PARTIAL PANEL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IF YOU SEE A PINHOLE WHEN YOU GRIND IT DOWN IT WILL BE BIGGER.

AND NO YOU DONT WET SAND FILLER, I MYSELF TAKE IT DOWN TO 180 GRIT, THEN PRIME AND BLOCK SAND. WHEN IM HAPPY WITH IT, WHETHER I DO IT ONCE OR THREE TIMES. ONCE SATISFIED I WET SAND THE LAST TIME OR TWO BEFORE PAINT. AND YES YOU CAN MASK IT OFF AND NOT TAKE OUT THE INTERIOR, JUST BE PATIENT AND CAREFUL TO MASK VERY WELL .

 

[sm3570]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll keep you updated on how it goes. The pinholes are minimal so I should be able to get away with weld & grind. My goal isn't to make this a show car, it will be more of a Sunday driver so a top-of-the-line paint job is not necessary and a tape-and-spray will probably be adequate I would think.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[URUGUAYAN_FASTBACK]

You can do something in the middle too... What Scott says and what he´s doing is not only a paint job but an actual car restoration, covering inch by inch with the right thing to do...

The other example he´s giving you, for me, is more like a freshen up paint...

When i did my 72 (you can see the process in pics on my COTM or i think in my garagge too...) I didn´t have the money or even the interest on doing a full restoration, besides, my car was not bad at all... What i did was fixing everything using the old paint layer as a base... I sanded it really good, i aplied epoxy primer on it and start working from that...

I´m not a fan of painting the car with all the parts on, because you can always tell it has been painted "fast and cheap"... What you can do is take all easy parts off... Grille, lamps, moldings here and there, etc... If you´re going for a solid colour (PU paint, no clear) you can unmount doors and fenders and paint them outside the shell... it´s easier to concentrate on a piece at the time besides, the shell is going to be better painted... you can cover your engine bay and your interior easily and you are going to be able to paint in the same step the door opens, etc... that is going to give you a better close look finish in the car...

Post some pics!

 

[sm3570]

You can do something in the middle too... What Scott says and what he´s doing is not only a paint job but an actual car restoration, covering inch by inch with the right thing to do...

The other example he´s giving you, for me, is more like a freshen up paint...

When i did my 72 (you can see the process in pics on my COTM or i think in my garagge too...) I didn´t have the money or even the interest on doing a full restoration, besides, my car was not bad at all... What i did was fixing everything using the old paint layer as a base... I sanded it really good, i aplied epoxy primer on it and start working from that...

I´m not a fan of painting the car with all the parts on, because you can always tell it has been painted "fast and cheap"... What you can do is take all easy parts off... Grille, lamps, moldings here and there, etc... If you´re going for a solid colour (PU paint, no clear) you can unmount doors and fenders and paint them outside the shell... it´s easier to concentrate on a piece at the time besides, the shell is going to be better painted... you can cover your engine bay and your interior easily and you are going to be able to paint in the same step the door opens, etc... that is going to give you a better close look finish in the car...

Post some pics!

Thanks Damian! I'll get some more pics up when I actually get the car down here, which will probably be in a month or so. What you were describing was pretty much what I was thinking (removing the easy stuff, tape off the hard stuff and cover the interior/engine bay). The problem is that I want to change to a totally different color, so it's going to be a bit more of a process than just a "freshen up". But if I take my time and get the details right, it should go pretty good. I'll keep you guys updated!

 

[URUGUAYAN_FASTBACK]

Hey Steve!! Well... as you say, nothing is that hard per se... It is just a matter of taking time to research and execute each step you will do...

The colour change is tricky thouh... You are going to be facing some interesting spots to think about...

When you open a door, if you look a the A pillar, you are going to see not only the pillar and the door structure but some of the inner fender... that MUST be painted!!... That example just came to my memory because i did a horrible error in that place one time.. jeje... The solution that I´d do is to take the doors off but not the fenders.... you can paint the doors, hood and deck lid together (valance panels maybe too...) and the shell with the front fenders together... In that configuration, you are going to get the new colour in all visible parts...

How is your engine bay in the paint finishing matter??... If you are really carefull and patient you can manage to paint the engine bay for asthetics, with the engine on...

Why dont you paint the car yourself?? it looks like you´re going to do the hard part but not the paint itself?... Painting is not that hard

 

[sm3570]

Well, I don't really have the space to do it...I'd need access to a paint room or something. I need to figure that out. The engine bay is done, my dad did that when he pulled the 351 (before dropping in the 429), so that's that. The body is in really good shape, so I don't foresee a whole lot of body work but there will be some patching here and there. He replaced the floorpans and all that already. Really, I'm getting a project car that's about 75% done, even the interior is in passable shape.

I was thinking about hanging plastic around the car (making a poor man's paint room), but in the interest of keeping the peace at home I don't know if that's a good idea!

 

[URUGUAYAN_FASTBACK]

Well, I don't really have the space to do it...I'd need access to a paint room or something. I need to figure that out. The engine bay is done, my dad did that when he pulled the 351 (before dropping in the 429), so that's that. The body is in really good shape, so I don't foresee a whole lot of body work but there will be some patching here and there. He replaced the floorpans and all that already. Really, I'm getting a project car that's about 75% done, even the interior is in passable shape.

I was thinking about hanging plastic around the car (making a poor man's paint room), but in the interest of keeping the peace at home I don't know if that's a good idea!

jeje i understand your dilema

The phisical space is not that big deal in the painting process.. just some imagination and it will come off.. not great but good, like i do and did in my car...

For me painting the car is really really FUN!... and as i did learn it myself, alone and by practice.. each car shows better results and that´s good for my ego!

You may have some paint shop close to you and for sure, that is a great choice.. Here in Uruguay NOBODY works good enough and i´m not ok to pay 5K for a badly painted car and besides, waiting to get it back in my garagge, not less than a year... So.. i do it myself

Which colour are you planning to apply!?

 

[sm3570]

Haha, I know what you mean about results. I'm thinking of looking for a car club that has member access to a garage. I don't know if there are any around here, but there are a couple Mustang clubs in my area so there should be something.

I'm thinking either burgundy or brandywine with black decals, or black with gray decals. I'm still undecided!

 

[URUGUAYAN_FASTBACK]

I saw your garagge Pappy... I´ve never seen your car before and as always.. I LOVE IT!!!... the actual colour is very sweet! I agree with the wife then

...(always say YES to the girls Pappy!)...

Which type of decals are you plannig to use?... Painted or vynils?...

For me, the colour shold be brandywine my friend ... you only have to do a good superficial work in order to make the shinnings logical and neat... Any colour that has metal chips in it shines real time... the metal chips tend to show really strong ther difference between shadow and illuminated surfaces so, if your skins are perfectly straight and all the lines, angles and gaps are perfect and showing the continuance they should have, a metallic colour is just going to show every error as a stain and not only a difference in the shinning...

I´m very messed up with my english today, am i?? i fell i cant make the point and i´m writting too long!!

 

[sm3570]

I saw your garagge Pappy... I´ve never seen your car before and as always.. I LOVE IT!!!... the actual colour is very sweet! I agree with the wife then

...(always say YES to the girls Pappy!)...

Which type of decals are you plannig to use?... Painted or vynils?...

For me, the colour shold be brandywine my friend ... you only have to do a good superficial work in order to make the shinnings logical and neat... Any colour that has metal chips in it shines real time... the metal chips tend to show really strong ther difference between shadow and illuminated surfaces so, if your skins are perfectly straight and all the lines, angles and gaps are perfect and showing the continuance they should have, a metallic colour is just going to show every error as a stain and not only a difference in the shinning...

I´m very messed up with my english today, am i?? i fell i cant make the point and i´m writting too long!!

LOL! No worries about your english my friend, my wife is from El Salvador and she always complains about her "spanglish" (as she calls it).

I'm thinking Brandywine as well...but I have to make sure all the prep is spot on so there aren't any flaws to be seen. Of course, black shows flaws as well so either way, I'll have to take my time...