72 Corvette paint question

[inca32]

I used razor blades to strip to the red factory primer, then sanded with 80 paper. It one looks like a leopard with spots of primer in low areas. Do I have to remove all traces of primer before I prime with a polyester primer. I am going to Dinah with lacquer. Any help would be apreciated.

[Len]

Small spots of original factory primer are usually no problem because it's pretty inert stuff and can be primed over with good primer and you'll have a stable surface to apply your new paint.

The problem you may have is the uneven surface due to stripping using 80 grit and not chemical stripper. If you used the 80 on a rotary sander/buffer you probably created a lot of unevenness and you're going to need a lot of filling to make it right.

[gtome]

I am doing the same thing on a 56 Chevy, but I think im going to put some 80 grit (maybe 40??) on my air file and level things out more before the epoxy. 4" razor blade took the paint right off, but did leave some gouges in the factory primer. Hell I may even just go down to the metal at this point.

[Len]

I am doing the same thing on a 56 Chevy, but I think im going to put some 80 grit (maybe 40??) on my air file and level things out more before the epoxy. 4" razor blade took the paint right off, but did leave some gouges in the factory primer. Hell I may even just go down to the metal at this point.

You can use anything you want on a metal car because you won't create an uneven surface with sandpaper. It's when you use a rotary sander on fiberglass that causes problems.

[auto5]

A brown scotchbrite with laquer thinner or acetone works great for removing the old factory primer to bare glass. I've never tried to prime over the old stuff as it is not too much extra work to remove it. Make sure your work area is well vented.

[tech69]

Small spots of original factory primer are usually no problem because it's pretty inert stuff and can be primed over with good primer and you'll have a stable surface to apply your new paint.

The problem you may have is the uneven surface due to stripping using 80 grit and not chemical stripper. If you used the 80 on a rotary sander/buffer you probably created a lot of unevenness and you're going to need a lot of filling to make it right.

If it's fiberglass shouldn't he want it to be Soda blasted as oppossed to wicking in solvents into the fiberglass? Don't have extensive experience with fiberglass but read that somewhere.

[tech69]

I am doing the same thing on a 56 Chevy, but I think im going to put some 80 grit (maybe 40??) on my air file and level things out more before the epoxy. 4" razor blade took the paint right off, but did leave some gouges in the factory primer. Hell I may even just go down to the metal at this point.

Sounds like you have horrible adhesion. If you don't take it off don't try to level it with 40 grit on an airfile. You'll just make more work for every area you flatten. Paint as you describe doesn't sand off when you put an airfile with 40 grit on it, it rips off! If anything I'd hand sand it starting with 80 to see if it can handle it without gouging. Then after that I go back over it with 180. If I don't strip I also sand the door, hood, decklid edges with 40 grit to take all paint off the edges than feather it by hand on the edge with 80 grit. The 40 grit doesn't touch the outside surface at all, just the edge of doors where poor adhesion is usually found.
Best bet is to strip it once you figure it has bad adhesion.