Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Old-Nail]

Bare metal it is then... what a pain, looks like I'll have to get some of those things that look like aero chocolate for my grinder.

[Uncle Joe]

O-N, if you can, try to get a DA sander, and use 40 and 80 grit to sand. This at least gives you a perfect substrate to paint on.

When you are doing it, think of this. The guys that do top quality paint jobs spend about 400 working hours on each car, spread out over a 4 month period....

I have actually started an ''Uncle Joes Painting Guide'', but its nowhere near finished....

[Old-Nail]

I'll subscribe to that one UJ.

400 hours to refinish a car
I'm still trying to attract a local welder to do those little bits for me but I suppose I could start stripping it beforehand, after the shell I might do it panel by panel.

I do have a polisher/sander - but I've never used it! Like my angle grinders, drills, dremel kits, compressor and spray gun, all new and still boxed!
I'll be happy when the body shell itself is repaired and painted, the doors and panels are less urgent as they don't slow up the re-fitting and wiring so much.

I'm hoping to have it back on the road by August/September time so this one won't be a 400 hour operation!

[Uncle Joe]

One thing before I forget. Dont touch the bare metal with your fingers. Use disposable gloves on your hands all the time.....

[Old-Nail]

Nope - I'm still not gettin' this. I've spent a while looking on the net for etch primers as I understand a bare metal respray will need to be etch primed before build primer.

The choices I'm coming across are 'one pack' etching primer which I take to be incompatible with cellulose paint.
The other stuff is cellulose primer filler but not 'etch', and finally acrylic modified primer which again sounds incompatible. maybe this is due to celly being old hat?

Is it possible to go straight to cellulose primer without the etch stage? If not what is the name and composition of the stuff I should be looking for and how is it applied?

[Uncle Joe]

Cellulose is a paint of the past, and as such, its a long long time since I used it. But as I remember, we didnt have self etch back then. So therefore, assuming its still the same paint, its not needed.

Maybe someone else can enlighten on this?

[Old-Nail]

I did find some stuff called tetrosil acid etch which may be ok and the safety instructions didn't specify breathing equipment so ideal for me.

A couple more questions UJ then I'll leave you alone

When primer is applied the books that I have say to flat it down between coats but as I understand it primer is porous, does this mean that it can't be 'wet' flatted between coats because of the risk of it holding moisture?

Second question regarding the amount of paint required for the respray.
Now you know the size of a 2cv, bearing in mind it is an entire inside and out respray to a good depth of several coats, what would a rough estimate of the amount of top coat needed in litres?

That's all the question done UJ, it's just that when looking things up on the net you get so much conflicting advice it's hard to find a datum line to start from!

[Uncle Joe]

Dont worry about the questions, ask as many as you wish. The important thing for both of us is that you do a good job.

I always used to wet sand Cellulose, but nowadays, knowing what I know, I wouldnt dare...I would dry block it....

The amount of paint is a bit difficult to say, Its a long time since I painted something small, but at a guess, 6-8 litres top coat for everywhere, maybe a little more, depending on you.

If I told you how much I will be ordering for my Lincoln, I'd frighten you to death....

[Old-Nail]

I've just seen the cost of paint and the Citroen amount is doing that so don't even go there!

[Uncle Joe]

[Greeney in France]

I just did a total respray on the Renault 4 admittedly in 2pack and used 4litres obviously thats only buying 2 as its diluted
I used etch primer on any bare metal the 2k polyester primer/filler
If you are worried about incompatibility why not use a barrier primer?
I cannot buy cellulose here now
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[Old-Nail]

Yes that's something else I meant to ask about as I read somewhere there is a primer barrier for when you're uncertain.

I think the only reason that I haven't considered it is that ideas and info are flying through, in, out and around my head so fast at the moment that I forget where I'm up to.

Like I said above one book that I have tells you to wet flat the primer between coats, the other says that primer is porous so avoid contact with moisture! Both written by 'professionals'

I want to put several layers of topcoat on so that I can actually wet flat and polish it at the end without danger of rubbing through so would probably use more paint than is strictly necessary.

[Uncle Joe]

O-N, maybe this link will interest you, even though it is about WBP's....

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/113_0507_auto_air_colors_water_based_automotive_paint/index.html

These are the paint manufacturers that I referred to in another topic, a while ago....hope that it doesnt confuse you to much...!

[Greeney in France]

I was lead to believe that primer is indeed porous but hygroscopic, so will absorb moisture over time I think wet flatting and rubber squeegee off should not affect it to any great extent, garages have wet flatted for years.
I always tend to add a small amount of paint colour to the various coats of primer so i know how far i am flatting down too
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[Old-Nail]

I look forward to that new development in water based technology for clear coats, it'll be too late for my respray but sounds good for the future.