Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[vitesse]

Hi I am new on here and about to start sanding down a 1966 Fiat 500 that I will start a new thread on so members can follow my progress.

I found the site by googling Fiat 500 restoration and found Colwyn500's superb thread.

My problem to start with is I don't need to rub the down to bare metal all over but there are place where surface rust requires that I do. Can you recommend what grit sheets I should start off with? I have been told 240 followed by 360 but it hardly seems to touch it, I want to go back to the first coat.

I was in a body shop yesterday and they recommended 80 followed by 180 but not sure if this maybe a bit aggressive.

Look forward to your suggestions.

Tony

[ukdave2002]

Hi Tony I'd agree with the body shop

If you are going back to metal use an 80 grit; as you sand the high spots will show up first either mark them or deal with there and then as they more difficult to spot later.

Any low spots will also be evident as they will be the last to get down to metal again mark or deal with them as you progress. Any lows that can't be tapped out, fill and flatten the whole panel with 180, spray a guide coat or use some of the Farecla guide dust, sand it off and stopper any other lows , flatten with a 240. Etch prime (don't flatten) then high build prime flatten with 400, then 600 and then put the colour/gloss on. flatten the gloss (unless you are a brilliant painter and its not required!) with 1500, and finally flatten with something like Farecla G3 compound, stand back and admire your glass like finish

Finally, use quality abrasive like Mirka or 3M, they are more expensive than the cheap ones but don't clog as much and last much longer.

Dave

[vitesse]

Cheers Dave sorry for my slow reply been doing the 80 grit and seems to be doing the job.

Your post makes it sound like a 10 minute job

I googled Farecla how does it work? Do you paint it on a panel where you think you have imperfections and it acts as a filler. Can't quite get my head around it?

[bob2]

I think the farecla guide dust that Dave mentioned is a talc like black powder that you use instead of spraying a guide coat on, it does not fill any imperfections but just guides you to any imperfections while you are sanding.