Hey folks. I have done several TA's but no fieros. I have an 86 GT that I am prepping for paint. It has a second paint job. I know I have to go through that but do I have go through the original paint and primer or can I just scuff it up? Also, I have a few small chips in the nose. What do y'all use for body fill on the fiero. Finally, once sanded, can I just leave as is outside or do I need to put something on it prior to taking it to the paint shop? This will take a week to 10 days so it will be in the elements.

Thanks,
Steve

There is no need to sand off the old paint. Sand it until the surface is smooth. If the paint is checked with small cracks you may have to sand them down good and use heavy build primer for small imperfections and we sand. Lords EZ Fuzor 2 paert epoxy is good to fix chips and broken edges of the hood, roof or deck. 3M 2 part bumper repair kit epoxy is good for the bumpers, fenders.

quote Originally posted by Mike Murphy: There is no need to sand off the old paint. Sand it until the surface is smooth. If the paint is checked with small cracks you may have to sand them down good and use heavy build primer for small imperfections and we sand. Lords EZ Fuzor 2 paert epoxy is good to fix chips and broken edges of the hood, roof or deck. 3M 2 part bumper repair kit epoxy is good for the bumpers, fenders.

great post!

Parts in good condition that just need paint only need scuffed till their completely dull all over, in all cracks and crevices. I use 360-400 and red scotchbrites. If thats all it needs, no primer is needed at all.

***Just to clarify...good condition means no apparent obvious problems. If the second paint jobs been done 15 years and just faded, theres no real reason to take it off...its been on there 15 years right. Obviously, if its cracking, peeling or otherwise screwed up, I do agree that it should be removed down the the original paint. My Coronet had been repainted once over the original paint. It was clear that it was a cheap enamel job like Earl Schieb. I did strip it completely down to original with a DA and 80/180 and primer whole thing. I dont recommend any more that 3 paint jobs before you have to remove it. Sort of like house roof shingles, I think they generally can be just reshingled 2-3 times before they need stripped.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 05-08-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Centex Pilot: Hey folks. I have done several TA's but no fieros. I have an 86 GT that I am prepping for paint. It has a second paint job. I know I have to go through that but do I have go through the original paint and primer or can I just scuff it up? Also, I have a few small chips in the nose. What do y'all use for body fill on the fiero. Finally, once sanded, can I just leave as is outside or do I need to put something on it prior to taking it to the paint shop? This will take a week to 10 days so it will be in the elements. Thanks, Steve

Like you said, sand off ALL the "new" paint, down to the original color. You never know how well it was prepped for that job, or what kind of paint they used. You can use 180 or courser to sand it off, but if you go courser you need to go back to 180 once the new paint is gone. Seal it with PPG epoxy primer before painting. If you don't have any scratches courser than 180 dry, you can shoot the paint right over the epoxy without sanding. Or you can sand it with 400 (you'll have to give it a couple days to dry) for a really slick job.
Chips should be sanded & feather-edged; If you don't get them feathered out well then sand the epoxy primer to smooth out the edge.
No need to worry about leaving it outside - it won't rust.
See http://gafieroclub.org/bbs/index.php?topic=469.0 for more info.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

Thanks Guys. I really appreciate it. Bumpers front and rear will need the most attention.
Steve

quote Originally posted by Centex Pilot: Thanks Guys. I really appreciate it. Bumpers front and rear will need the most attention. Steve

They always do.
When sanding the cracked paint on the bumpers, you HAVE to take it (the cracked areas) all the way down to the base material. THEN, make sure it's not cracked. If it is, use the product I mentioned in my above link to fix it. When priming, use the 401 catalyst in the PPG epoxy primer for the best flexibility (GET & READ THE TECH SHEET ON ALL MATERIALS USED!).
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Angels at the back door, everything is alright, all we need is some direction.
Every time the wind blows, everything we don't know turns into a revelation.
And it all adds up inside our head....
Time is wastin'...

[This message has been edited by Tha Driver (edited 05-08-2010).]

what would be the best type of putty/glaze to use?

How about a stock finish with the clear coming off in patches, just scuff up the old base and get all of the clear off?

quote Originally posted by notwohorns: what would be the best type of putty/glaze to use?

<sigh>
http://gafieroclub.org/bbs/index.php?topic=469.0

Ya, if theres any problems in clearcoat, you have to take it off. I prefer to take it off the whole panel that has that problem. Its usually just on the hood, roof and trunk lid. If its not bad on sides, you dont have to take it off them.

ThaDriver, i tried to find the "fiberglass evercoat part #406" putty/glaze but couldn't. i even tried the evercoat site. could that possibly be the wrong number?

quote Originally posted by notwohorns: ThaDriver, i tried to find the "fiberglass evercoat part #406" putty/glaze but couldn't. i even tried the evercoat site. could that possibly be the wrong number?

I don't know why manufacturers have to change the part number on their products....
Try 416.
Edit: Updated on the Ga. Fiero Club page.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Which do you most can't the least?
What I most can't the least, would be do not a bad job but always a good.

[This message has been edited by Tha Driver (edited 05-09-2010).]

ThaDriver--thaks for the info

So I have a car that the sides are still shiny with the original color/clearcoat, I don't have to take off the clearcoat, just scuff it with a scotch pad? Then paint it?

RogerGarrison I have seen you post about the headliners all the time and you said to use the Dap glue. I have looked for it, but wasn't sure what it was exactly. Can you clarify what kind it is and where to get it?

quote Originally posted by 02greens10: So I have a car that the sides are still shiny with the original color/clearcoat, I don't have to take off the clearcoat, just scuff it with a scotch pad? Then paint it?

I would sand it with 400 wet: a scotch pad, while about the same "grit", does not do as well as sandpaper.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Pardon my driving; I'm reloading.

Most hardware stores carry it. Its DAP Weldwood Contact Adhesive. It comes in a pint and quart can. Use ONLY the ORIGINAL 'yellow', NOT the NEW IMPROVED white (its only good for gluing paper together It does specify on the can.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 05-10-2010).]

I am still fighting the creep that painted my car for $2750! "Used car paint job". I think it was a "15 foot paint job". Looked OK in the beginning then began to get blisters in it. He fixed it but they came back. Now the fight begins. It's because I cover my car he says. Everyplace else I've went says he had water in it the first time around. And it has to stripped to get rid of the water because it moves around. Here's a quote: " You can come in and stand there while we sand through an area. If the bubbles are through the lower layers / below my paint, then they aren't water in the lines and I won't warranty it. If it's just in my layers then it is. But, we've already sanded through on the hood so we know what the results are."

" You are right though, it will need to be stripped, all the way below your old paint. I talked about what it takes to restore a car including stripping one vs just painting it when you first came in about prices, which you choose not to remember. You have a solvent issue where chemistry absorbed into the lower layers and has gotten trapped."

Relevant to the OP in stripping context.

so, even with spider cracks all over the hood & roof, I can just sand & fill?
I've heard you need to go way deep, or else the spider cracks come back

Surface cracking has to be totally removed. Its unusual for the OEM paint to do that no matter the care thats been taken of the car. If its got cracking/craizing, you have to sand clear down to the good layer...either original paint or original body surface. If you dont, IT WILL come back, always. No amount of filler or primer will stop it. You must primer AFTER you remove all the cracking surface till theyre gone.

When your talking 'blisters', are you meaning big spots that bubble up and peel off or covered with these tiny little bubbles like specs that cover an area? Those little spec 'bubbles' or bumps are from moisture in or under the final finish. Use of stripper on a surface will also cause them if its not completely spotlessly washed off. It takes more work to remove stripper residue than the paint you used it on. One spec of it WILL find its way out thru the finished paint. A good pic here would be a great help.