The paint on my '70 SS is not original and has a clear top coat. It contains a lot of longs cracks all over the body (some up to 6 inches long). I'm not sure if it's bondo cracking under the paint, or if the primer, color coat, or clear coat are cracking closer to the surface.
My concern is, do I need to sand down to bare metal where these cracks are prior to repainting just to be sure I won't have a re-occurance, or can I stop after the color coat is off?

Hard to tell without seeing the car, but if it was mine I would strip to metal especially if there are cracks all over the car. I would also grind out any plastic filler in those areas, you never no what's under there. More $$$ but better safe than sorry. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif

In another post they talk about the need to sand car surface to Bare Metal B-4 re painting.
Without seeing your car, a good guess would be the cracking you see under your BB-CC paint is the orginial subsraight aka. paint.
If it looks like a dried up river bed .
You got to STRIP to bare metal b-4 repainting IMO


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Wayne
ACES# 1556
TCG # 186

Down to metal it needs to go. A buddy of mine wants me to paint his 71, it has cracks in the paint all over it. Well we took a small grinder and went around to various cracks and took it down to metal. Holy S%^&. This car is full of bondo, and I don't mean a thin skim. Some areas where 3/8in thick. Take it all the way down and then you'll know how bad it is. Why shell out good money to have it painted if it's going to have the possibility of coming back..

I think I'll try sanding down one of the panels with the most cracks and see what I got. If it's bondo causing this, I'll need to know sooner or later.

Thanks for the replies, guys.