I want to begin the process of stripping my 69 to bare metal and am wondering how long I can leave it that way before paint. This is the first time I've taken on any kind of bodywork and from what I have read I should be able to do it hopefully with good results. Please correct me if I'm wrong with some of the process. First off, I should strip the whole car with a chemical stripper or DA with 80 grit,or combination of both. Then hit with 180 grit, fill and sand some more with 180,after that then a lite coat of etching primer followed immediately after flash off with epoxy or urethane 2k primer, block, spot putty reprime,seal and then bc/cc. Is this correct? This may take me a while ,as I said, this is my first time. The car was stripped and painted nearly twenty yrs. ago then painted again about 7 yrs. ago. I don't think it will need much bodywork but yet and still I don't know how long this will take me. The car sits in a heated garage( when I'm not working on it,it's around 50 degrees). How long can I leave it bare,and the longer it sits, what kind of prep will it need before paint. I'm from western New York if that makes any difference.I will also be using Dupont products. Any light on the subject or any support would be greatly appreciated Thanks in advance, Mike. graemlins/beers.gif

depends on humidity, in my area, not long. Therefore I stripped and repaired, primmed in sections.

I had my car sandblasted and got some primer on the areas that where not going to be replaced.The frame i didnt bother to prime because i plan to por-15 it.
This is a good time of year in the NE to do it if its inside, cold air lower humidiy gives you a little more time.

I think it really does depend on where you live and how it will be stored. I live in a valley near the coast in Central Ca (near Santa Barbara) and I left a car bare metal for over a year before it started showing some signs of surface rust. It was in an insulated, drywalled garage with good seals on all the doors though. Erik

That is how mine is stored. What do I do if it starts to get surface rust before I'm ready to paint. Doo I just resand and prime or are there certain steps that I need to take?

Get some "Metal Prep" or Metal conditioner from the paint store. It's pretty cheap. Mix per directions and spray on and wipe off the surface rust. If it starts rusting in a month or so again simply spray and wipe again.

I'm told that some etching primer reacts to metal preps. Should I just metal prep it, forget the etching primer and just use urethane primer or epoxy when I'm ready to paint? Probably won't be for a couple of months before I'm ready

If you really want to use etch prime then do so. Strip the car and put everything in etching primer, then just remove it from the areas where the filler work is needed and reprime when the filler work is done. Or just use an epoxy primer and do your filler work over the top followed by another application of epoxy before urethane surfacer. Stay away from spot putty (laquer based), the stuff may cause failures, shrinkage, cracking, etc. JMO

Thanks , Can I leave the etch on for any length of time without any problems and then scuff and paint,or am I going to have to remove it when I get ready to paint the car and reprime. I was told if you leave the etch uncovered it will absorb moisture from the air and that it should be covered within 24 hrs with primer.

Say friend if you strip it to bare metal you should metal prep the same day and etch primer the same day as well,the next day you should coat it w/filler primer then start one panel at a time,bare metal and air do not mix well at all and rust will began anywhere in the country and at just about any temp.if you start strippng have lots of help to get it done rite away ,ive done several cars and recommend scuff sanding old paint and only repairing areas that are necessary otherwise youll be fighting the rust all the way.....goodluck you are takin on quite a job...

Because the car will be stored inside I would strip one panel at a time, etch prime, and then go to bare metal to do all filler work. After your filler work prime with your primer/surfacer. It is also at your discretion to re-etch prime the areas you stripped for filler work before spraying your primer/surfacer. I usually do unless the area is extremely small. Absolutely do not use both a metal prep and the etch primer. The acids can react with one another. Also, you can etch prime over filler, but do not put filler over etching primer.
Best of luck!

If I just use the epoxy primer do I use metal-prep before the epoxy. Would this be more cost effective than the etching primer and easier for a rookie :D

I was told that primer was ment to be porous so the paint would stick. So a car that was just primered & left that moisture could get under the primer & rust. Do you seal it & then sand back down & reprimer just before you finish?

I have heard it takes hours not days for a negative process to start on bare unprotected metal even though you may not see anything . Primered coating is not safe either for a long period of time with out painting. Some guys in TC have found that out by storeing there cars for the winter with primer only.

Get a hygrometer and check the humidity in the garage. If I remember correctly, it won't rust if the humidity is below 70% (please correct me if anyone has the correct number). A dehumidifier could be a good investment, it would save you the inconvenience of a temporary primer coat, and you wouldn't have to worry about anything growing under the primer. It all depends on what kind of garage you have, but as you call it a heated garage, I assume that it's pretty well protected from the elements.

I have had several things sitting "in the white" in my garage for years without problems. On the other hand, the humidity is pretty high here so I'm always careful not to leave the garage door open for too long, especially in the summer. I have actually seen parts start rusting on the way from the sand blasters to the garage (cold parts from their shop, transported on a pickup truck a warm day with 95% humidity).