As winter approaches I realize I am not going to make it to top coat before the foul weather hits. Hopefully next weekend it will be ready for a sealer/filler coat. Here is the game plan, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. Most of the metal/filler work is done. I was planning on a bath in triple etch wash, then laying down a few heavy coats of Epoxy prime, then a few coats of 2K (a good fill/sand I understand). It is going to be M/S products, I don’t have numbers available right now. It is going to have survive being driven/stored outside for the winter in this condition. Will she make like this?

I know this not ideal but the filler work is not totally complete and it still needs the whole R/S ¼ panel replaced (coming by means of the Mayflower I think) so it is the best I can do. Come spring will I be able to knock down the 2K in the places that still need work and proceed from there? Will the adverse weather hurt the underlying sheet metal with the Epoxy on it (I understood that epoxy is a very good barrier)? Is 2K a good choice for a high build primer for blocking? Any other suggestions, I am on a big time budget of both time and $$$.I have searched this and many times it is touched on but never specifically answered, also will a gallon unreduced of each be more than enough? Can I get away with a few quarts of each instead? I am not sure of the coverage on either of these products, I’d like at least 2 wet coats of each. Thanks in advance (PS, anybody in the tri-valley area want to rent me a booth for a few hours?)

Hi Denny, if the metal work is not done you should just epoxy it & continue where you left off when you can. Right now my 68 is living in black epoxy until who knows when. I know the epoxy will withstand the elements well also will be a good adhesion promotor for whatever you put over it later. My experience on this came like this. My father got us into a trade job on a 63 Impala SS that was black. This car had most of the paint sanded off & sat outside for about 10 years! When we got ahold of it nothing impact the surface scale or would get into the rust pits so the whole car was sandblasted commercially inside & out after being completely gutted. Right after the car was epoxied & it went back to owner to have motor installed. Well it was 2-3 years later & not a sign of the rust anywhere. After that, I did all of the metal work & left the epoxy in place except where it needed ground off for rust repair etc...... I have been using PPG's DP90 which is black but any should suffice the same. I have ran into a brand called NORTHSTAR which has a higher solid content though. Also, do not spray your coats too heavy or you will run it all over. Good luck, JOHN

Thanks so much John, what about using 2K as a fill-n-sand. I haven't done any body/fender work in over a decade, we used to use stuff called fill-n-sand. It was a very high build lacquer based primer (cheap too).

Using a high build catalyzed primer over your finished body work is fine BUT, it's not spray on body filler. Any paint manufacturer is going to have a primer such as that. You do get what you pay for though. Funny this should come up as I primered some parts for my Blazer today. I am selling it though so the materials I am using are not the most expensive but, any catalyzed primer is going to be better the the old lacquer primers of yesteryear. I cannot stress enough on making sure your bodywork is straight BEFORE primering. If not all you will do is sand your ass off & waste material. It's not a cheap endeavor to paint a car even if you do all labor yourself. What color are you gonna spray the elky? Feel free to ask any other ? or email me. I have probably been there / done that on all aspects of body & paint work. JOHN