OK , The etching primer is on. Several coats of the filler primer (tinted car color) is on. The block sanding has begun.I sanded it first with 320 then 400??? to 800??? At what grit is it ready for color and clear.

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B.Rose
68-SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1968chevelle.jpg)
71-SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1971ss454.jpg)
ACES #04039

If you are painting it with a solid color 400 is fine enough. If you are painting with a metallic 500 would be good.

Now, have you REALLY blocked it? If you are "blocking" with 320, you are not really blocking at all. You need something like 180 or 220 to block. You have to CUT the high spots off, 320 or finer will simply go in and out of the low spots. Even if you use a block, it kind of "polishes" the surface instead of CUTTING the high spots.


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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Did mine to 600.getting painted next Saturday.I cant wait...

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1970 SS396 & 1967 Sport Coupe

Do you have a board sander? You can also use a 5 gallon stir stick cut into an 8" length with sticky backed 220 paper. As Martin said, you want to remove the high spots and leave the low spots. If you 'press' too hard whils blocking, the block will 'follow' the surface instead of intended purpose. You usually need to block out a car at least once and re-prime. Probably twice (as a general rule of thumb) . Once the blocking is complete, or at least when you think it is, you can final sand with 400/500. This will leave a somewhat 'shiney' surface to expose waves or low spots when viewed down the side of the panels.

Do all my block with 180. Use a long board for the long flat surfaces, and for the concave surfaces use something that closely matches the contour. Use something like PVC pipe or radiator hose something that matches. If you use that long board on those concave surfaces it will just dig in leaving ripples. As for the number of blocking it will take all depends on how straight the car was when you first started appling primer. If it had ripples and denst then you will need more, also the fill on the primer makes a difference. If you use PPG they have a very high build primer called K38, one coat of that equals around 2 of their K36.

Use just enough pressure to keep the paper in contact with the panel dont force it down or barely hold it so it just glides on the surface. Also the bigggest thing on primers is they like to shrink. So you if apply your primer one day then the next you block it down smooth, the primer will later on shrink down making your panel all wavy again. So I wait to sand the primer for a couple of days, atleast a week in most cases to give the primer time to shrink down...Eric

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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a BUICK BABY
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

This is a body off restoration. The green 68 in my signatureI is off the frame. I stripped the car(68 SS396) to bare medal. Then etched it .Then 3 coats of Sherwin-williams filler. The car was super straight to begin with.It had no rust at all. It is metallic greecian green. It had 5 or 6 "parking lot dings" on the doors which I fixed before the etching. It will have the vinyl top replaced. The hood and deck lid I thought I would just block out with 320 because there are no flaws in them at all.The entire sides of the car I think will need additional filler.Thats where I wasen't sure about the different grits. The long board I'm using most of the time is 10 in. long. (sound right???) Maybe all of you guys could come over here tomorrow and each take one panel. You could knock this out in one day. That way I can get my wife off my back about this Christmas stuff she wants me to do. Can you belive she wants me to help her get ready for Christmas when I have a classic Chevelle out there to sand???? Appreciate the help..Bill

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B.Rose
68-SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1968chevelle.jpg)
71-SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1971ss454.jpg)
ACES #04039

Know what you mean about the wife thing,She thinks it,s more important than finishing my motor!! These guys all give good tips,one thing I always do is spray on a guide coat of some cheap paint.Let's you see the low spots.Bondtite makes a plastic block that has a little foam on it and takes a half sheet of wet or dry the long way,about 5" by 9" works great after the hard block.Use 400 on this block.
My first post, Thise site is great!! Mike