I'll be starting the body. I need help on how much primer and filler to buy for panel by panel work.

I have NAPA and PPG nearby for materials, part #'s would help..Ive read previous posts but would like to make sure what I use is current.

Im leaning toward epoxy and no self etching due to cost and ease of use...

the shell is in full paint and once the chassis is under again i will be sanding, repair and priming panel by panel.

any help or experience appreciated chris

Yes I have everything I can think of for tools to jump in to this....


[This message has been edited by chris71 (edited 05-23-2002).]

Chris please dont use expoy based primers over bare metal, they just dont have the corrosion resistance like self etch has. Plus the last time I checked the self etch was cheaper. Look in any factory repair guide put out by GM,ford or dodge and all say that self etch should be and needs to be used in order to remain their factory warrenty. I know for a fact that dodge and ford do but Iam willing to bet that GM does too. To me expoy is a outdated product.

You ever try sanding expoy its like sanding half dried glue not trick. Self etch is the only way to go over bare metal. Some self etch numbers would be PPG dx1791 or even dpx171. Your napa store could carry S-W paint or Martin Senior paint both the same paint just different labels and numbers. I use S-W paint at work good product but dont like their clear. The etch primer we use is E2G980, they offer I think three different etch primers so ask questions which would be the best for you if you decide on Napa paint.

As for a primer surfacer the primer you block sand and block sand again, I think the number is PH48 or 49, but also they have the same primer under the number of 50 that has better fill capacity, color hold out and dries faster. Either one of those would be a good primer. As for PPG K36 and K38 you jut cant go wrong with those two, K38 has more fill cap. Like I said before I use S-W products at work but use PPG on my own stuff, both are great products.

Youan buy self etch in a quart that would be more then enough to do the car cause that would mix into two quarts. As for primer surfacer I would start out with a gallon and go from there it depends on how straight the car is now and how straight you want it.

You will need a gallon of bondo the only brand to buy in my opinion is Rage or Rage gold made by evercoat. You buy cheap body filler YOU WILL GET CHEAP RESULTS I promise you that. All metal is also a good filler but a bit** to sand but its water resistance. Also wear a mask when sanding any type of filler your lungs will thank you. I wish I took that advice years ago,so wear a mask!

One thing on primer surfacers you should let the primer sit for around a week or more before you block them out. The primer will shrink to some degree and if you sand the primer before it had time to fully shrink it will become all wavy again. Let the primer sit a week or two before you block it and I promise you you will have a much straighter car. Theres much more to this topic but cant think of any thing else right now but good luck...Eric

On your topic of which should I do first the good or bad quarters, I remember that you asked some questions on how to replace a trunk floor and brace did you get them replaced yet? If not you need to start from there and get back a solid foundation before you start wacking out quarters. If your foundation is weak and you weaken it more by removing a quarter you run into the risk of shifting the car out of alginment and take my advice on this it can be a big mother f***** to return back into its original place. Once that is done I would replace the weak quarter then go about fixing the damage on the good quarter. That way you can get both in primer around the same time frame. Just my opinions...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 message has been edited by sevt_chevelle (edited 05-23-2002).]

Eric said it like it is. I can only add that the Evercoat he mentioned IS what NAPAs Martin Senour plastic filler is. The Tec/body filler #6378 IS RAGE gold (the newer ones, if you get "regular" RAGE, it is an OLD can)
On the etch primer, he mentioned E2G980, that is NAPA Martin Senour 8847. If you want the EXACT SAME product in another can for half as much buy the EconoBody #15210. I was on the "inside" remember, it is the EXACT SAME product in the can.

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

Lots of good info here -- thanks, guys... But I still have a question or two.

What should we put over a mix of scuffed original paint, and bare metal (where needed for patching)?

Self-etch over everything, including the scuffed original paint?
Or epoxy over everything, including the bare metal?
Or self-etch over just the bare spots, then epoxy over everything?

The reason I ask is that I don't want to take my whole car to bare metal if I don't have to (daily driver); but want good protection against rust.

Many thanks,
mark.
'71 Fodor

Marks heres my feelings on old paint REMOVE IT. You just dont know what idiot did what to the car it could have been painted with a spray bomb some time in its life. You sand it down and start to repaint it, and that spray bomb can react very badly with your new paint. You might find hidden bondo that needs to be removed. I personally dont like working over lacquer paint and even enamel, just a nightmare waiting to come alive.

Even though its a daily driver it doesnt meen you should cheap out and not spend that extra hour or two or that extra hundred. In the end you will have a much better car and you will be much happier.

Now if you do decide to paint over the old paint dont use etch primer over the old paint it can react with it. Only use it on the bare metal spots that you have from patching STAY AWAY FROM THE OLD PAINT. you need some type of sealer over the old paint to keep it from reacting with the new. I would go ahead and spray the expoy over the old paint, expoy seems pretty resist and doesnt let the solents from the new products penerate into the old. Once it has dried and within the recoat time frame I would topcoat it with your primer surfacer.

My opinion on the expoy over the old paint might not be the best, you might get better ideas or even the same but the best is remove it and start from fresh. That way you know what is under that paint...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