# Bodywork/Epoxy primer question...



## Spdball (Sep 12, 2008)

Ok, I'm one of the new guys, but I've done alot of reading about epoxy priming and body work. I'm not new to bodywork, but this is my first "down to bare metal" job, everything else was just repair stuff. Anyway, I got the roof and pillars completely stripped and cleaned of all material, sanded everything down with 80g paper, mixed the primer and let it set for 35-40 min, sprayed two coats on, and everything went pretty well after some spray gun malfunction. (do not clean gun with thinner prior spraying epoxy, if not 100% dry in every orifice, the gun will gum up) When I got up today I walked out to the shop and ther sat my shiny gray primed roof, It actually shined more than some of the paint jobs I've seen. My question is...Is this normal? I've never sprayed epoxy, but I've also never seen primer that came out of the gun and had a gloss to it at all. Has anyone seen this? I will try to attach a pic if I can figure it out. Thanks


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Some of the primers and epoxys have a high gloss used as a guide coat, once you block it the low spots will keep the gloss while the level areas will have a flat appearence. When we did the 66 we would wipe the low spots with filler or glaze and block again with 220 and then prime and block again.


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## Spdball (Sep 12, 2008)

The filler is ok on the glossy surface?, or should I just find the low spots, scuff and fill?


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Most epoxy's are suited for filler to be placed on top of the gloss. I would scuff and then wipe.


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

We used a black epoxy primer on my car. It was super shiny at first and when painting black, it really helped to show all the low spots, etc. After a while, it did lose the shiny appearance though. At least with the stuff we used. 

Linda


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## Spdball (Sep 12, 2008)

Well, I went to sanding last night in a few spots an like you said, the low spots really show up. I'm not sure what color to go with yet, so I figured the gray primer is a neutral enough primer. I've got a little time before I need to worry about a color.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Once we completed the wiping and blocking and had the car surface in good condition we went with a gray high build self etching primer, blocked again using 800 grit and then sprayed the car with 2 coats of color sealer, painted with 3 coats of single stage and then sprayed 3 coats of clear. Then color sanded starting with 1000 grit and worked our way up to 3000 grit, then polished.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

^^Did you wet sand the paint before you clear coated??


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Rukee said:


> ^^Did you wet sand the paint before you clear coated??


No, I don't believe they wet sanded the paint.


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

I know that my body guy used that original primer at first, sanded and used black epoxy primer, blocked and fixed everything and after painting three coats of paint and three coats of clear, wet sanded and buffed it three times. There is one more buffing needed but we're just waiting to finish the interior and clean it up. It turned out really nice and straight. I was extremely satisfied. Now, all I need are my trim parts.....
Linda


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Linda: If it looks straight and it's BLACK, it IS straight!!! My friend's '65 was not wet sanded or blocked before the clear went on, and the finish looks like crepe-paper or stained glass. Terrible. The peaks and valleys in the paint cause shadows under the clearcoat, which is smooth and like glass. The whole car needs to be redone. He spent 10,000 dollars for the job, and my $200, 17 year old home job on my '67 looks better. Mine is single stage PPG urethane enamel, with NO clear coat. I color sanded it up to 2000 grit, then buffed. It sounds to me like the folks on this forum are on the right track!!!
Jeff


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

The shop I took it too is a family business and my body guy has been doing this for 30 years. Sometimes old school is the better school.....
Linda


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## Spdball (Sep 12, 2008)

I guess the smart thing for me to do would be to have someone actually do (most) of the bodywork for me, but the whole reson I bought the car was for the project. Thats why I'm not sure about the color yet, I don't know if we'll get it straight enough, but I would love to see it in black. Unfortunately it was originally white, but has been repainted about 4 times from what I can see, but not once was it taken down to metal. I think the car is about 1000 pounds heavier at this point with all the layers on it.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

lol
I saw the same thing on mine, obviously, back in the day, they judged the quality of the paint job on how much primmer they could put on under the paint! :willy::willy:


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

You'll get it straight enough if you block sand it with a longboard down to the original coat of paint!!! A lot of work, but you'll have an excellent base for a first-rate repaint.


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

I had a body guy judge what needed to be done and I wanted the project too so I spent almost every night down at the shop helping. It was nice of them to come after hours to help with this project. I've had many hands on time on this vehicle and know every inch of it now. We took it down to bare metal (through three coats of paint). The original paint still showed through the stickers in the trunk! I was kind of disappointed when he couldn't save those stickers....
Linda


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Linda, they make reproduction stickers for your trunk. Ames and Year One have them!!
Jeff


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

Yeah, I know. My body guy bought them for me...it was just cool to have the originals with the scratch in them to see the original paint color...
Linda


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I know the feeling. They're only original once. I haven't restored my '65 because of this. It's been repainted once, but not in the trunk or jams, etc. It still has all of the original interior (except headliner) and dash paint, etc. It's not perfect, but it looks presentable. There's a lot of character in an original old car. I've kept it in good running condition, but it's never been "apart". It's been registered and on the road every single year since 1965. And yeah, my trunk stickers are in really shabby condition!! Can't wait to see your '67 when it's done. Taking my friends '65 back to the paint shop today to get it re-done. Gonna drive the '67 with the top down...it's in the 70's here.
Jeff


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## blondie67 (Jan 28, 2008)

It's just not right.....:lol:


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## Spdball (Sep 12, 2008)

You could drive around here with the top down too....As long as you have snow tires, a really heavy coat, gloves, a couple pairs of socks...etc..
Gotta love Vermont. We generally get a couple weeks of 70 degrees through the year.


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