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Stripping old paint questions

11K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  zwede 
#1 ·
I want to clean-up my barn-find for it's eventual sale this spring.
Of the several ways to remove old paint I need the pros vs cons to each way

Chemical: Is there a chemical peel that is easy to remove?
Orbital sanding? Will this way take too long and sandpaper expense too much?
Soda blasting? Seems it would be the most expensive way
I don't know if my compressor is large enough.

Please keep in mind that I'm selling and already spent my limit but I still want to do what's right. Time, expense, mess and look are the major concerns
 
#2 ·
You are not supposed to use any chemical strippers on any generation of Corvette ever. The fiberglass or SMC body panels will absorb the chemical stripper & never can be removed 100%. At a later time, maybe a few days after painting, the fresh paint will have severe blemishes or bubbles everywhere. Chemical paint stripper still leaching through.

Sanding is how its usually done stripping a Corvette of Old paint. Time consuming.

Soda Blasting goes pretty fast & does not damage a Corvettes Body panels.
72sbc here on C3 DC shared how he Soda blasted his C3 Vette.

GrumpyVette on his Forum shows how to connect another air compressor in Parallel airflow with your current compressor & shows how to wire correct to 120 VAC or 220-240 VAC.
This saves lots of $$$ over a dedicated HIGH CFM air compressor that would otherwise cost over $1K.

BR
 
#3 ·
You are not supposed to use any chemical strippers on any generation of Corvette ever.
That's a Corvette myth. Chemical strippers safe for fiberglass are fine. Captain Lee's Auto Spray Strip is reasonably good.

If you follow the regular paint prep procedures after chemically stripping the car, you're fine.

I would not use an orbital sander on fiberglass.

:thumbsup:
 
#6 ·
I have stripped the paint on at least 4 C3 and 1 C4. Complete with show paint jobs

Strip one panel at a time (make sure to tape off gaps), wipe clean with scotch bright pad and gun cleaner after stripper wiped off.

You will have to grind out the factory bondo on the seams and replace with new. If you were to sand all the paint off you must be carefull as not to distort the shape of the body (make wooptey doos).

Also before removing the paint make sure to make notes on any cracks that need repairing because after sanding or sripping they are hard to find and if you paint over them they will return over time.
 
#8 ·
Treat fiberglass like wood. Lots of hand sanding (with a block) and STAY OFF THE CORNERS.

We use a DA sander after the paint has been stripped off but only sand down to gel goat. then you re fill all the body seams with filler, sand to shape and apply many coats of epoxy filler/primer and block sand the whole car by hand, re prime, dust with black paint (so imperfections will show when wet sanding) and wet sand the whole car by hand. When satisfifed, seal, paint, clearcoat, wet sand again, buff
 
#11 ·
Rich,
. . . . Buy another Vette that you can drive while you restore this one to sell. Or leave this one as is to sell it. You'll come out way ahead either way...
Bill
Bill, you lost me? Why buy another vette? Besides Battery, tires, brakes and wiper blades, This vette is 100% original and rust-free. I put this car back to great driver car addressing most everything that C3s are known to need. Although the body has never been hit and no cracks - the paint is horrible. Besides the rusted rear bumpers the only thing this car needs is paint. When it comes to buying cars in this price range most people will judge the paint and kill a good deal especially when this is a drive -away, drive everyday car because there is nothing else to pick on.
 
#16 ·
I've been trying to determine the best approach for stripping as well. I have several layers of paint to deal with and so far have only used razor blades as I'm leery...there is a ton of conflicting info out there. Several of the painters that left CF are on another site and at least one of them uses a chemical, but makes sure to neutralize it with soap and water after use. Another option seen I've seen is to bake it in the paint booth or with heat lamps to help burn off the vapor....
 
#17 ·
I remember holding the Razor blade at a 60 degree angle & paint came off easy with moderate pushes of my right arm.

Dave another Bodyman I knew way back when showed me how to peel paint off a Corvette with a Razor blade.
No longer has his body shop or painting.
 
#20 ·
Chemical stripper here. Was done 4 years ago, no problems. It's very important to neutralize it properly. Bucket of water with a little dawn soap. Scrub it good with that and a scotchbrite, then hose off with clean water and let sit in the sun for a day. I think people get into trouble by starting to put filler or primer on a panel before it has outgassed.
 
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