Layers of paint?

J

JohnAC

I am getting ready to repaint my fiberglass Cobra body. As you can see there already 4 or 5 layers of paint on it. I have block sanded this area to remove all stone chips. How many layers are to many? I looking at block the entire body and prime with epoxy before the base coats. But, I am wondering if I need to sand most of the old paint off.
John

paint layers.jpg
 
i would keep block sanding the old paint. each layer showing will tell of high and low spots then when you are finished blocking that prime and block again if needed or go straight to sealer and color
 
Thanks for the input Steves. I plain to block sand and so far I have not found any high spots.
 
I'd strip it. There are a lot of downsides to having that much paint on a vehicle. Every one I have seen is very prone to chipping, and the solvents from your paint work can wake up sleeping problems.
 
I agree on the block sanding, use what is on there to map out any leveling problems. Not sure if any of those layers is considered the gel coat, its something I have heard before, dont sand into the gel coat.
 
Like crash says, it seems that you don't find the sleeping demons till you get to the solvent heavy base coat as well....
 
I've been bitten by it too many times already. Last one I did the guy swore he "didn't need it show quality," and guess what the first thing he did when it left my shop, he entered in in a local show and won best paint. But after a summer in the sun, some irregularities were showing in the hood panel, which was not stripped, but not in the cowl panel, which had been blasted due to peeling paint in between the vent ribs. So I ended up stripping the top surfaces and redoing it at a cut rate, since I supposedly "didn't properly explain the risks." Now there is no need for explanation, it gets stripped, if that is not agreeable, someone else gets the headache, not me, because I send it down the road.
 
I tried that on my daily driver. I think it was OEM paint that I went over. Now, a couple years later, I can see some shrinkage. Overall, the car looks nice IMO, BUT it is a daily driver. With the amount of time and expense you are going to have in a Cobra, it is just not worth the risk.
 
For sure Mr crash. If I don't see steel I sure as heck am not going to be seeing any clear over spray either...... Just finished up a job for a guy I know. He had taken it somewhere and the guy went belly up before the truck was done. Anywhoo the truck was supposed to have been stripped and blocked and showed up in sealer. The owner didn't want the expense of re-stripping and blocking and I kinda figured I'd help him out and go from there. Long story short the block work was piss poor and the worst was we got to the "stripped" cab and tons of delamination and chipping as soon as the base hit it.... Ugh..... The factory paint from 1968 was peeling and popping off as soon as that base started working its magic...
 
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