Bodywork Plan

[joesregalproject]

So now that my car is mechanically sound, and the body is stripped to my satisfaction, it is time to start prepping it for paint! My goal is to have it ready for paint by Christmas. Currently the majority of the body is at 220 grit orbital. I still have some filler work to do on the roof seams and the B-pillars and in front of the driver's side rear wheel. My plan is to finish the filler work up, use my 16" dura lock and block the rest of the car to 320. I won't use a guide coat on the first blocking. After the body has been blocked to 320, I will have my two coats of primer sprayed. From there I will guide coat and block the car, and if it is straight to my satisfaction, spray color. I don't need a perfect finish, but I don't ant my car to look like the surface of the ocean when you look down the side of it. Does this plan sound about right? Any corrections I should make? Thanks-

 

[LS1GN]

Sounds good, I used finer grit on mine 600, 800 but maybe that's just preferences. My Camaro was wavy, because my block was too small. I guess the longer the sanding block the less waves.

What is the final color going to be?

 

[joesregalproject]

Waviness is what I'm most scared of. I think a 16" block should be sufficient though. The final color is going to be Kirker Dark Garnet Red Metallic and the paint will be Kirker Acryl-Glo Acrylic Urethane.

 

[LS1GN]

Well you know - the darker the color the more the imperfections show.......

 

[joesregalproject]

Yeah, After working in a bodyshop part time for 4 years, I know. I'm just gonna try not to be too stingy about it. I'm going to use a high-build primer, which hopefully will fill in some pinholes and knicks.

 

[Fox80]

Blocking the body all the way down to 320 before primer is overkill, year after year I still use the same system with no problems, strip the car to bare metal with 80grit, block the metal with 120 to highlight any dents, fill them with Rage filler, block the filler out to 120. Etch prime the car with RM epoxy primer, three good coats with a polyester filler/primer block with 150 and guide coat, then prime with RM DP21 tinted to the color of the car, block with 400 wet, then 600 wet. I have used this many many times on my own cars and customers when I still worked in the garage, do this and it is just up to your skill level to get it straight. Just watch that bare metal, body filler, polyester primer do not get wet or it will fail in time