MONTE CARLOÂ "COPO" Monte Carlo SS - Turbosaurus Build (Swinging Dick Racing's c*ck got bent... she bounced a little too high & hard, & came down awkwardly)
- Thread starter motorheadmike
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So around this point in the paint removal I came in from the garage feeling a little exacerbated and a lot exhausted (didn't help that the previous days at the gym were leg day, shoulders, and then we had a foot of snow fall). I couldn't figure out why the Clean and Strip discs weren't making the paint just fly off the car with ease? Regardless of the method I used the factory lacquer paint would simply turn into a gummy slurry and clog up the C&S disc. Big D confirmed that this was normal (because the lacquer is non-catalyzed and never fully cures) and to be expected - suggesting instead to use a DA with an 80 grit pad and taking your time, and it will take time regardless of what method you settle on.
That being said, I am going quickly outline what I have been doing to address this nightmare.
1. Break your work area down in to smaller sections so that you can manage your efforts and maintain focus on a more reasonable amount of surface area. This requires a lot of discipline.
2. I found that the best way to deal with the paint removal using the C&S discs is to slowly cutaway the paint in a method (relative to the direction of the disc rotation). Basically if you see that it is piling up on to the paint next to it (looks like a wave) then you aren't helping yourself by making it thicker. Working from one section to the next, removing about 1" at a time allow enough time for the panel and paint to cool before coming back to it. Again mucho discipline here. The roof panel is very thin and not particularly well supported by the structure beneath and would periodically "dent" and pop back after it cooled.
NOTE: It is VERY important not to apply any pressure to the panel (these cars are built like beer cans) - thus supporting the weight of tool (grinder/sander/polisher) with two hands and letting the disc do the job is paramount.
Last step I chased the freshly exposed surface with the DA and an 80 grit discs to remove all the residue.
3. As I've been saying you are going to find some really interesting surprises under the paint. These cars came with factory installed corrosion. So be prepared to do more work than you ever imagined... and be prepared to buy 4 times the supplies you originally budgeted for... plus the stuff you never even thought of. If you look closely at the ground edges you can see all the rust that was sitting beneath the paint, it looks like another layer of primer an then there's all the "spider pitting" that has been under there for 30 years.
Rktpwrd has been great at offering tips and guidance on this - I have some rust converter on the way and a bunch of additional DA discs, as well as some filler and some black (lol at a snow-blind Northernregal
) dry guide coat.
This is one helluva process - achieveable by anyone, but definitely not for the faint of heart. However, if you have a bodyman/woman and they do a halfway decent job for a fair price (even if they make a few mistakes) buy them a coffee or a beer because this work is a thankless labour of love.
That being said, I am going quickly outline what I have been doing to address this nightmare.
1. Break your work area down in to smaller sections so that you can manage your efforts and maintain focus on a more reasonable amount of surface area. This requires a lot of discipline.
2. I found that the best way to deal with the paint removal using the C&S discs is to slowly cutaway the paint in a method (relative to the direction of the disc rotation). Basically if you see that it is piling up on to the paint next to it (looks like a wave) then you aren't helping yourself by making it thicker. Working from one section to the next, removing about 1" at a time allow enough time for the panel and paint to cool before coming back to it. Again mucho discipline here. The roof panel is very thin and not particularly well supported by the structure beneath and would periodically "dent" and pop back after it cooled.
NOTE: It is VERY important not to apply any pressure to the panel (these cars are built like beer cans) - thus supporting the weight of tool (grinder/sander/polisher) with two hands and letting the disc do the job is paramount.
Last step I chased the freshly exposed surface with the DA and an 80 grit discs to remove all the residue.
3. As I've been saying you are going to find some really interesting surprises under the paint. These cars came with factory installed corrosion. So be prepared to do more work than you ever imagined... and be prepared to buy 4 times the supplies you originally budgeted for... plus the stuff you never even thought of. If you look closely at the ground edges you can see all the rust that was sitting beneath the paint, it looks like another layer of primer an then there's all the "spider pitting" that has been under there for 30 years.
Rktpwrd has been great at offering tips and guidance on this - I have some rust converter on the way and a bunch of additional DA discs, as well as some filler and some black (lol at a snow-blind Northernregal
) dry guide coat.This is one helluva process - achieveable by anyone, but definitely not for the faint of heart. However, if you have a bodyman/woman and they do a halfway decent job for a fair price (even if they make a few mistakes) buy them a coffee or a beer because this work is a thankless labour of love.
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Countless hours later...
My Wuhan whirly discs showed up tonight, so I loaded up a 40 grit on the DA and knocked off the paint down to the primer, and then hit it with the S&C disc. Worked mint. I guess that's the trick for this lacquer... and rust. Still tonnes left to do. But, I got snow up to my arsehole still so lots of time to suffer.
My Wuhan whirly discs showed up tonight, so I loaded up a 40 grit on the DA and knocked off the paint down to the primer, and then hit it with the S&C disc. Worked mint. I guess that's the trick for this lacquer... and rust. Still tonnes left to do. But, I got snow up to my arsehole still so lots of time to suffer.
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What an undertaking. Sheesh. DS A, B and C pillars are stripped down. Next step is to clean up the mess again and start the body work.
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Totally! I made it myself.
I have N95 and R95 dust masks and respirators. So no black boogers or lungs.
I also like to wear high heels to help get up on my work area better.
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