Hey all, this is kinda on the wrong site, but it is in the right forum. I just bought a 71 comet gt, that i have been trying to buy for years. I finally struck a deal, and the guy sold it to me... waaa hoooo! my problem is he just painted the car like 2 weeks ago, and the color and paint job sucks.. the body work is ok, it is just the paint thats orange peeled and ugly color, I want to repaint it. My question is, is it too soon to sand down this fresh paint,(2-3 weeks) and what grit paper should i use? like i mentioned b4 its pretty badly orange peeled (i've seen worse, but pretty noticable) would 180grit wet sanded be too coarse?
P.s. I have painted cars before, with better than i have now results. I just dont remember what grit papers i used...
Thanks Stanley

 

I would let the paint settle down and shrink some more in the sun. Then re-shoot. Give the volatiles plenty of time to evaporate.

 

Any idea what kind of paint. If he used a modern urethane paint, you should be okay after that amount of time. Really fresh clear if you paint over the next day, sometimes the base will want to lift the fresh clear, but that should be cured by now. Only thing that would be questionable if something like lacquer were used, as its an air dry system that solvent could attack or acrylic enamel which is a slow curing system or if not activated at all could take forever to cure. Most people use 2k urethane and polyurethane systems today. If it happens to be lacquer or enamel I'd seal with an epoxy before repainting to be on the safe side. Take some lacquer thinner on a rag and see if it softens the finish at all. If it doesn't your good to go after sanding. You should check the tech sheets for what paint you use for sanding grit information, as all will not fill the same amount. But general ball park is final sand for base with 400-600 wet or 320-400 by machine. Metallic should stay towards the finer grit. If you are sealing or using a single stage you may be able to get away a little courser. Find or ask for the product data sheet when you decide what paint you will be using, and follow their recommended final sanding grit, and other important info such as mix ratio, flash times, ect.
180 would be too course I'd think, even if sealing. If you have pretty bad orange peel, then you could step up to a little courser grit and go over again with the finer grit to remove those scratches and have a finer scratch. But I'd start with the finest grit that is working for you, you can't take s real big of a step in grit sizes. And to understand grit, wetsanding with around 400 is equivelent to machine sanding with 320 dry, but handsanding dry will put in courser scratches then if machine sanding.

 

Thanks. actually, I have whats left of the paint he used it's nason nasco 419-71 paint(made by dupont) with 483-13 glossye enamel catalyst..

 

I am not positive weather or not you will have a problem recoating. Being an older paint system enamel was used. Good thing is a catalyst was used which will make it more like a urethane. I would try some lacquer thinner in an inconspicous area and see if the paint softens or is effected. You will be spraying solvents on top of it when you respray. I'd personally spray a test piece first when you get your paint and see if anything funky happens or the paint lifts. Or maybe go to dupont.com auto refinish section and see if you can find a support number to call and speak to them. It wouldn't hurt to set out in sun like dffay suggested in case not fully cured or there may be solvents that still need to escape, You may also consider spraying an epoxy primer as a sealer just prior to paint. It will help prevent possible incompatabilitys between that and what you spray over, you can choose a shade or color that will with coverage of your new color, and spraying an epoxy sealer will help with the durabilty and hold out of any paint system. An epoxy sealer shouldn't be all that expensive, and only need 1 or two coats, so maybe 1-2 qts for a car that size. I found your tech sheet, hoping it would help, but its pretty vague and doesn't say much about recoat. I don't know what your plans are for this car and what he used, but you could always remove paint and see how well that bodywork was really done being the quality of the spray job and a cheaper paint was used. start fresh with a good epoxy primer over metal and bodywork and good 2k primer and a urethane or polyurethane paint. Its really depends on how far you want to get into it and how confident you are in his work and repairs that you may be putting expensive paint on, or if you just want to let it fly and hope with expensive paint, or just go with some cheap stuff again. Anyways, here is the tech sheet for the paint.
http://www.performancecoatings.dupon...ascoastron.pdf