Vlad's rides thread

[vlad01]

Thanks,

hoping I can get it to a point where I won't require any real amount of high fill, aim to just use a regular primer and block sand it so i don't have too many layers of different products as I have found is a paint job's enemy.

Did a test on the boot latch area to see what I can get away with, no hi build or sanding of the primer. Just washed the old paint off and 240 sanded the Ecoat and metal. light coat of primer (same aero can in the pic, for testing) then VHT silver paint and clear. Tuned out great!

So how I can see how I need to prep the surface and what finish I can expect with that level of surface sanding. My plan is to sand with 300 paper the factory primer/Ecoat and bare metal areas(block sand flat areas). Then coat of regular anti corrosion auto primer, light coat of hi build on the roof and panels, door exterior, block them til I get rid of most of the high fill, then 600 on those areas, scuff all other non panel areas with fine sotch pad to knock off any bits sticking up, then when ready to do the top and clear go over the whole lot with a thin coat of primer, flash dry then proceed with top coats.


I found the top coats doesn't stick well to fine sanded primer for some reason, so a light coat of primer in between and just before top coat is a must.

Having practice panel allover the place helps heaps to workout whats works and what doesn't. I found advise and instruction can mess stuff up than they do good.

I am not doing any painting til late spring, atm I am preping the body as much as I can, then clean out the shed and wash the booth out before i move to the actual painting. Big mess atm

[FXST02]

looking good vlad

I concur, it is looking good. Keep it up.

[charlay86]

I wouldn't go to 600, 320 is what you want to get the paint to stick.

[vlad01]

I wouldn't go to 600, 320 is what you want to get the paint to stick.

it helps, but what makes the biggest difference is how long between coats. few hours is all you want to wait and longer you rely on mechanical adhesion alone.

I like to rely on chemical adhesion rather than mechanical, but both is best.


Thanks for the tip, I got heaps of 320.

[charlay86]

can go up to 400 if you're in the mood for sanding lol, but most decent primers will cover 320 scratches nicely

Yeah I was going to mention re-coat time and intercoat adhesion, but it varies quite a lot between different paints and painting conditions.
ideally you want to paint in the re-coat window (in which case you don't need to sand between coats), but if you have dirt nibs etc that you cant pick out easily you obviously need to wait till it hardens up so you can sand them out.

[vlad01]

so my plan is to sand everything, prime and do only the areas needing blocking first then. recoat everything with primer and tops coats in one go and tack cloth between coats to pick up any dust. I find primer sticks to primer regardless, but top coats are sensitive to sand finish and recoat window.

[vlad01]

does anyone know what side of an ecotec is more likely to knock? Trying to decide on which side to put the knock sensor, ideally I want to put it on the weaker side (leaner side?)

[Holden202T]

have a look at the plugs from each bank, that will tell you!

[vlad01]

mmm, thats no use. They are mixed up and some are oily from the engine sitting sideways if i am not mistaken.


pretty sure when I looked at them the first time they were all equal unlike pre ecotec. those you can tell for sure.

[vlad01]

had some time to mostly finish striping the inside of the boot lid.

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