uptonj16

I need info on the best method to remove paint from my 1965 Corvette. It was a orginal silver pearl car and someone painted it laguna Blue. I live in Chattanooga Tn. and know several good Classsic car restorers but I'm getting different feedback from each one. Two, tell me if i use chemical strippers then it is hard to get the paint to stick to the fiberglass. One says to have it soda blasted but one says it is hard to get the paint to stick after having this done. He says the best method is to have it media blasted but another restorer says that this method goes thru the gell coat. What is everones opinion on these methods?

robert miller

Each one of these steps has it down side but if you do what is correct to each one on the prep and clean up then the correct primer you will be fine. Most of all is clean clean clean. Robert Look at doing a search on here will fine a ton of info on the subject...

Geralds57

I've always used Captain Lee's liquid stripper, but it's time consuming. It works well, but you have to be patient. That's my .02

vt65

i mixed lacquer thinners 50/50 with paint stripper, used a good epoxy primer and all was good, it is a good idea to put the primer on a couple months before painting if possible...good luck

1snake

I've used KleanStrip GAF 354 chemical stripper on every Corvette I've painted. No problems in over 30 years. http://www.kleanstripauto.com/ Click on Aircraft Fiberglass Paint Remover.

Jim

uptonj16

Approx. How much stripper will I need?

hzz

1snake

I just finished stripping my 65 coupe (silver pearl as well). To strip every painted surface, including the door jambs, I used just under 3 gals.

Jim

oldsarge

I have done cars with Capt. Lee's it does the job, but you must follow the instructions to the "T". I have also stripped vettes with razor blades that works well too. Use lots of blades, don't let them get dull and keep alot of bandaids near by.

DansYellow66

I used it on my car about 18 or 19 years ago. My follow up lacquer paint job still looks the same as when it was applied.

JACKAL0PE

There's a website somewhere that the guy is restoring a C3 and he had the same problem you do. His solution was to use a razor blade and scrape it off. Said it wasn't nearly as hard as he thought it was going to be and had none of the disadvantages of chemical strippers.

Might give it a whirl and see if it works for you.

http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...ping_paint.htm

a66bbvet

Thursday, I dropped mine off to have it stripped. I talked to a lot of people to get suggestions. Everyone I talked with gave me a different story. I lived on the East coast for many years and there the story was NEVER touch a corvette with sandpaper except to prepare it for paint or to finish a paint job. I moved to the west coast and here everyone will tell you that the only way to strip it is with sandpaper. Different strokes for different people.
My body and paint man has told me to beware of putting any chemicals on the glass as some will be absorbed into the glass and this includes the soda which is mixed with water while blasting. Paint strippes like to use the soda because it is cheaper for them as they don't have to recover the media. My painter has been in the fiberglass business for years and told me his success has been with having the paint stripped by Media Blasting using plastic beads as the media. Yes it will take off some jellcoat, but nothing that did not need to removed anyway. It is better to have it removed during stripping rather than come off after the new paint has been applied.

macs65

"Por 15" makes a stripper designed for glass boats and cars. The rep. advised me that it would not affect the bonding. I used it along with a large number of razor blades and a few plastic body scrapers on the underside of the hood on my 65. It worked very well but took a lot of time. I did a small area at one time and as soon as I had the paint off that area I soaked it with clean water. Painting was not a problem.

Randy G.

Captain Lee's used correctly will not harm the resin in the fiberglass. It washes off with water. I used it to strip many coats of paint off the dash and door pulls of my '54 and it worked perfect.

mashinter

I used Dupont chemical stripper, then 80 grit.



I painted the car in 1980 (lacquer) , and the paint still looks great. No problem with paint sticking. Here's some encouragement:





Good luck. It's a thrill when it's all back together!

Bill

Mike Geary

Captain Lee's doesn't seem to be the original formula these days. It used to be more of a caustic (sodium hydroxide) base, but now appears to be just a low strength methylene chloride formula.

I am with Jim (1snake) on using a hot stripper such as KS Aircraft.
Why? The less time it's on the surface, the less time it has to migrate into the substrate by capillary action along the fibers. The weaker stuff, needing longer time to work, is WORSE for contamination.

BTW: any painter that tells you stripping/blasting will hurt the gelcoat on a Corvette should be avoided, since there ain't any.

Olustee bus

Here is the deal, in my opinion of stripping. There are three very important things.

1 After using stripper, immediately wash with clear water, no soap.

2 After washing with water, use lacquer thinner and wash with a scronge pad (dupont pads) I used the maroon ones. Scrub until you get the red oxide primer off. Don't over do it here.

3. Do not get any petroleum product on bare fiberglass. I made the mistake of getting WD40 on my door. I am not sure if it would hurt it or not but I think it would have. I washed it several times with MEC.

65 vette dude

I would add that the car should be left outside in the sun, and wind for at least a week to let any vapors leach out before painting process begins.

albert67

my painted my car 8 times with 8 different themes. here was his strategy: sand the current paint smooth, prime & paint, add some clear. he always used DuPont. just his choice of paint. never had any problems, always shined!

DansYellow66

To repeat - there is no Gelcoat on original Corvette body panels - unless someone has previously stripped the body and applied it. If some of these lacquer paint jobs are holding up 15 to 30 years after chemical stripping and repainting - properly neutralized chemical stripper is not a problem with fiberglass.