Key is how you stripped it.

If you chemically strip, then you'll need an etching primer.
This also inhibits any (very light) surface rust that may be forming.
Then hit it immediately with epoxy primer, and soon after
(per the instructions) with a surfacer.

If it's a mechanical strip or a blasting job, the etch primer will
actually be too aggressive- spot any rust with it, being careful not
to get any more on the surrounding panel than you absolutely have to.
Then prime, surface, and off you go.


When the car's all painted, but before any assembly starts, hit EVERY pinch weld
you can get to with 'body wax'. It injects into the seam, and soaks in to seal
everything up. Then it drips out, making a disgusting mess. But it also hardens
(eventually) and really works. Trunk and hood seams especially.
We sealed Jenn's car 10 years ago, and both a dodgy trunk lid repair
and a marginal door have stayed rust- free, while the same work done
on my car 5 years ago is a festering mess of iron oxide.

t
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I have a car disease. There is no cure.
I'm not even managing the symptoms very well...

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1976 BMW 2002 #2743711(sorry I sold it 12/25/06)
1986 BMW R65 650cc twin 19k miles
1964 BMW R27 250cc single 15K miles
2002 BMW 325xiTouring 29k miles
1984 MERCEDES-BENZ W123 300D Turbodiesel-188k miles fein-DIESEL

etch primer is way over touted on FAQ...it's not necessary and in a lot of cases may cause more problems that help...and it may not be compatible with some paints....it's old school at best

epoxy over bare metal is all you need...regardless of the method used to strip the car...if it was chemically stripped make darn sure you clean it thoroughly or the stripper will work under the new paint causing serious issues down the road
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Esty,
ever have an adhesion problem?

I thought not.

Honestly, the BEST advice you'll get comes from the paint system's
instructions- they'll tell you what to use.
And as to compatibility, unless you're feeling brave, stick to one
manufacturer's system.

For PPG, dead- smooth metal wants a light fog of etch primer.
Yes, as of last year's disaster sheet.

Since it's a phosphate- based material, it also acts as a mild anti- rust agent.

Do whatever you want, of course. But one of the worst feelings is doing
a bare- metal respray and having the paint not stick to the metal...

t
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I have a car disease. There is no cure.
I'm not even managing the symptoms very well...

When I strip something to bare metal and I know it will be bare for a while before I can prime it, I spray it with SEM Rust-Mort.

It's supposed to be for rust, which it works great on, it also forms a protective film on bare metal.

Comes off easy too, when you're ready to paint.

Handy when you don't have a lot of free time in bug chunks and have to work little bits at a time. You can strip an area, protect it and leave it. When everything's ready, wipe it off and prime.
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71, Riviera & rust.

Are you talkin' to me?

The car was originally stripped to the bare metal using plastic media, then I believe it was sprayed with an epoxy primer. I really don't know what they used (and have no way of finding out now), the primer is that funky green/gray color that I believe is epoxy primer. I am using chemical stripper to strip the deck lid (and will probably do the same with the hood). The rear panel was sanded clean and I am going to probably sand or strip what is left of the sienna braun paint on the rear quarters. From the work I did on the car before I got pretty good at flattening out panels/body filler etc., I figure I can get them to probably 90-95% and let a (Real) pro do the last little bit - and after all it is a race car (Still, if you are going to spend the money I am spending and time you might as well make it look as good as it can). The bottom line is that unfortunately I have to work for a living and have two teenage boys, wife, dog etc., so when I can string together 2-3 hours on my car I am doing well. I have read a number of articles/web pages where folks really promote going over bare metal with filler first before priming - basically buzzing it with 80 grit paper on a sander to give the filler something to bind to....then priming. Lots of work to sand the filler to a point where you can go over it. Comments from the experts on sequencing - filler over bare steel, then primer or primer on bare steel then filler. I am so far from painting the car I cant say what I am going to paint it (other than the white with red stripe). I could certainly commit to using a PPG product I think.

markmac wrote:

primer on bare steel then filler

material used to paint a car from scratch is a very controversial subject...that why i enjoy hanging at a few paint forums...there are a lot of arguments...even amongst the pro's about how to do what and what with...

conventional thinking is primer with epoxy then bondo over the epoxy...reason is...bondo absorbs moisture and can rust underneath...sealing the bare metal with epoxy 1st stops the rust then and there

a couple of good places to read are...

http://www.layitlow.com/forums/index.php?showforum=15

http://www.autobody101.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=1f1e4755c08840f0a9446acfeb99fe48

toby..i'm far from a pro..maybe a novice at best..i've painted 5 cars and working on my 6th and no sir, i've never had an adhesion problem...probably because i'm anal about the prep work
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