Expert: Gary - 4/29/2011

Question
i have a 1965 corvette that has the original paint and i am repainting it. is there a special primer that i need to use before i paint it?(we are sanding it down to the base primer and sanding all the body cracks out first. ) how much time should this take& is it feasable to go down that far?

Answer
Hi Harold,

I would either recommend a polyester primer followed by a 2K sandable urethane primer or 2K urethane sealer. Use the polyester for the first layer and block it with 180 grit. This is a great way to get the body straight and fill minor imperfections. If the body is very straight you can refine your sand scratch to 320 grit then use the urethane sealer and you're ready to paint. If you break through your polyester when blocking I would recommend following up with the 2K urethane sandable primer and then block with 320 grit.

Now to answer your other questions, IF you are wanting a straight car I would recommend going all the way back to the original gel-coat layer. This is the first layer above the actual fiberglass. How long it would take to get it ready to paint can vary depending on skill of the technician and the condition of the car.