Old paint, total strip or sand, spray&pray?

[twinturbo427]

My Suburban was repainted under prigram in 1990. Of course, the paint is coming off again. The clearcoat is falling off in sheets and the roof is sun baked to the primer.

I have a gallon of gun metal grey metallic, the Trans Am GTA color, and could get it sealed from the elements.

My question is; should I just remove the loose stuff and spray it?
I could also blast the whole thing and throw some primer on it, then paint it.

Not looking for show quality, just sealed from future rust.

Thoughts?

 

[74 Shortbed]

I'm interested in this, roof on mine is all beat up too and needs attention pretty soon..

 

[Frankenchevy]

i've sanded and painted old single stage cars, never bc/cc though. if rust prevention is your primary concern, the main thing is good adhesion. i'd sand it to a seam if your not going to do the whole thing. metallic silver is the hardest of all colors to blend and match. sand it good to make sure all the failing paint is removed, or the new stuff won't adhere well. clean the surface well. i used a cleaner from the paint shop, but i think tsp works. basically you want your finger oils and any other contaminants off. you'll likely get to bare metal in a few spots. i think i used to use bullydog self etching primer just to prevent flash rust. then run whatever primer works well with your paint once the bare metal is covered.

if it were me, which it will be once i really tear into my truck, i'd do the whole truck while you have the tools out. otherwise your hood and bed rails will likely follow suit.

 

[Snoots]

Did you use a sealer over the primer and then paint?

 

[Honky Kong jr]

You probably want some kind of sealer primer on there to keep ugliness from coming back out. Sand and seal it then apply your color

 

[Dougnsalem]

With a rust converter on any rust that you couldn't remove, before the sealer primer

 

[twinturbo427]

You all know how these things snowball, scratch an itch and all of a sudden it is major surgery!

The paint I have is single stage enamel. Easy peasy to shoot but obviously not a final solution. I do have some epoxy primer and other various leftovers.

The idea of doing body work and sanding an entire Suburban doesn't really appeal to me. LoL

Thanks for the replies!

Thinking that painting to the body line is a really good idea to make the project more manageable. The top is the worst condition and most difficult, best to start there and work top down.

 

[Dougnsalem]

You all know how these things snowball, scratch an itch and all of a sudden it is major surgery!

The paint I have is single stage enamel. Easy peasy to shoot but obviously not a final solution. I do have some epoxy primer and other various leftovers.

The idea of doing body work and sanding an entire Suburban doesn't really appeal to me. LoL

Thanks for the replies!

Thinking that painting to the body line is a really good idea to make the project more manageable. The top is the worst condition and most difficult, best to start there and work top down.

I'm in the same boat as you. I HAVE TO do something this Spring/Summer. I now have a rusted through hole on the side of my cab. About eye level, and on the side of the rear (C ?) Pillar. The common rust areas are getting pretty bad too. From past experience, I know if I start it, it will end up in a million pieces until it's all fixed. Like around 10 years later....

 

[twinturbo427]

I am leaning towards staying two tone grey and black but using the gunmetal grey metallic and whatever the paint code is for a black 87 GTA.

That way the truck will match both GTAs and if I put gold Jeep cross lace wheels on the car trailer.....

 

[Honky Kong jr]

You all know how these things snowball, scratch an itch and all of a sudden it is major surgery!

The paint I have is single stage enamel. Easy peasy to shoot but obviously not a final solution. I do have some epoxy primer and other various leftovers.

The idea of doing body work and sanding an entire Suburban doesn't really appeal to me. LoL

Thanks for the replies!

Thinking that painting to the body line is a really good idea to make the project more manageable. The top is the worst condition and most difficult, best to start there and work top down.

Oh, I thought you were just doing the roof. That’s what I was talking about.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

If it's falling off in sheets, it's gotta be sanded off completely.

You can't trust whatever is left to hold onto the base, so when you paint over it, it'll still come off in sheets potentially.

FWIW, I've never used a sealer, always a good primer, then my paint, be it single stage or bc/cc.

 

[Snoots]

I'm getting the impression that I should just lay on several coats of color and forget the clear-coat. I've not seen a clear-coat worth a sh*t anyway. Maybe just spray a bedliner on the whole thing.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Maybe just spray a bedliner on the whole thing.

That’s got my vote!!!!!

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Wasn’t GM repainting grey and black vehicles under warranty, because either the prep work sucked or the primer they used sucked?

 

[twinturbo427]

Wasn’t GM repainting grey and black vehicles under warranty, because either the prep work sucked or the primer they used sucked?

The timing was off on the flash-off between primer and paint, plus they had just switched to low voc materials.
Once they found out what was wrong, they did nothing! Cover it under warranty.
The same or similar problem with the base and clearcoat except they were chemically incompatible. Good times.

Edit: it was incompatible primer and base coat, and the incorrect flash-off with base and clear.