Help??

[JRoss22]

I am going to start sanding the body down on my Challenger. I was wondering what is the best products out there to acomplish all the sanding? I have a friend who did all the prep work on his el camino and he offered to help me out with all my prep work on the body. So 

[farmboy70]

Are you prepping for paint? Stripping it? Do you have air tools?  :dunno:Kind of need a little more info on what you want to do.

[JRoss22]

I am gonna be stripping all the paint first... Then Prepping the body for paint... And Yes I have some air tools... I can buy some to do the work needed... any more info you would need?

[farmboy70]

There are a couple of ways to strip it at home. One would be chemical stripper.
Keep in mind that if you chemical it you need to remove all the filler as it will be contaminated.
You could also sand it with a 8" orbital sander with 80 grit, I have used 40 grit also depending on how many coats of paint the car has. Some will say that is too course, but knowing how much repair work needs done on the individual car it usually is not a problem.
Either way you go be sure to not get to far a head of your self if time is a problem.As soon as you have a few panels done use a good metal prep,and then prime with a good epoxy primer like DPLF-50. You can then do any metal or filling work that needs done with out the fear of rust starting.
Try to stay with one product line on the refinish products.

[360 'CUDA]

The Jasco brand stripper in the gold can at the Home depot works pretty well.
Just put some on there, wait 1/2 and hour and go over it with a razor blade.
Multiple times for mutiple coats of paint and then hit it with some 100 grit wet and dry sandpaper for clean up.

[360 'CUDA]

Comes out like this

[71bigblock]

I used zip strip, stuff in the yellow can, on my truck fenders.  Put it on, wait only a couple of minutes, till you see it all bubble up.  Then I wiped it clean with a rag.  There was 2 coats of paint, and a primer, and all came off the first time, if you put it on hefty enough.  Finished up with 100 grit when it dried out, like 360 said.  Messy?  Sure.  But I find it to be much easier than sanding.  I dont have much luck with sanding.   

[360 'CUDA]

But I find it to be much easier than sanding.  I dont have much luck with sanding.   

Right!! My buddy went out and bought the air powered DA and proceded to sand off the body line on his 'CUDA as well as flatspot several places on the roof.

(guess who got to fix all of that)   

[71bigblock]

Right!! My buddy went out and bought the air powered DA and proceded to sand off the body line on his 'CUDA as well as flatspot several places on the roof.

(guess who got to fix all of that)   

I can easily see that happening.  I think that chemically doing it is much better also because you wont remove any metal, none.  Its like it was when it came from the factory, bare.  Dont get me wrong, Im sure some people are very skilled with a sander, and can probably do it faster, but I'd rather do it knowing I aint gonna screw something up for someone to fix!   

[360 'CUDA]

One other thing about working on cars at your house.  When you buy all those airtools you tend to make alot of noise. People walking by don't usually like to find the neighbors house sounding like Fonzi's Garage.  One guy down the street from me started working on his Mach 1 in the driveway.
He's sanding away on the DA and shooting primer all over the place but after about a day and a half the Police are over there like a swat team.

I have painted entire cars and pulled apart other cars and cut them up with not a peep from anyone.  Ya just gotta keep it low key.

[JRoss22]

I dont really have to worry about my neighbors and noise complaints of that such... They are all cool and know that I am restoring a car in my garage... There is even a guy down the street from me who since living here as restored like 4 cars in the past 3 or so years... The only time they complain about noise is at 4 in the morning as I found out with a party... But thanks for all the advice and tips. I have 3 days a week to do all the body work the rest of my time is spent at work...

[Street_Challenged73]

Another option for chemical stripping would be Peeler (great stuff, but kind of pricy..can be found at Napa) or Marhide aircraft stripper.  I've used both of these products at several stages of the resto. and it works very well.  The peeler takes off a layer at a time (meant to be able to save your primer coat, if desired), but it works very fast so you could get through the clear/base coat & primer in about the same time as any other chemical stripper.

[ted]

how to sand off a body line?