Bare metal methods

[Plymouth73]

Hi everyone.

I'm restoring my 73 Cuda and currently it is stripped and ready to be bare metalled and painted.

Just not sure which method to go down. What have most people on here done? I've read pros and cons for most methods but wouldn't mind hearing what other E-Body enthusiasts have done/think?

Any advice welcome! Thanks

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[lulurocks]

Post some pics!!!!


Spray the whole thing with epoxy... It's non-porous and seals you off from the world ...

My order of operations are  (bare metal, then filler, then epoxy,then 2k surfacer,then base ,then clear)

Some guys put filler on top of epoxy  , I don't, it's  been beaten to death many times  on forums and in the industry...     do what you feel it right for you... It's your ride

Pick a system(product line)  that you are going to stick with from start to finish...  I.e.  Epoxy primer ,  2k srfacer , base/clear

Paint systems are very  specific to what plays nice with what , read the tech sheets and it's easy.  Use the wrong product and. Ruin the work that you have already done.

I love evercoat rage fillers ,  basf paint  (r&m  ,glasurit)

My 

[js29no]

Applying epoxy or A product caller Vara-prime etch primer from Axalta formerly Dupont will protect your bare metal from rust. you can apply body filler over the top of it and it makes A nice barrier in between the two. I use Axalta on all my jobs it's A good product line. lulurocks makes A good point about staying with the same brand all the way through the process.  R&M is nice but no one carries it around my area, and Evercoat  products are all I ever use.  All bare metal must be covered with eather epoxy or etch primer before the urethane surfacer is applied.

[Plymouth73]

thanks for the replies, sorry for my late one!



The car is currently in hi-fil. I purchased it mid resto. It has been sitting like that for years before I even bought it so I want to do it again from scratch to be safe, as it has been like that for too long and some slight rust is starting to creep out and the interior surfaces are untouched.

Thanks for the advice on the steps to do it, but what methods have you guys used to bare metal it? sand/bead blasting, dipping, stripper etc. what produced the best outcome?

[js29no]

Chemical striping is messy! I use A 8 inch D-A with 40 grit. I prime each panel when I am done.  And sand blast any pits until the brown is gone and I see silver. 

[anlauto]

I use media blast on the shells and depending on the body panels and how much crap is on them I either media blast or Chemically strip them.

[Challenger in NC]

The guy who did my car media blasted (not sure which media they used-sand, black beauty or what, it was not soda) the entire shell and epoxy primed it. I think it was $1200 to do most of the car. I had a lot of panels that were already off the car prior to this so they did not need stripping or priming, so it would have been a little more for a normal car. The undercarriage is where media blasting really pays off since there are so many crevices and angles to strip. I had a lot of undercoating and general grime to remove.