Sanding grit recommendations

[340challconvert]

Cody
Thank you for your post
I am about to start this process w my A66 Challenger.
I'm OK with the mechanics, but I'm no body work professional.
I want to tackle the bodywork myself.

[YellowThumper]

YES thank you guys for this post. It answered a ton of questions I had. Will be painting my Dakota R/T soon. It is afflicted with "Dodge pattern baldness". Figure I cannot make it worse.

I see a lot more people jumping in now to try their own.

Mike

[70chall440]

Thanks Cody, I made the changes. I am a big fan of lists, instructions (too many years of pay the penance for not reading them). This will go into my car's "build book" along with the material sheets and other related paint/body information.

[70chall440]

Due to Cody's recommendation about adding weight to the doors, I have removed the fenders and got the driver's door readjusted and regapped. It came out very well and now I am looking at the passenger door which will need some adjustment as well. This will make for a much better finished car. I will not produce a car to level that Cody does, but it will be far better than I could have done had I not been on this forum and talked to Cody... THANKS AGAIN!!!

[Haddixj]

Not to add confusion but I took a auto painting class at the local college and we were told and did sand to 600 before paint. We were using basf glasurit paint, I know the instructor was a body shop owner and used to do a sema car every year so he was into resto work. He would say on some of them they would go to 1000 before paint. I have never actually painted a car just pieces in that class and I know Cody has experience in this area. Do you think it has to do with certain colors? I painted gk6, ek2, and a4 silver. So each was a metallic with a white drop coat under it.

[Cuda Cody]

Thank you for bringing this up.  And yes you are right.  I do go to 600 and higher.  I also do a multi step 8+ coats of clear coat (not all at once).  But for the guy that is just looking for a nice paint job 400 can get you there.  That's one of the reasons I want to do a "How To" video so I can show you guys all the tips and tricks to getting a show car paint job in your garage.  But after talking to him on the phone that was not his goal.  He was not doing a show car and instead wanted a nice paint job for a car he plans to drive and maybe take on the track for fun.  Showing the car or being judged wasn't in his plans.  The steps outlined is just the surface and what can be done and will get nice results that 95% of the people that see it will think is a great paint job.

Not to add confusion but I took a auto painting class at the local college and we were told and did sand to 600 before paint. We were using basf glasurit paint, I know the instructor was a body shop owner and used to do a sema car every year so he was into resto work. He would say on some of them they would go to 1000 before paint. I have never actually painted a car just pieces in that class and I know Cody has experience in this area. Do you think it has to do with certain colors? I painted gk6, ek2, and a4 silver. So each was a metallic with a white drop coat under it.

[340challconvert]

Thank you for bringing this up.  And yes you are right.  I do go to 600 and higher.  I also do a multi step 8+ coats of clear coat (not all at once).  But for the guy that is just looking for a nice paint job 400 can get you there.  That's one of the reasons I want to do a "How To" video so I can show you guys all the tips and tricks to getting a show car paint job in your garage.  But after talking to him on the phone that was not his goal.  He was not doing a show car and instead wanted a nice paint job for a car he plans to drive and maybe take on the track for fun.  Showing the car or being judged wasn't in his plans.  The steps outlined is just the surface and what can be done and will get nice results that 95% of the people that see it will think is a great paint job.

Looking forward to the video!
Thanks again for sharing your experience!

[Haddixj]

Good to know. So I am assuming you do a few clears and then wet sand it again? And re clear to make super deep and smooth? How many of each like 3-4 then sand and repeat? Also curious what brand of products do you like and are they solvent or water based?

[Cuda Cody]

I've heard good things about water based systems, but I have only used solvent based.  Use good high solid clears for the best results.  Stick to the quality name brands and you'll be better off.  Each car I do can be a little different and there are things that are easy to look for, but take little time to explain.  Anyone can paint a car.  I will do a video and that will let me go through the process in detail.  Of coarse, there are many ways to paint a car nicely and my way is the one that works best for me.  I've seen lots of nice paint jobs done differently.  If you have a way that works for you, stick with that process.  If you can incorporate some of the techniques from my way then good for you.  If you have never painted a car and want to, then my video will help a ton.  I'm finishing up 2 ebodies right now so I don't expect to be painting another car until later this year. 

Good to know. So I am assuming you do a few clears and then wet sand it again? And re clear to make super deep and smooth? How many of each like 3-4 then sand and repeat? Also curious what brand of products do you like and are they solvent or water based?

[crash340]

Thank you for bringing this up.  And yes you are right.  I do go to 600 and higher.  I also do a multi step 8+ coats of clear coat (not all at once).  But for the guy that is just looking for a nice paint job 400 can get you there.  That's one of the reasons I want to do a "How To" video so I can show you guys all the tips and tricks to getting a show car paint job in your garage.  But after talking to him on the phone that was not his goal.  He was not doing a show car and instead wanted a nice paint job for a car he plans to drive and maybe take on the track for fun.  Showing the car or being judged wasn't in his plans.  The steps outlined is just the surface and what can be done and will get nice results that 95% of the people that see it will think is a great paint job.

Hey Cody, great stuff mate and I know Mike appreciates the assistance on this, regarding the how to video, as you know I live in Brisbane, Australia, I have a 73 Cuda TX9, needs a respray, needs some slight panel work but is in great shape, NO RUST I'll pay your airfare and put you up if you want to use my car as the movie star!!! we have good beer, good beaches, good hunting (if your into that), lots of cool mopars and at the end of July we have a massive mopar gathering at the local drag strip, I thought you'd like this, tickets for two???

[Cuda Cody]

Check your PMs!   

Hey Cody, great stuff mate and I know Mike appreciates the assistance on this, regarding the how to video, as you know I live in Brisbane, Australia, I have a 73 Cuda TX9, needs a respray, needs some slight panel work but is in great shape, NO RUST I'll pay your airfare and put you up if you want to use my car as the movie star!!! we have good beer, good beaches, good hunting (if your into that), lots of cool mopars and at the end of July we have a massive mopar gathering at the local drag strip, I thought you'd like this, tickets for two???

[70chall440]

Thank you for bringing this up.  And yes you are right.  I do go to 600 and higher.  I also do a multi step 8+ coats of clear coat (not all at once).  But for the guy that is just looking for a nice paint job 400 can get you there.  That's one of the reasons I want to do a "How To" video so I can show you guys all the tips and tricks to getting a show car paint job in your garage.  But after talking to him on the phone that was not his goal.  He was not doing a show car and instead wanted a nice paint job for a car he plans to drive and maybe take on the track for fun.  Showing the car or being judged wasn't in his plans.  The steps outlined is just the surface and what can be done and will get nice results that 95% of the people that see it will think is a great paint job.

Cody is 100% accurate on my intentions for the car, however even with that his information will result is a far better job than I could have gotten otherwise on my own. With reference to sand to a higher grit (600, 1000, etc). I was told by a experienced body guy/car builder that going this fine may not yield enough mechanical "tooth" for the paint (base coat), however for a clear it might be ok.

[70chall440]

Hey Cody, great stuff mate and I know Mike appreciates the assistance on this, regarding the how to video, as you know I live in Brisbane, Australia, I have a 73 Cuda TX9, needs a respray, needs some slight panel work but is in great shape, NO RUST I'll pay your airfare and put you up if you want to use my car as the movie star!!! we have good beer, good beaches, good hunting (if your into that), lots of cool mopars and at the end of July we have a massive mopar gathering at the local drag strip, I thought you'd like this, tickets for two???

Not sure what Cody told you, but he told me it takes him 9 months to paint a car.. so you better clean out the guest room... 

[HP_Cuda]

If you want to paint a car you have to understand that most auto body shops will not spend 100% on your job from day one.

Each body shop makes it's money by turning around alot of small jobs (fender benders, scratches, dents, etc). After they have met their quota for the week and there is time left they will do some body work on your car. So this is why most shops will take from 6 months to a year or more to actually paint your car.

I have seen instances of where you pay for a 15-20k paint job and they will pay more attention to your car and you will probably get it faster than others. This is because they are making near what other jobs would pay them.

It's all in the understanding how auto body shops operate.

[crash340]

Not sure what Cody told you, but he told me it takes him 9 months to paint a car.. so you better clean out the guest room... 

I just bought the house next door in preparation !!!!