How to Strip Your Collectible Car to the Metal

Now the work begins. You can do this step with either the bead or sand blaster or you can do it with hand held sanders. If you have access to the bead or sand blasters, you can save yourself hours of time. If not, you will need quite a few hours to get this part done.

Instructions

1

Sand the top coats of paint. Chances are, your car will have many coats of paint. Using the block hand sander and a piece of 60 grit sandpaper, start sanding the car to see how many coats of paint you are working with. If the car has many coats, start with the 60 grit sandpaper on the board sander and the orbital sander. Sand the entire exterior of the car down to the last two or three coats of paint.

2

Sand the last coats of paint. Once you get down to the last few coats of paint, switch to the 120 grit sandpaper. Sand right down to the metal, keeping your sanders flat, so as not to gouge the metal of the car. You should start seeing bondo or fiberglass at this point (and if the bondo was applied much later in the car's life, you may see it sooner, depending on how many coats of paint are covering the bondo). As you are working, you can peel the bondo out of the holes in the car.

3

Take stock of the areas that are rusted out. You will need to decide if you would like to replace the entire panel or refill the hole with fiberglass. Replace the "holes" with metal--either by welding in a new panel or by cutting a piece of metal, put the metal inside the hole, and tack weld the metal in. You will then have to grind down the tack welds and go over the hole with fiberglass.

4

Don't forget to do the engine compartment, too. Most show cars have a highly detailed engine compartment, and the easiest way to keep clean is to put a coat of fresh paint on it. Make sure the metal is smooth (use a finer grit wet/dry sandpaper, if needed) and spray the entire exterior with the primer. This will keep the elements off the metal, and also lays the foundation for paint and fiberglass, bondo-glass or bondo.

5

Apply the primer. Tape off the windows, door handles and key lock cylinders. When applying the primer hold the can upright about five inches from the car and using long sweeping strokes paint the outside of the car. Make sure you do not leave any metal exposed to the elements. Let the first coat dry for about one half hour, then using the 180 grit sandpaper and your hand sanders, wet sand the entire car. Just dip the sandpaper into a bucket of water and keep doing that as it dries out. You can also turn a hose on low and hold it over the area you are sanding. You do not need that much water. A dribble is fine.

6

Dry the car off completely, then let air dry for an hour. Add the second coat of primer and use the 180 grit sandpaper and water to sand the car until smooth. Once the holes are fixed and the car is properly primed, you are ready to take your car to the painter.