I think we are too quick to sand down to bare metal on classic cars

I know most people say you gotta strip it all off to see what you are dealing with. But I have been working on a '65 Mustang from a guy in Salem for about 6 months now. Every time I just blend and feather the edges on the original paint that is still sticking good, I end up with a way smoother finish. Last week I had a fender where the previous shop had taken it down to bare metal in one spot, and the new primer lifted right there because they didn't get all the old filler out around the edges. Meanwhile the rest of the quarter panel I just scuffed and painted over is holding up fine after 3 months. Has anyone else had a repair fail because of going too deep?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_cooper1mo ago

That's an interesting way to look at it, but I have to respectfully disagree from my own experience. Your mileage may vary, but I have had too many repairs fail down the road because I left original paint that looked good but had hidden adhesion problems or rust starting underneath. Taking it to bare metal is more work up front, but it gives you a clean slate and you know exactly what you are dealing with. The issue you had with the lifted primer more than likely came from not getting the area clean enough, not from stripping the paint itself. You can blend and feather all day, but if there is any dirt or wax in that old filler, it will lift no matter what you do. I have seen it happen both ways, but the guys I know who get the longest lasting results are the ones who strip it clean and start fresh. In the end, I think you just get more peace of mind knowing every bit of metal is ready to go.

betty_white391mo ago

Wait, hold on @mark_cooper, did you really just say worn original paint on a car body is a foundation you can trust? I mean, that's like saying old drywall is fine to paint over just because it hasn't fallen down yet. Idk, maybe it's just me but I've seen too many "good looking" 50 year old panels that are basically Swiss cheese under a thin skin of factory paint. You can't see micro blisters or the beginning of rust through a thick layer of old enamel, you know?