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Bare Metal Strip


RestoZ

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Hi Guys

Started a full resto on my recently purchased 77 GSR30 a couple of weeks ago and have now got to the bonnet which is proving a challenge. I'm using paint stripper and mechanical follow up with a grinder and wire wheel. I did the front guards and the nose cones without any major issues but did need to do up to 3 runs with the stripper (Poly Stripper - Dichlormethane) and then a final run over with the wire wheel. This car has had 3 paint jobs in its life by the look of things and the second one looks to be a 2 pack which has set like a rock on the bonnet and probably on the roof and doors when I get to them. The top coat which is crazed and peeling comes off easily, as does the first coat once you get the 2 pack off.

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The picture below shows my attempts at softening the yellow 2 pack layer and the result I get on the right with the grinder and wheel after the top green coat is removed with stripper. the shiny finish on the left is a test with 120 grit in the orbital sander. I'm conscious of the heat issue with the grinder and as constantly cooling with a damp rag and moving to different parts to limit the amount of heat I'm generating.

The $64,000 question: is this approach ok, or am I doing some sort of irreparable damage? Does the second coat seem like a 2 pack and that' s why it is so hard to remove? Third question, what is the purple coloured finish on the right?

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On a different note, there are a couple of significant dings on the leading edge of the bonnet and I was hoping I could get some advice as to the best way to attack them. Have attached close ups below and thought maybe I could run a fine cut along the top edge so I could pull the front out and knock the top down then patch and fill. Not sure if that would work so any suggestions would be most appreciated. 

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Thanks again.

Cheers

Paul

 

 

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Scratch the paint surface with really coarse sandpaper first (40 grit or similar), to give the stripper something to "bite" into.

Lather the stripper on, then cover with plastic. The cheap plastic dropcloths from the paint section at Bunnings are perfect. Leave for a while, then attack it with a scraper, try to sort-of "chisel" the soft paint off. Repeat if necessary, will depend on what paint is on it, may take a few goes. Seems to work better for me if I chisel the paint off straight away, can start to harden up a little if you leave it for long. The yellow could be something like epoxy primer which in my experience is rather hard to get off......

You should be able to get pretty much all the paint off, only needing to resort to cleaning up a few remaining spots with the wire wheel or orbital sander. Only damage is if you get it too hot and buckle it, but you seem aware of that.

To fix the dent, if you can't get in behind to knock it out, perhaps cut or drill a hole in whatever is blocking access behind and use a punch or similar to knock the dent out. Then patch the rear, or just use a grommet if you can get away with a smallish hole for access and you don't think it'll look out of place. I'd be wary of cutting the top skin of the bonnet.

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Thanks Dave, the roughing up and scraper made all the difference. Sheez, that stuff is tough! I'll have a crack at the dings tomorrow and see how we go. 

 

Ouch C.A.F!!

If I did that I'd have to throw the rest of the car in behind it. This is probably one of the better panels and anyway I haven't got a big enough bin. Guess if I was paying someone by the hour to strip this back, your suggestion would be the way to go. But given I'm retired, have plenty of time on my hands (particularly with winter coming up), my hourly rate is zero and I don't like to be beaten by these things, think I'll persevere. 

Still a way to go but getting there:

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Glad you got there in the end. I restored a few cars back in the day for a bit of spending money and more recently paint stripped my car inside, outside, underneath, basically removed every bit of paint off it. 

Another possibility for the dents is to braze a washer (on its edge) right into the deepest bit of the dent and use a slide hammer or similar to hook thru the hole in the washer and "pull" it out. Then melt or grind the washer off. Bit like the dodgy brothers version of the modern spot welded dent puller system.

Or smack them down with a hammer so they're not proud of the bonnet line and bog them up...............

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