'66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
I have a '66 roadster, stripped, new Dupont Corlar primer and lacquer in 1978, garage kept since. I am doing a mechanical resto to include a original 427CI 390HP engine, interior, eng. compartment. The 35 year old paint looks great except some small scratches due to general garage exposure and 15K miles use; however the two flat spots inside the fender above the lights do have some small spider cracks present. Now my question 1.) does this car HAVE to be stripped? 2) If not, can the original lacquer be painted over with the new type paints? Is there a down side to not stripping the car? I have been told $15K to strip and paint, $4K just to paint, $7500 just to paint. Anyone painted a '66 roadster lately? Oh, and I have the hardtop too.
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
What color . You might be able to buff the car and repair the damaged areas and do a blend ? If you are painting the whole car you should remove the old paint . -
Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
I'm not sure if Corlar was still nitrocellulose, but probably not. However, 1&2) I would strip it to ensure that the surface was good and that compatible paints were used together. Now having said that, my car was painted in 1975 with an enamal with a hardener, and the graphics were clear coated with lacquer over the enamal. While the paint has shrunk, the coating and integrity is still good. But I would not do this again.Comment
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
The car is Laguana Blue. Is lacquer paint still an available item?Comment
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
Laguna Blue (code 978) was a one year only option and very hard to match (can be done by a good shop with mixing in house) - IMO with paint this old take it down to the gel coat ( if you have at a minimum a single car garage you can do this yourself ) and save a bunch of $$$$$'s - not all that hard if you take one small section at a time and take breaks - with paint this old IMO you will be much happier with new paint all over. If you go this route be sure and leave a section for the painter to match - you or the shop can remove old and new after you obtain desired color match -- search this forum for a recent discussion on matching Laguna - also if you are not going to try to show or flight the car you may want to drive it as is -- the imperfections always look worse to the owner who washes it and waxes it on a regular basis - good luckComment
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
You could also clay bar, polish and go enjoy your car :-)Comment
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
Hi, George: If you can post a photo, it would be easier to give a good answer. Speaking generally, if cracks are visible in the finish on a Corvette, it is more likely something UNDER the paint is the cause for the cracking. Stress cracks in the top layers of the resin used on Corvette bodies is probably the most common problem with Corvette bodies, and can be repaired only by removing (stripping) the paint down to bare glass/resin and repairing the crack. A common repair area on mid years is from the nose to the leading edge of the hood, the corners of the headlight openings, at the rounded edges of the vent grills below the windshield, and the corners of the hood surround. A good rule of thumb regarding painting over areas where cracks are visible is: never put good paint over bad paint or repairs. Fix the underlying problem.Comment
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Re: '66 Roadster - Do I have to strip it?
Bill, Thanks. Yes, I intended to have the area around the headlight/fender taken down to glass. The car was painted 35 years ago and still looks good other than there and some inadvertent scratches - some to the primer. The car is currently with a restoration guy, so can't post any pictures. I just seem to be having a difficult time cost justifying a $15K paint on something that still looks pretty good considering age and that I drive it.Comment
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