Front Fascia repaint

[strangesvo]

I picked up a 84 front fascia from another member a couple years ago. I'm ready to start this project. It is canyon red and my car is black. So whats the best way to tackle this repaint? should I get it blasted? Sand it? Does it need a paint additive to adhere? I plan on doing all this myself in the garage. Just don't want to do this twice. Someone on here has had to done this the right way. Just looking for advice.

Thanks

[svono50]

I didn't repaint my SVO myself, but did have some good conversations with my body shop guy who did my repaint...back in 1998. My car had several areas that were repainted and from what he could tell, that/those body shops used lacquer paint over the factor paint, which had caused pretty severe spider webbing of the finish. The front fascia, sail panels and spats were not spared from the webbing and his only choice was to strip them down to bare plastic. Due to their shapes he decided not to attempt to sand them down, but sent them out to a local specialist media blaster. His blaster guy used walnut shells to gently remove the layers of paint down to the raw plastic w/o damaging it. Apparently walnut shell media is abrasive enough to remove the paint w/o building up much heat nor dig into the plastic. My body shop guy said the parts came back looking like they just came out of the injection molds.

I asked if he was going to use any 'flex agent' in the paint on the front and rear fascias and he looked at me as if I had just kicked his puppy across the shop, seriously! Apparently that was an extremely offensive question to ask him. He noted that if you use 'quality' materials, that they will remain flexible for many years and that things like flex agents are for 'hack' paint jobs...point taken. I can say that my paint, now 22 years old, is still shiny, flexible and shows no signs of cracking. Just my $0.02 and good luck with your project!

[gbeaird]

<SNIP>

I asked if he was going to use any 'flex agent' in the paint on the front and rear fascias and he looked at me as if I had just kicked his puppy across the shop, seriously! Apparently that was an extremely offensive question to ask him. He noted that if you use 'quality' materials, that they will remain flexible for many years and that things like flex agents are for 'hack' paint jobs...point taken. I can say that my paint, now 22 years old, is still shiny, flexible and shows no signs of cracking. Just my $0.02 and good luck with your project!

The guy that did the paint on our SVO, and several of our other cars, noted that the flex additive really doesn't do that much for keeping the paint flexible after curing. Pretty much an added expense for little gain.

[roberto2000]

I can vouch for Teds paint......That paint job is 22 years old and still looks great to this day!!!!

[strangesvo]

Cool, thanks for the info. My original thought was getting it blasted but really wasn't sure what type of media. Then friend said "just sand it" but I was pretty skeptical about that. Some quick research and I sound a media blaster about an hour away

[svono50]

My body shop was 75 miles from my house, so I only visited it once during the repaint and that was right after most of the plastic parts came back from the blaster and before the main body work had begun. I too was surprised at how good those parts looked, so it can be done. I specifically remember him noting that they used walnut shells, but there may be 'better' options here 22 years down the road. The shop should be open to discuss your needs and wants, just make sure you explain that the parts are not easily replaced, so to be careful with them...obviously. Good luck and hope to see some progress pics!

[JTurbo]

If the front bumper cover has the original paint, then simply wet sanding it with 220, then 320, then 400 grit will be adequate. Don't sand thru the factory black primer if possible (the material the bumper cover is made of is yellow color). Then simply prime and paint.

Here are a few pics from my 82. The lower left pic shows the cover sanded prior to paint (it had 2 layers of paint, original and a repaint).

https://i.imgur.com/5xmwwel.jpg

Here is the finished result:

https://i.imgur.com/2b34oHk.jpg

JT

PS - painted in my garage, base coat / clear coat....

[strangesvo]

Got it back from the blaster. They did a good job, looks great. They used walnut shells to remove the paint. I could'nt say if it was the original paint so just took it all off. Time for some prep work, probably hand sand the areas that will be seen the most, need to fill some scratches too. 20200822_103026.jpg20200822_103031.jpg

[svono50]

Awesome, looks good! Now you know you have a clean base to start with and no guessing on what paint was on there.

[strangesvo]

Finish product. Got some orange peal, couple small runs but I think I can sand and polish it out. Probably only going to sand and polish above the trim line. Which is not that much to do. If I have to re spay it I will but hoping it will good. 20200921_123410.jpg20200921_123418.jpg20200921_123404.jpg20200901_191520.jpg20200901_191501.jpg

[JTurbo]

Looks good, congrats on a job well done!

[SVOeric]

Looks good!