ok i need to know what all i can take off my cavy like the hood trunk doors anything that i need to paint is gonna get re done but i need help ,,i want a mirror finish but now sure how to accomplish it how many coats of gloss or paint and i want to soda blast the whole car then fix every ding and rusty lil spots.. help with the paint and gloss

if you cant lay the paint on glass smooth you can wet-sand with like 1500 to 2000 grit depending on the degree of orange peel, then buff with rubbing compound, then follow up with swirl remover and buff with a 3m egg crate type pad, then finish off with final glaze by hand thats all it takes to get glass smooth paint the begginers pace... as for coats of paint. There is color, or "base" and that doesnt have a specific coat requirement, i like to dust it on so it flashes quick, and i make sure it covers totally and evenly. if its metallic then you might want to do a mist coat in a diagnal direction to the panel to get the flakes to lay evenly. i usually end up putting about 5-10 very light coats. use the same system to choose your clear, i would use a thick clear so you can pile it on and still have alot of build to wet sand and buff with. so clear its usually 2-3 medium wet coats if it goes on semi- orange peely when it flows it should lay flat, but not run. wait like 12 to wet sand and buff. $.02 oh yeah and imo soda blasting a jbody unless you have butt loads of money is not worth it. i would block down your paint you have right now and then prime/block and seal the whole car

jfire wrote:if you cant lay the paint on glass smooth you can wet-sand with like 1500 to 2000 grit depending on the degree of orange peel, then buff with rubbing compound, then follow up with swirl remover and buff with a 3m egg crate type pad, then finish off with final glaze by hand thats all it takes to get glass smooth paint the begginers pace... as for coats of paint. There is color, or "base" and that doesnt have a specific coat requirement, i like to dust it on so it flashes quick, and i make sure it covers totally and evenly. if its metallic then you might want to do a mist coat in a diagnal direction to the panel to get the flakes to lay evenly. i usually end up putting about 5-10 very light coats. use the same system to choose your clear, i would use a thick clear so you can pile it on and still have alot of build to wet sand and buff with. so clear its usually 2-3 medium wet coats if it goes on semi- orange peely when it flows it should lay flat, but not run. wait like 12 to wet sand and buff. $.02 oh yeah and imo soda blasting a jbody unless you have butt loads of money is not worth it. i would block down your paint you have right now and then prime/block and seal the whole car

^^ X2..........love the hood btw....10 X better looking than mine, Jfire !!!!




2003 Cavalier
Stock 2.2 Liter, 5 speed
" Leave the rice to Uncle Ben's and the wings to KFC..
Go clean or go home. "