tech-2 front valance prep

[sam325is]

Can anyone suggest the kit i would need to gert my tech 2 front valance rubbed back down to bare plastic and the stages i would need to do it in?

it currently has a few layers of paint on it where it has been re-sprayed so many times.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks

Sam

[aceraf]

LOL...i've just spent 4 hours flatting mine down.

I used a sander with P120 for all the larger area's. I used a cheap one from asda (bout £10 i think) as it's the triangle shaped one and can get further into the nuts and crevices than a round sander can.

I've got a few bits left that i'm doing by hand, but most of the hard work is done.

[E30Mark]

Paint stripper / brake fluid

[aceraf]

Paint stripper / brake fluid

Don't do that!!!

I used a bit on the lower part of mine as someone had tried to respray it in the past, and i found that the original paint doesn't come off, and it becomes all flaky. It'll just make it harder, and it'll take you even longer to get right (i should know ).

[StuBeeDoo]

Paint stripper / brake fluid

I did that on an iS lip. Big mistake.

Interesting thread though. I'm hoping to be doing exactly the same soon.

[sam325is]

i guess it would be a good idea to finish off the bare plastic with 1500 then 2000 then 3000 grit wouldnt it so the body shop can just get on and primer/spray it.

[aceraf]

i guess it would be a good idea to finish off the bare plastic with 1500 then 2000 then 3000 grit wouldnt it so the body shop can just get on and primer/spray it.

That'd be a bit pointless as they still have to flat the primer anyway (I hope they would anyway).

If you wish to get it that bit better then go over it with P240 and then P320, but as it'll need priming anyway you don't want to go too fine.

Primer should then be flatted with P600 (solid colours) or P800 (metalics).

Topcoat is then flatted with P1500 (to remove bad orange peel) or P2000+ (needs to be atleast p2000 so you can buff it easily and not leave P1500 scratches showing).

[sam325is]

ahh ok then. i will get onto this then.

does all the above apply to body panels too?

[aceraf]

Yes.

[sam325is]

should i sand body panels like wings/bonnet back to bare metal?

[aceraf]

No. Most will have a OEM proctective coating that shouldn't be removed. You can get away with sanding back to the previous layer (try and get it all even) and then just filling in any imperfections.

Fine scratches can be filled using High build primer.

[sam325is]

hmm im not good with filler. i think i will leave body panels to the body shop.

[aceraf]

Filler probably should be left to someone who knows what he's doing, or you may end up with too much filler on the panel.

Also, depending on how you flat the filler you may end up with 'waves' in the final finish, which will be visible when you look down the side of the car.

How bad are the panels that you want to flat down?

If they're not bad, then you may not need any filler.

[DanThe]

What paint stripper did you use? Ive seen a valance that was stripped with nitro-morse and it turned out fine, I will be doing this to mine when it gets re-painted come spring time, last time it was done it didnt take long for the paint to crack due to the amount of paint underneath

[aceraf]

What paint stripper did you use? Ive seen a valance that was stripped with nitro-morse and it turned out fine, I will be doing this to mine when it gets re-painted come spring time, last time it was done it didnt take long for the paint to crack due to the amount of paint underneath

I used nitro-morse.

the main problem you're going to have is any paint that's been done after factory will come off easily, but the stock paint is stubborn. You'll end up with flaking in the crevices which will cause you more problems.

You're much better off getting a £10 sander and spending a few hours flatting the whole thing back to plastic. This will give you the best base to work from, and rectify any imperfecions (i.e. scrapes on the lower part).