[tomsteve]

i have a '96 ragtop that is gonna get a new paint job. i am doin the prep work myself. when sanding the body, should i sand the clearcoat off and get to the paint? would that make for better adhesion? the body is in very good shape and there's only a few minor dings i need to fix, but wasnt sure about gettin the clearcoat off.

[tripleblack]

Originally Posted by tomsteve

i have a '96 ragtop that is gonna get a new paint job. i am doin the prep work myself. when sanding the body, should i sand the clearcoat off and get to the paint? would that make for better adhesion? the body is in very good shape and there's only a few minor dings i need to fix, but wasnt sure about gettin the clearcoat off.

If the clearcoat had failed (sounds like it) it needs to come off. Residual chalky clearcoat can ruin the finished product, even though primer-sealer is used.

Before doing the sanding, get the car CLEAN - strip any wax or silicone off, and blow out every crack, panel crease and crack to clean out any crud.

There are professional prep products made for this function - check with whoever is doing the paint for their recommendations. Prep can also vary depending on what sort of paintjob is being applied, and whether plastic parts are being painted.