Body Prep and de-grease

JohnM · #1 (**permalink**) 12-16-2003, 05:17 PM

Hello All,

My winter project is to do my finish paint on the body.

I understand that the fiberglass body was cast in the mold with a release agent present. I have also, no doubt, picked up road grime and grease during consrtuction and driving around town this past summer.

What is the best solution/chemical to clean the body prior to priming and painting. Are the commerical wax and de-greasing agents enough, or should something more potent like acetone be used. Also is just "wiping" the car down with clean rags enough, or some other techinque needed.

Any in fo would be most appreciated

thanks

John

GeorgiaSnake · #2 (**permalink**) 12-16-2003, 05:22 PM

John I used a spray on wipe off product I bought at NAPA. It seems to have worked as the paint is still on the car.

Randy

cobrashoch · #3 (**permalink**) 12-25-2003, 11:28 PM

Acetone is the right thing to use to clean a body prior painting if there is any question at all, followed by washing it down with weak soap and water. New and washed diapers seem to be the best rags I've found for the final wipe down steps, prior to the tack cloth. If your body is raw with mold seams still in it, I would bust the glaze on the body with rough sandpaper and a jitterbug and let it cure in direct sun light for a few days prior to doing any body work on it. Even acetone soaks will not get out deep penitrating fluids in fiberglass bodies, like brake fluid or silicone oils though, and the sun will help dry out and cure your body. Paint dry curing lamps will help here too.
cobrashock

stremboli · #4 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 10:58 AM

As above and a couple of great products.
PreCleano and Prepsol are two products that easily remove oils, waxes silicones and adhesives. When you think its clean these products will pull up a lot of stuff, soap and water won't touch.
2 -3 wipe downs till cloth is dead clean and its ready for the tack cloth.

427sharpe · #5 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 12:17 PM

Any paint and body supply will have a wax and grease remover to use on fiberglass. My favorite is DuPont's number 441-05 Nason.

Bruce Edwards · #6 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 05:34 PM

Hot soapy water followed up by a prepcleaner from your local paint supplier. The hot water will help bring oils to the top and the soap will help break it up. The prepcleaner will take care of anything left behind.

SSSnake · #7 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 09:14 PM

We always used PPG's DX320 cleaner to wipe off any road grime from the body. We would also use this before spraying the car with anything (primer, sealer, paint). Make sure you don't just wipe this stuff on. You should wipe, then go back over with a dry rag to remove the residue. Otherwise, the paint will have "fisheyes" in it.

Glenn