Okie doke -- Since those body panels will be bare in a few short days, I'm researching primers... Well, more accurately, body work and paint. I need to know basically everything from primer to finish coat. Of course, I have never done any automotive painting... at all! The one thing I do know is that I need advice!
Here's the plan -- I'm starting off with a front-end redo! All the removable panels forward of the firewall will be blasted to bare metal, the firewall will be cleaned, wire brushed and sanded as needed. Next I'll paint everything firewall forward in pieces and parts. I am seriously considering removing the engine/trans at this point too. This will give me access to clean up the frame way back under the firewall and do the mods to install the Marks 5-speed that's been quietly living in its crate under the pinball machine for the past few years!
I may be way off on this, but it looks like I should start with an epoxy primer or urethane primer as I'll be painting large areas of bare metal and over some existing paint. The firewall isn't getting sandblasted, but I will give it some pressure washer love, then some hand sanding, etc. to get it ready for paint.
Questions:
1) What should I pre-wipe down the panels with before sanding/priming?
2) What primer I should start with?
3) Will the el cheapo HVLP gun from harbor freight work for primer?
John