I have an integra im getting painted shortly back to milano red. A previous owner spray painted the car black over the milano red. I was told that i would need to take it down to the original red. Most of the car is back down to red, obviously not as nice as it once was because its sanded but no more spray paint. Now id just like someone to confirm this for me. I need to use 320 or 400 grit sand paper and go over the entire car again so the paint has a smooth surface to stick to. Correct? And would i do that sanding before or after i prime it? some spots like edges are at bare metal and i know you cant paint straight on bare metal. Thanks

 

You need to spray a coat of Epoxy sealer and that will act like your primer. I would Do a 2K primer over the epoxy and then sand 320 or 400 then powder guide coat and sand 600, then seal again with Epoxy reduced 10%. Then base, then clear, then color sand and polish

 

So spray the whole car in a coat of that epoxy sealer? or just the bare metal spots? then do the whole car in the 2K primer over top the epoxy? then sand that primer with 320 or 400. Culdnt i just do the base on top of that primer? or no?

 

Whole car in epoxy, it seals out anything that could possibly bleed through. It a sealer and corrosion protection. 2k over the sealer but you need to check your flash times one the product. You sand the 2k to fishish of any imperfections that didnt get finished before. Wet sand the 2K with 400 or dry with 320, then powder coat and sand wet with 600 or 800 if you are using a metalic.

 

Still not sure i quite get this... im kinda confused on the whole powdercoat part. I remember when we painted my civic last year all we did was sand the paint with 320, nothing else, taped stuff up and sprayed base right over that. Then clear coat, looked great. Is it necessary to do all that. I understand the whole epoxy and primer part then sand but why culdnt i just sand that with 320 and then base and clear?

 

you can use a wet on wet sealer also but what he is saying is spay the sealer and let it cure to blanket the old mills of paint and then prep for base coat/clear

 

Your definition of "looked great" and mine I am sure are two diffrent things. They way you did it before was incorrect and I am sure it has failed. 320 is to agressive of a sand scratch, and will show mottling even in solids, less so in some colors. The correct way would be to do it I have said above. You do your sealer then surfacer wet on wet and you will have chemical adheasion.Epoxy usally like 180 to 220 grit sand scratches for correct mechanical adheasion.