MGB & GT Forum

Yes, you will need to strip all the paint off the body that will receive the new paint . . . to bare metal.

* See Below

If you can afford the extra expense, and want your car's paint to be superior, just like your modern car, with urethane color with clear coat:

Prepare the car for the modern urethane paint system.

The car will look like "a brand new car.

The primer required for the urethane color and clear coat, the top coats must be compatible.

"I went a bit overboard" on my 1977 MGB two years ago", after driving it 79,000 miles, after the my first paint job in 1983, soon after my purchase.

This urethane paint is so toxic that the painters have to have fresh breathing air in a mask, while the urethane paint is being sprayed on to the car.

"What brand of urethane color and clear coat" should be the brand that your painter normally uses.

(A) If your car's body still has lacquer paint, the best choice would be to strip all the paint off the car, including the door jams and body floor (above and below) with paint remover.

I recently had to repaint my 1977 after a $4000 deer hit, two years ago. I had already driven the car 79,000 miles since 1983.

I accomplished the paint strip (A) above.

(B) I brush coated the body pan, and all areas that were not going to receive the modern urethane color and clear coat.

"All body medal, that is not scheduled to receive the urethane color and clear coat paint (on the top side of the interior floor, inside the front and rear fender wells, under the hood, and inside the trunk, were primed Rustoleum "Damp Proof Red", applied with a brush.

(C) These areas were then brush painted with Rustoleum, Ultra Cover Semi-Gloss Black General Purpose Paint. One quart might suffice.

Put these words into Google, "rustoleum damp-proof red primer"

And you will find a lot of information about this paint.

*My family has been using Rustoleum "Damp Proof Red" primer since 1949.

Then I asked my professional painter who was going to apply, the urethane color and clear coat determine which modern base coat primer is compatible with the urethane color and clear coat.

Then I did more than a little bit of special body work on the MGB.

I carefully adjusted the hood, front fenders, doors, rear fenders and the trunk lid, so they "were as close to smooth" on each side of the panel gaps" as possible.

Then I did a special "idea" and skim coated a six inch wide thin coat of body filler, on each side of the panel gaps.

After the filler was cured, I used a Harbor Freight Air Inline Sander 62528

"http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/sanders/air-inline-sander-62528.html";

ON SALE TODAY FOR $37.99.

. . . across the panel gaps, so the body contour is as smooth as my modern Mercedes.

Yes, this task did not happen perfectly the first try, and some areas need more filler and special care to make sure the panels, when painted were perfect.

Roger N. Tanner, Professional Engineer, Retired

---

Roger N. Tanner
Professional Engineer, Retired