Prepping ECOAT Body Parts, Urethane, and Fiberglass for Paint! 😉

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Hey, it’s the #BossPainter and I’m back for another Q&A video. Today’s video is entitled Prepping ECOAT Body Parts, Urethane, and Fiberglass for Paint! 

Jeffrey is working on his little S10 Stepside, which is looking really cool with that hood. His questions are mainly about Prepping ECOAT Body Parts, Urethane, and Fiberglass for Paint. Here goes his email.

Happy new year and thank you for all of your emails. I’ve been busy working on the mechanics of my LS Swap silver second generation S-10 and waiting for it to be in running condition before starting the body work. 

In the meantime, I purchased a second white second generation S-10 to use as a reference truck for putting the LS Swap S-10 back together and to use to learn body work and painting. 

I also purchased several aftermarket body parts for both trucks. Those include a 2-inch Goodmark hood and new front bumpers that are primered in E-coat, a Street Scene stepside shaver kit and a bumper cover made from urethane. I also purchased replacement grills, side mirrors from hard plastic and a roll pan primered in E-coat. 

Additionally, I am considering purchasing a Duraflex fiberglass hood for my second S-10 that comes unpainted. I also want to paint the textured plastic door handles body colored. 

Among my other purchases are sanding discs from 120-800 grit, long sanding block, assorted grades wet dry sandpaper 240-3000 grit, primer and hardener and Scotch-Brite hand pads 7447.

My questions are: 

  • What is the best material to scuff up the primered E-coat steel parts?
  • Do E-coat coated steel parts need additional primer?
  • What is the best material to scuff up the urethan parts such as the shaver kit and bumper cover prior to primer?
  • What is the best material to scuff up the hard plastic parts such as the mirrors and grills?
  • What is the best material to scuff up the fiberglass hood?
  • What is the best material to scuff up the textured door handles?
  • Which the finer pad – the burgundy Scotch-Brite 7447 or the gray Scotch-Brite 7448?

Phew that’s a lot! LOL! Let’s go ahead and answer your questions. 

What is the best material to scuff up the primered E-coat steel parts?

I’m not sure what you meant by this. However, you can just put a 320-380 grit on a DA and sand it down. 

Do E-coat coated steel parts need additional primer?

Yes. You can use a 2K filler primer, cover and get a good foundation on it, sand it down with 400-grit sandpaper and you’re ready for paint. 

What is the best material to scuff up the urethane parts such as the shaver kit and bumper cover prior to primer?

You can wet sand it with 400-grit sandpaper. If you have imperfections on the plastic, put primer on top of it. 

What is the best material to scuff up the hard plastic parts such as the mirrors and grills?

Use a 400-grit sandpaper and wet sand. You just need to cut it up with a quarter of pieces and scuff the mirrors down, hood and door handles. 

You can use the scuff pads but the problem with it is it doesn’t cut them flat as a regular piece of sandpaper would. 

Which the finer pad – the burgundy Scotch-Brite 7447 or the gray Scotch-Brite 7448?

I believe it’s the Scotch-Brite 7448, but you need to confirm it and do some research on it because I don’t use a lot of Scotch-Brite pads. I usually use straight 400-grit sandpapers for everything that I work on. I use those pads for hard to reach areas but not that much.

I would remind you though for multiple colors like this, you need to get it uniformed. I would sand the entire car, but you don’t necessarily have to, again it’s your choice. 

It’s Tony from LearnAutoBodyAndPaint. Thanks everyone for joining me today in this video entitled, Prepping ECOAT Body Parts, Urethane, and Fiberglass for Paint! 

Please don’t forget to go to my channel – Like my videos, Share and Subscribe! 

If you want to get started with your own custom car project like Jeffrey here, grab your FREE 85-Page Auto Body And Paint Manual.

For a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on DIY auto body work and paint, check out the LearnAutoBodyAndPaint VIP Program and be part of the #BossPainter community.

Talk soon! Cheers! 

Tony

Other Helpful Links:

Learn How To Repair All Body Parts – ABS Plastic Bumper Covers & Body Kits

How To Paint a Car – Auto Bodywork 101 Part 1

Learn Auto Body – BMW Body Kit Body Work Process – Part 8 – Bondo Shaping and Sand Paper Grits

How to Apply Auto Primer: Part of the Bodywork Repair Process

LearnAutoBodyAndPaint: How To Custom Paint & Modify Your Body Kits

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