Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Painting and Sanding Essentials

Okay, so my hood is flaking down to bare metal pretty rapidly and I really don't want it to rust in these winter conditions before I'm able to do a paint or bedliner job on the jeep. Is there anything I can coat it with in the meantime that will set up in colder temperatures or some type of wrap just to get me to warmer days? I was going to do etch primer but that needs about 20 degrees warmer than what we have here currently.

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I know I offered a long and detailed post advocating for just roughing up the existing paint, but it was kinda based on having a reasonably decent foundation underneath, with just a few isolated chips. I don't know what's going on with this but I'm not sure I'd trust any of that existing paint at all. It looks like complete coating failure, like someone already took it down to bare metal and then didn't do anything right.

I stand behind not using 80 grit but if you have to take the whole car down to bare metal and start over, you're gonna need faster material removal than you'll get with 400.
 
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I know I offered a long and detailed post advocating for just roughing up the existing paint, but it was kinda based on having a reasonably decent foundation underneath, with just a few isolated chips. I don't know what's going on with this but I'm not sure I'd trust any of that existing paint at all. It looks like complete coating failure, like someone already took it down to bare metal and then didn't do anything right.

I stand behind not using 80 grit but if you have to take the whole car down to bare metal and start over, you're gonna need faster material removal than you'll get with 400.

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Dry the hood and use a scraper to pull off all the lifted paint. Don't gouge the metal.

Warm small areas of the hood with a heat gun or hair dryer.

Once the area is warm to the touch, hit it will some spray primer.

When the primer dries, warm the area again and hit it with a topcoat.

It isn't going to look good, but it will keep the rust at bay until you can fix it properly.
 
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Thanks, guys. I'll try to get it peeled and sanded with 400(?) then get it warm enough inside to spray with a primer just to protect it until I'm ready to do the full paint job. Wish it would warm up a bit! 😅

I've attached a document with paint procedures and a few pics of my paint projects. If it helps DM me and I could give you my number and talk through the project.

One more point to add to all that's been said. If you want it matte finish you still need to use a 2k clear at the end. Otherwise the durability will not be very good at all.

Half doors and the panel around the grille on the fender.

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I've attached a document with paint procedures and a few pics of my paint projects. If it helps DM me and I could give you my number and talk through the project.

One more point to add to all that's been said. If you want it matte finish you still need to use a 2k clear at the end. Otherwise the durability will not be very good at all.

Half doors and the panel around the grille on the fender.

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Thanks, I appreciate it! That red looks awesome 🤘
 
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I'm not sure if the paint is the same everywhere as the hood but I would assume it is. I think it's just two layers of paint and then bare metal. There's the purple and then a teal green they did before that. What grit would I need to get it down to the metal since there's likely not primer on the rest of the body?

I kind of wish it was just all flaking up so I could scrape it off, might be easier if that was the case. I assume I'd need to sand the metal with something light to get it ready for a primer or bedliner so this flaking doesn't happen again.
 
Actually, now that I'm thinking of it, I think maybe they did use some primer on the rest of the body. In the couple of spots where the paint chipped off, there's a plain white/grey layer and then the bare metal that has rusted a bit under that.

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I assume I'd need to sand the metal with something light to get it ready for a primer or bedliner so this flaking doesn't happen again.
you need to remove grease,silicon,etc.anything that will keep the paint from sticking.its a good idea to wash your hands often with heavy duty dish soap like dawn and be very careful not to touch your face,food and other contaminants(like your phone) while sanding.and touch the sanded surface as little as possible. some light sanding or scuffing of bare metal is good and then etch prime.
 
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I'm not sure if the paint is the same everywhere as the hood but I would assume it is. I think it's just two layers of paint and then bare metal. There's the purple and then a teal green they did before that. What grit would I need to get it down to the metal since there's likely not primer on the rest of the body?

I kind of wish it was just all flaking up so I could scrape it off, might be easier if that was the case. I assume I'd need to sand the metal with something light to get it ready for a primer or bedliner so this flaking doesn't happen again.

If there is paint on the surface that is supposed to function as your primer. i.e. there's no reason to remove paint down to bare metal just to put a primer on.

Sanding usually begins with 120 or 220 and you work up to 320 and then 400. Don't go any finer. You want the color to bite on the underlying paint or primer.
 
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If there is paint on the surface that is supposed to function as your primer. i.e. there's no reason to remove paint down to bare metal just to put a primer on.
unless the existing paint is coming off like on his hood. or you suspect poor paint practices or poor quality paint.or it starts to lift from the solvent in the new paint.

For a rattlecan job i wouldn't strip the whole jeep. But you can bet i would remove every inch of that pink if i was doing a real paint job on that jeep.
 
unless the existing paint is coming off like on his hood. or you suspect poor paint practices or poor quality paint.or it starts to lift from the solvent in the new paint.

For a rattlecan job i wouldn't strip the whole jeep. But you can bet i would remove every inch of that pink if i was doing a real paint job on that jeep.

I'd start the sanding with 120 and anywhere there was paint chipping I'd sand until it feathered the surface in with the paint that was no longer chipping away. Then I'd move on to 220, 320 and 400. Any paint that can withstand that process has good adhesion.
 
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I got a torch, some fine sandpaper for the bare metal, a plastic scraper, and etch primer. I really wish I had got a metal scraper instead or some razor blades because even though the flaking parts came up easily, the rest of the hood paint isn't really coming up with the scraper. It seems like it's too thick to get under the paint layer.

I haven't tried using the torch to get the paint off yet, I just got that to heat up the hood to be able to paint the metal since its been cold out but maybe that would help. Of course, it's going to rain the next three days now that my hood is exposed 😅 Maybe sanding the paint and using a stripper would be a better option, I don't know.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator