64 CHEVY HIGH PERFORMANCE II NOVEMBER 2019
Get Great Paint!
05 | The first cut
with filler should
be a cheese grater
like this one or
ultra-coarse 40- to
80-grit paper. Then,
cutting toward a
transition to 120- to
240-grit as you
work the surfaces.
06 | Once you get past
the heavy-duty grunt
work of filler and surface
irregularities it’s time for
the final guidecoat, which
helps fine-tune the surface.
A guidecoat looks like this
with a light dusting of black
spray paint. The guidecoat
reveals low and high spots
as you work the surface.
You will see the high and
low spots immediately when you start wet blocking.hard as a rock. Otherwise, expect to
take your bodywork down to raw steel
and begin with a good self-etching
primer/sealer to start off. We prefer
to see pure raw steel followed by a
phosphoric acid etch body wash before
the primer/sealer is applied. Phosphoric
acid etches the surface, promoting
good paint adhesion and corrosion
resistance. Once you have etched the
surface, perform a Dawn dish soap
wash with Scotch-Brite to rough up
the surface, then blast the surface and
seams with a pressure washer followed
by compressed air to remove all
01 | We’re working with a 1969 Chevy Nova that suffered from extensive rust.
Joel Rode of Hot Rod Specialties has replaced all of the rusted sheetmetal and
extensively worked the body to the stage it is here, ready for final prep and paint.
02 | Getting great paint calls for discipline, tenacity, and the right tools. You
need short, medium, and long sanding boards and blocks depending on the type
of surface you will be preparing. Long boards are good for broad surfaces where
you’re cutting a large area. Medium and short boards and blocks are good for
smaller areas. You will also want a broad selection of sandpaper grits ranging
from 40- to 80-grit for heavy cutting all the way to super-fine 1,000- to 1,500-
grit for the home stretch.03 | Joel performs the
initial cutting of primer/
surfacer with 80- to
120-grit to find the low
and high spots. Filler is
applied as necessary
in the low spots, and
then more cutting is
performed with 240- to
400-grit. For shallow
irregularities, apply a
filler primer such as
Chromapremier PRO
Productive Primer
Filler 33430S that is
compatible with your
paint.
04 | One of the biggest mistakes we see
in bodywork is the use of the wrong filler or
improper mixing of filler and hardener. Follow the
manufacturer’s directions to the letter and mix
the filler and hardener thoroughly before applying.
We’re using Evercoat Z-Grip lightweight filler.moisture and contaminants.
You want to clad the body in
primer/sealer immediately to prevent
surface rust, which will happen right
away in a damp climate. Steel is more
forgiving in a dry climate, but not for
long. Before applying primer/sealer,
take compressed air and blow off all
surfaces and seams, working with a
tack (static) cloth. Once your primer/
sealer foundation has been applied
and has cured, you’re ready to perform
surface prep.
Follow the paint manufacturer’s
instructions to the letter becausegood paint is all about chemistry and
following instructions. We’re using
Axalta Cromax finishes on our third-
gen Nova restomod project, paying
very close attention to the instructions.
Because today’s automotive finishes
consist of paint and a catalyst to
cure the paint, we know to mix in just
the right amount of catalyst for the
environment or the results will be less
than satisfactory.
Today’s automotive finishes work
in a similar fashion to body filler. The
catalyst we add to the paint is like the
hardener mixed into body filler to make