Cellulose - how long does it last and what can I do about it?

[series2]

Ever since I have had my kit car it has served well, however i have left it alone for the last three years due to being ill, and now I have come back to it and the paint work is need of attention. The car has been left for at least 10 years since it was sprayed with cellulose paint, but now I think know it needs a respray. It appears that it has blisters beneath the colour coat, and you will see that the colour can be lifted off with nothing more than masking tape and that the primer is intact.

Given this, how much would it cost me for a respray in 2K paint?

 

[RWD3M]

Hi @series2

With the greatest of respect, that really is like asking how long is a piece of string.

Way more information is needed. What is the car and what is it made of made of? Will you be doing the prep? Do you plan to go back to bare metal (GRP, CF, etc...)? If so, what condition is that in? How long do you want the new finish to last? And this is just for starters.

BTW, the blisters look like moisture. Remember, the primer was likely just a cellulose high build and that absorbs moisture just for fun!

 

[series2]

Hi RWD3M

Yes, i do understand. I will post pictures of it, but it is mainly steel tube and galvenised steel sheet, the bonnet is made of fibre glass. I did paint it originally so i know the paint is Tetrosyl etch primer, grey primer (not high build), and a top coat of Selemix cellulose. If i could remove the top coat by means of sanding would that leave me with a sound base coat or would I need something more drastic. The car does live outside.

 

[series2]

Sahara is on the right

 

[RWD3M]

Hi RWD3M

Yes, i do understand. I will post pictures of it, but it is mainly steel tube and galvenised steel sheet, the bonnet is made of fibre glass. I did paint it originally so i know the paint is Tetrosyl etch primer, grey primer (not high build), and a top coat of Selemix cellulose. If i could remove the top coat by means of sanding would that leave me with a sound base coat or would I need something more drastic. The car does live outside.

I think I'd be inclined to hit a DA over it to remove all the colour (not worrying too much about the primer) down to at least a sound surface be that metal, primer, grp or gel coat, then epoxy prime it and paint in the 2 pack of your choice.

Ordinarily galv would be acid etched when fresh to give a good key but as long as the etch primer you have on there is still sound then epoxy primer over the top should be ok.

I'm guessing you'll be stripping it down?

 

[series2]

Hi RWD3M

Yes, it doesn't take long to strip it all down, and i can touch up any bare metal areas as needed. my only issue is leaving it in primer for a few weeks exposed to the Warrington air as I don't have a covered area anymore and I need to work on it.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Hi RWD3M

Yes, it doesn't take long to strip it all down, and i can touch up any bare metal areas as needed. my only issue is leaving it in primer for a few weeks exposed to the Warrington air as I don't have a covered area anymore and I need to work on it.

The answer to your question is epoxy primer. Almost whatever the question is!

 

[RWD3M]

Hi RWD3M

Yes, it doesn't take long to strip it all down, and i can touch up any bare metal areas as needed. my only issue is leaving it in primer for a few weeks exposed to the Warrington air as I don't have a covered area anymore and I need to work on it.

Unfortunately the primer you probably have will be porous. You need to get something waterproof on there as soon as you can. Ajd like @ajlelectronics says, epoxy is probably the answer!

 

[series2]

Thanks, you have been very helpful. Can I ask where / who the epoxy primer comes from, and what safety precautions are needed (does it contain isocyanates).

 

[RWD3M]

Thanks, you have been very helpful. Can I ask where / who the epoxy primer comes from, and what safety precautions are needed (does it contain isocyanates).

Your local automotive paint supplier will have the epoxy primer and no it doesn't contain isocyanates. It's the (what's now regarded as old) 2 pack paint that you are toying with using, that does.

 

[ukracer]

Unfortunately the primer you probably have will be porous. You need to get something waterproof on there as soon as you can. Ajd like @ajlelectronics says, epoxy is probably the answer!

Is epoxy 2 pack and is it porus after application.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Is epoxy 2 pack and is it porus after application.

Yes epoxy primer is 2K which means that it is 2 Komponent (German). It doesn't contain isocyanates so is safe to spray with conventional PPE, rather than positive pressure. It is absolutely not porous after it cures. There is no finer primer, especially for difficult substrates like plastics and aluminium. It does away with specialist primers at a stroke. You could prime and then leave it outside for 12 months, wash it, flat it and then apply colour coats directly.

 

[ukracer]

Yes epoxy primer is 2K which means that it is 2 Komponent (German). It doesn't contain isocyanates so is safe to spray with conventional PPE, rather than positive pressure. It is absolutely not porous after it cures. There is no finer primer, especially for difficult substrates like plastics and aluminium. It does away with specialist primers at a stroke. You could prime and then leave it outside for 12 months, wash it, flat it and then apply colour coats directly.

That is the clearest answer I could have got. Many thanks for persevering with me.

 

[RWD3M]

Is epoxy 2 pack and is it porus after application.

What ajl said!