How To Repair Paint on your Corvette

If your Corvette paint needs to be repaired or touched
up, remember that the Corvette is made up of fiberglass reinforced
plastic and treating it like a steel car and using metal paint stripping
techniques on it can cause irreparable damage. You will need several
tools to repair any damage to the paint of your car, whether it’s minor
or major. You will also have to invest some time to complete the
project. Most of the products that are required can be easily obtained
from the local auto body and paint supply stores.

Things You Will Need to Repair the Paint on your Corvette

Some tools that you should keep handy include a file board on which
you have to mount strips of sandpaper, a sanding block around which
sandpaper can be wrapped, a flat plate and a spatula to mix body
fillers.

Other Materials Include:

• A paint mask
• A paint gun
• A compressor that will provide pressure to the paint gun
• A buffer
• Paper towels
• Sandpaper
• Masking tape
• A lacquer thinner to clean your air gun
• Fillers that are short strand fiberglass reinforced
• Rags
• Polishing compounds that include a rubbing compound and a finishing compound
• Heavy duty rubber gloves
• Safety goggles
• De-greaser
• A scrub pad

• Primers and paints

How to Repair the Damage to the Paint of Your Corvette:

Step 1

First the paint has to be stripped. Exert caution and only remove
oxidized and flaky paint that’s not sticking to the car. A Corvette
should be sanded and never chemically stripped or blasted.

Step 2

Wash the surface that needs to be repaired to remove dirt and wipe it
with a wax and grease remover to ensure that the surface is clean of
all dirt and grease.

Step 3

Fix sandpaper to the file board and sand the area to remove the loose
and oxidized paint. When using the file board, always work diagonally
in one direction and then in other till the entire area is covered.

Step 4

Use a sealer to seal the area. When the filler is applied it adheres to the sealer for long lasting repair.

Step 5

The filler should be applied to those areas that need to be filled
up. Allow it to harden before smoothening it out with sandpaper.

Step 6

Then apply a coat of the filler over the entire area that needs to be repaired and smoothen it out with sandpaper.

Step 7

Use an air gun to apply 2 coats of a surface primer and allow it to dry overnight.   

Step 8

Use a guide coat as it can help you spot any imperfections in the
repair job. Remember to only spray a light layer of this guide coat.

Step 9

Sand the guide coat and check for any low spots that require additional sanding. Then sand off the guide coat completely.

Step 10

Once the guide coat is removed, you should have a smooth panel with no defects.

Step 11

Spray some more surface primer on the complete area and another thin
layer of guide coat and repeat the process listed above to ensure that
the repair job is done perfectly.

Step 12

Put a few drops of dishwashing soap in some warm water and soak some
sandpaper in it. Sand the entire area and remove the guide coat.

Step 13

You should then use a scrub pad on the car’s surface. After this a wax and grease remover should be applied to the exteriors.

Step 14

Dry the surface, mask areas that aren’t to be touched up with tape
and spray the basecoat. Wait for half an hour to allow the first coat to
dry out before applying a second coat.

Step 15

Apply the clear coat half an hour after the application of the second
coat. Then apply a second layer of clear coat half an hour after
working on the first coat.

Step 16

After the coats have dried for nearly one day, you will have to
wet-sand the clear coat. Dry with a towel to get a smooth surface.

Step 17

Use rubbing compound with an electric polisher. Be sure to wear
protective goggles and an apron before you use the rubbing compound.

Step 18

Remove all the masking tape applied earlier as the job is now complete.

You can choose to repair the paint on your Corvette yourself, but if
you lack the time and expertise, entrust the job to a professional.
However, it’s important that you regularly wash and wax the car to keep
it in mint condition.