Repainting the 914: Down to metal, always?, Curious to get your thoughts Options

[horizontally-opposed]

So I'm curious to see what the collected wisdom and experience here says -- and I'd like to hear from those who are NOT/have NOT stripped the car of every part for a "rotisserie" style restoration.

This is for those of us with running, driving 914s considering a paint job yet less than enthusiastic about disassembling the whole car.

I'd especially like to hear from Dr. 914 and others who have restored multiple 914s over time and seen how the paint jobs held up. Is a rust bubble the kiss of death for all surrounding metal?

Thanks, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

pete

[TJB/914]

My paint process was very similiar to JK76.914 in Massachusetts. My goal was to save as much money as possible by doing some things myself. I had a body man working out of his home garage & was able to support him by taking parts to outside services for paint removal. I took the engine lid, hood & trunk lids, doors, rocker panels, splash pans & anything sheet metal to a local paint removal dipping operation for paint removal. They dipped the parts for paint removal & dipped in a neturalizing solution which I highly reccommend. My body man stripped all exterior sheet metal to bare metal. We didn't remove any orig. paint inside cavities like the (2) trunks, engline compartment, gas tank area & only some of the interior areas like the floor. My 914 was rust free so things worked out very well. After all sheet metal pcs came back from the dipping operation we used a metal etching primer (I think DP-40) primer on all the cars bare metal surfaces. This metal etching primer is a must do before the paint process begains. Be sure to follow the mfg's instructions to the letter. Along the way during metal straightening I used an Indian Ink wash (see Photo) to show low spots in the lasher straight finish.

Summary:
I believe I was able to save lots of labor costs by taking removable pcs. to be acid dipped saving lots of labor costs. I also believe don't do a thing to interior surfaces because the factory paint systems are good. Only remove exterior paint surfaces to bare metal.

Tom
BTW: The painting of my restoration was one of the most flusterating tasks of my restoration. Went through the paint guys divorce, sickness, job loss & finally he ended up stealing money from me. I trusted him at the paint store to bill me direct for paint supply's he said he needed. He painted a few Harley's on my money. The best part, I got a beautiful professional paint job & no longer talk or reccommend this paint guy. Painter's are wierd people!!!