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MG MGB Technical - Painting Shell

Should all the old BL paint be removed from the external body panels of the shell ( 1980 Rubber Bumper) prior to painting.

One opinion says blast the entire panel areas, another says blast the edges, then use paint remover to strip the panels.

Which is the better and/or safer technique.

Another opinion was that all the old paint should be removed regardless, because if the old paint remains on the panels, it will affect the new paint, at some stage, in the future.

The shell is in overall good condition, just rusty at the margins, but does need painting.
mark smith

Hi mark
I am in the same boat as you. I want my 69 GT resprayed. I have been shopping around to find out how much and what i will get done for that amount of money. I wounder if any body could give me some advice as to how much i should pay and what i can expect for that amount of money. Should i get them to strip the old paint right off or just rub it back and put a new coat of paint on it.
Thanks in advance Andy.
andrew

In the U.S. for complete down to shell and reinstall all parts usually is $10,000 plus parts.
Complete paint where all trim is removed, windshield,undercarraige detailing, minor body dents etc., about $5000.
Repaint over existing paint with proper priming and finishing, $1000.
Paint & materials if you do it your self are probably over $500 US.
jim mindy

Same problem I had when I was rebuilding my '69. Got quotes from between $1000 to $15,000.

There was one fellow that said he could do a crappy job for $3000 or a half decent job for $5000. If I wanted a great job, $15,000. Needless to say I didn't use him. I explained to each shop I visited that I just wanted all my panels to match with the same color (BRG) and something that would last at least five years as the car was not to be a show queen.

I managed to tie one guy down to $1,200 if I took out all chrome and interior. He fixed a few shallow waves in the panels, primered over the existing 30 year old paint and gave me 5 coats enamel and 2 coats clear. Came out nice. He painted the exterior, interior, trunk and engine compartment as well.

You have to shop around and it does take time. Find out what it is that they are quoting you for and take as look at their previous work. One guy quoted that doing the door jambs was extra!

Be aware that most paint shops don't like to do business in restoration of older cars. Their bread and butter is repair of easier newer model cars through insurance companies. Most of these clients of theirs don't really mind if the colors don't exactly match or if panels are not precisley gapped. We, as clients, are a little more finickey and our cars are a little more complicated. These shops also seem to be a littel shy about working on an older car (at least here in Miami).

Anyway, I've rambled enough. The above is just my own theory which I came to after trying for a year to have my own car painted. By the way my car had no rust or dents after I was done replacing 80% of the panels and sills (by myself, not the shop).

Cheers,

Luis
Luis

My MGB was rebuilt about 7 years ago and the paintwork was becomeing very scrappy, althought the metal itself was not infected with rot.
I found a garage local to me in Oxford (UK) who did a complete re-spray including removing all brightwork, screen, etc and charged me £800. They have done a really good job and I am very pleased with the result.
E;MAil me for their address, etc.
T Green

I would reckon to pay around £1500 for a full respray on an MGB to a decent standard using modern paints.
Chris at www.octarine-services.fsnet.co.uk

Luis,You were saying that you replaced all your sills,etc yourself....what kinda pitfalls can you pass on.I'm about to embark on that project.Thanks, Rich
rich osterhout

Rich, Where are you in Ohio? I'm in Northern KY, and I am also about to go through this. Maybe we can share in our misery!
Bud Goetzinger

Bud,I'm in Toledo,Ohio.I'am the orginial owner of my 72 mgb,it has 52,000 miles on her,and is in pretty darn good shape,with exception of a not so good rocker,and i want to replace the floor pans.Thanks for responding back,we will stay in touch,richosterhout@hotmail.com. Hear from you later.....rich
rich osterhout

Bud & Rich,

My best advise is to get Lindsey Porter's book on MG restoration and Practical Classic's guide to MG restoration. Both books are pretty good. Read and re-read them.

The most critical step in the process in doing both sills is to do them one at a time. Strip one side and support it evenly. Some weld a bar across the top of the opening to help stabilize the body. Not too critical in a GT but crutial in a roadster.

Fender has to come off to replace sill and the rear dogleg section must be cut off as well. Did all my cuts with a pneumatic wheel cutter, gave very good results, no distortions. Remember, the sills consist of three to four different sections and don't forget to replace the jack support on the inside of the sill. Keep your welds steady and I would further advise the use of some weldable metal primer (with zinc) on the inside parts while they are open.

Measure twice and cut once.

That said, it was a hell of a job. Don't want to ever do it again. So says the wife as well after I almost burned the garage down. Oh, make sure you keep a fire extinguisher handy (I'm glad I did!).

Good Luck
Luis

Hi Mark,
Back to your question, AFAIK its best to strip off all the old paint. This way you're sure to be putting your primer down on good clean, corrosion free metal. You're also sure that there won't be any reaction between the old paint/primer and the new paint/primer. The old stuff, which I'm sure was very good in its day and has held up well in a lot of cars I've pulled apart is, after all, a 20-40 y.o. formula so its going to be a gamble as to how compatible it is w/ modern paint systems.
As to blasting around the edges versus stripping all over the panel, I don't know. I've always just used a chemical stripper all around. Some people say you shouldn't do this because the stripper gets stuck in crevices and will reemerge to haunt you. Thats something I've only read about because I'm careful and generous with the wax and grease remover.
I have heard that sandblasting will distort the panels; you need to use plastic media or baking soda. But don't think you're ready to spray after that process, baking soda will not take off any rust and I don't think plastic will do a very good job either. Another problem with blasting is that, as with any blasting, the dust gets EVERYWHERE. I wouldn't think about doing it myself in my own garage. Think about all the crevices and holes, etc. in an MGB that would fill up with dust from the process that would need to be cleaned up so you didn't end up with a non-skid surface on your car. That's another big job right there. I'd talk to whoever does the blasting, if you go that route, about cleanup. I don't know what they usually do in that respect, but I do know that the dust will get into far more spots than stripper from a DIYer will.
Good Luck, Wade
Wade Keene

I just got my 75 shell back from the local blaster last week!! This is the second car I have stripped and had blasted. The first was a combo sand and plastic media to bare metal and prime. Cost $1100 in 92 and was better than my experience with sand blasting total car(TR4) which did end up warping the rear scuttle a bit.
This latest project was given baking soda and sand blast for $1000 plus $160 towing so prices seem to have remained in line. Believe me I have done the chemical route and scraped underbody goo till I was delerious. Pay the man the $1000 and see your cowpie turned into a birthday cake!!! ALL interior trunk and underbody paint and remaining undercoat is GONE and the primed shell is a thing of beauty!! I built a rotisserie from some 2x10 and 4x4's in order to do outer sill replacements, door skins,floors, inner rear wings,lower rear fenders including flaring, addition of "tophats" ala RV8 to the rear spring mounts as well as traction bar mounts. I am also thinking of the additional cross member to the front of the pan.
I am installing a 3.4 liter V6 with Bill Guzman's kit as well as Camaro V8 5 speed and dana 44 posi rear end from a postal jeep.Should go like stink!
The hint above about weldable primer is a good one. I have also used Eastwood's Corroless and POR treatments inside the panels with good success.
The guy who did my body recommends spraying hydraulic oil on all seams and inside cavities once all body and paint work is done. He swears by it over any type of rustproof or waxoil type product.
When I hear $15,000 dollars for a strip and paint I gotta laugh. Sills cost $1500 to $2000 and the plastic or soda can be used on a rolling stripped body to produce an outstanding finished project for less than $10,000 or even less with good ole sweat equity.
Thomas Rynne

This thread was discussed between 25/09/2001 and 28/09/2001

MG MGB Technical index

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