Paint and Body Experts! I have a question!

[GLOCKer]

I purchased a used 3D Carbon GT500 spoiler from a guy off eBay who took it off his car after about 3 months. He ordered it unpainted, and had a local shop paint it for him. They did a horrible job and he took it off the car because the paint was bubbling and peeling.

So how to I strip the paint off of this thing to get it prepped to be repainted? I'm trying to keep costs down (thus purchasing a used spoiler) so anything I can do to prep the spoiler for a body shop to paint it for me would be good. If need be though, I'll spend the money to get it stripped right if it's beyond my capabilities.

What could have caused the paint to fail in the first place? The previous owner mentioned that it started failing after he washed the car. Could that have had anything to do with it? (Too soon? Bad paint? Bad prep?)

And lastly, the spoiler feels like a large hollow cavity. Would there be anything gained by maybe filling it with expandable foam to help it have a little more structure to the inside of it?

Thanks for any info you might be able to provide!

 

[stkjock]

I would contact the body shop who's going to paint it and ask them how you should prep it. You could do "x" method and then bring it to them and have issues, not likely, but possible.

 

[07TR]

Post some pictures of it I want to take a look at it but I'm thinking some wet sanding is in the future for it

 

[v8venomgt]

If you don't pay then to prep it they likely won't warranty the paintwork they apply because they can't control that variable. Ultimately you may wind up in a position of a spoiler having undesirable defects and you'll be in a worse position.

 

[GLOCKer]

I'll post the pictures, hopefully tonight.

Never considered how a body shop might warranty the paint job if they didn't prep it. That sounds like something important to consider!

 

[GLOCKer]

The paint bubbles are actually kind of stiff, like the paint that bubbled is a little thick. Here are some pictures.

 

[mrt2you]

the original body shop probably didn't properly clean the release agents off the spoiler before painting. they also probably base coated over the spoiler without using sealer. this way is OK but a quality sealer will give you a much stronger paint job and the paint will stick much better on any small spots they missed when sanding..
carbon fiber is really similar to fiberglass. instead of fiberglass fibers it has carbon weave and different resins than fiberglass to hold everything together.

the resin holding carbon fiber is usually really thin so use the least aggressive sanding method to remove the paint.
I would first try a strong solvent, I would use lacquer thinner myself, and a scotch brite to wipe the paint off. if it's peeling now most of it should wipe off with a solvent. try sanding the remaining spots off with some 320 grit sand paper.
you could try some oven cleaner to strip the paint off. test a small spot first and don't leave it on long, it can destroy the gel coat of the spoiler. after stripping wipe off any oven cleaner residue with solvent.
after it's stripped leave it out in the sun and get it hot, about 100* or more,for about 1/2 hour. turn it over and do the same to the other side. by getting it hot you are baking the lacquer solvents out of the spoiler that were absorbed during cleaning. you can't leave it out in the sun to long. in this case the longer it sits in the sun the better it is.
after baking scrub it good with strong soap and water, to remove the remaining release agents. I myself would use a whitewall cleaner. after scrubbing, scrub it again and rinse really good.
now bake spoiler again to remove any moisture absorbed by the spoiler.

now that the spoiler is clean sand it with 320 grit sand paper, 400 grit would be better. the spots you can't sand use a red scotch brite to sand.
after sanding it's ready to paint. I would use a quality sealer. I use PPG in the shop where I work at so it be a DPLF epoxy primer thinned out 10% with DT reducer. spray 1 coat, let flash and give it another coat. let that air dry for about 2 hours or bake at 140* for 30 min. DPLF epoxy primer is sold in 5 different colors so use a color closest to the top coat color.
now base coat and clear, I would use DBC base and probably DCU 2020 clear.

 

[travelers]

Go with Skyjock advice.

 

[07TR]

That thing is a mess that needs to be stripped totally and I would do what mrt2you suggested

 

[Kylar]

Even if you got it for free, its not even worth paying to have it painted. You can get a pre-painted gt500 spoiler for $115 shipped on ebay.

Unless you want the bragging rights of saying, under that paint is a carbon fiber spoiler! ....lol

 

[TGR96]

It's not carbon fiber, it's made by a company called 3D Carbon. I have the same spoiler.

OP, you may just be better off getting a proper pre-painted one from 3D Carbon. I got mine from CJPony parts on a Black Friday sale with a forum discount for well under $300. I bet a body shop will charge you close to that to strip and re-paint that one.

 

[GLOCKer]

Even if you got it for free, its not even worth paying to have it painted. You can get a pre-painted gt500 spoiler for $115 shipped on ebay.

Unless you want the bragging rights of saying, under that paint is a carbon fiber spoiler! ....lol

I think that $115 price is for a spoiler for your year-ish car. Mine is a 2014 and different spoiler.

$115 GT500 Spoiler for 2005-2009 Mustangs

$349 2014 GT500 Spoiler Painted

 

[Kylar]

Ah yes i was looking at the 05-09

i found one for $119 though

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAINTED-FOR...014-/141785010097?hash=item21030b8fb1&vxp=mtr


and another for $109

http://www.ebay.com/itm/547-PAINTED...43be980&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=141785010097

 

[TGR96]

Actually neither one of those are GT500 spoilers. They are the premium model spoilers with the back up camera (I assume the back up camera is not included). That is what is on my wife's V6 Premium 'vert. They are a little bigger than the regular ole' V6/GT/Boss spoilers, but not nearly as aggressive as the real GT500 spoiler.

 

[Kylar]

Actually neither one of those are GT500 spoilers. They are the premium model spoilers with the back up camera (I assume the back up camera is not included). That is what is on my wife's V6 Premium 'vert. They are a little bigger than the regular ole' V6/GT/Boss spoilers, but not nearly as aggressive as the real GT500 spoiler.

Ah youre right....those liars....

Well American muscle has a prepainted one for $300 and they have free shipping.

Most paint places will probably wack you $200 on the low end to prep and paint a spoiler.

 

[TGR96]

Ah youre right....those liars....

Well American muscle has a prepainted one for $300 and they have free shipping.

Most paint places will probably wack you $200 on the low end to prep and paint a spoiler.

Yeah, no kidding. Big time false advertising. I almost bought one before I found my 3d carbon deal.