This article deals with teh very basics of restoration and restorative painting techniques. Neither an exhaustive text on the subject or an all-encompassing article, it is intended to give you the foundational knowlege required to create a good looking and long lasting paint job.

A. Materials Required:

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1. Sand Paper
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2. Scraper
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3. Paint
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4. Body Filler
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5. Glazing Putty
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B. Part Surface Preparation Prior to Paint Application:

General Process Steps:

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1. Remove Surface rust and old paint back to bare metal
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2. Completely sand the entire part surface using 320 grit dry sand paper
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3. Clean surface with Acetone
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4. Repair any large metal damage requiring welding and sand smooth with 320 grit dry sand paper
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5. Repair any surface pitting or dents with "Bondo"  (or any automotive body filler) and sand smooth with 320 grit dry sand paper
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6. Clean surface with Acetone
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7. Apply a light, even coated of primer to highlight any remaining surface defects
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8. Fill any small surface imperfections using glazing compound
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9. Give the part two additional coats of primer in order to cover part evenly and sand smooth with 320 grit dry sand paper and a sanding block.
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10. Clean the entire part using Acetone
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In order to prepare your parts for refinishing all paint and runst must be removed from the surface. There are many ways to remove these materials, including sand blasting, media blasting, sanding, scraping, wire wheeling. Regardless of the method used, the metal must be sanded down with 320 grit sandpaper in order to give the prime something to "bite" into and hold it to the surface. A completely smooth surface WILL NOT hold primer or paint. Surface irregularities must exist in order to secure the coating to the surface. A more course grit (less than ~320 grit, i.e. 220 grit) will leave surface scratches deeper than the coating will be able to fill, while grits smaller than ~320 grit (i.e. 400 or higher) will not be deep enough to allow the coating to adhere well.