Respraying spitfire bonnet

[hyperhale]

Its been many years since I last sprayed a panel on a car and the largest area attempted has been the back wing of a ford sierra estate, a fair area but nothing like the size of the spitfires bonnet.

I had a few minor repairs to do to the spitfires wheel arches and bonnet nose and decided to respray the whole bonnet as the previous owner doesn't appear to have prepped the bonnet that well (dust trapped under the top coat) although the paintwork is really sound.

I have wet sanded the bonnet back, epoxy primed the small areas of bare metal on the nose and arches but am after advice on whether to just prime the repaired areas and blend into the prepped top coat then spray fresh top coat or is it wiser to completely spray the whole bonnet in primer?

I guess this will give me a good base for the top coats but ill be spraying grey primer on the flattened red top coat then back to red......

[Rosslin Racing]

what type of paint is on the bonnet? do a test will it wipe off with a cloth soaked in thinners? if so you will be best to remove that or barcoat it. I dont favour the later.
use 320 dry sand the whole surface degrease and prime I would use a 2K system like Upol spray filler primer give that 3 coats. once dry dust a light coat of black or a dark colour not red. and I mean dust not cover. once dry block sand with 400 dry until you have removed your dusting coat ( that will show you if your have dents scratches etc. if so stopper them and sand once dry. degrease/dust and apply your top coat I would go COB but solid colour is ok agian 2k. I would like to point out that modern paints are a hazard to yours and others health and can kill you within a short time!, not the sort of thing you sould be spraying at home unless you have a good ventalation system and breathing equipment.

[RobPearce]

I'd always go back to bare metal and begin again. Any remaining old paint will have the potential to:
- be incompatible with your new paint, causing it to blister or wrinkle
- be soluble in your thinners, causing the edges to lift and wrinkle
- soak up the thinners causing that coat of paint to dry powdery
- hide all sorts of nasties that will creep out over the next couple of years