How can I save a "Diamond in the rough"

[bf5011]

Hi folks, we're new 2 this board. Finally had 2 replace my old 95 Astro van. Just picked up an '03 w/78k, & all the bells & whistles I been lookn 4 like all wheel disk brakes, dutchies, rear a/c & heat, keyless Int. , cruise & auto headlights, am fm cd, 16" rims, etc. etc. etc. She runs great & tracks straight with no internal or external noises & her vehicle records indicate a clean bill of health & a 2 owner. At a sale price of $4500, & after 18 months of lookin, i'm tickeled. There is one troubling problem that explains the low price. The last owner did not like her white color so he painted her ( R-U ready for this?) "BLACK"!!!!! Now I never was too fond of white rides myself, & I don't have a problem with shiney black cars as long as it aint WHITE under the black. She already has a few parking lot dings on each side (which are barely visible @ a distance of 1 & 1/4miles. To make things worse he was not even as good as the average JACKWAGON JACKLEG back yard auto painter. His work of art makes the cheapest version of "EARLE" or MACO look like a "REMBRANT" !! The factory white was not even scuffed with a
fine grade of wet-or-dry (to enhance adhesion). I stood on the back bumper & noticed some irregular areas in the surface back @ the extreme rear end of the top, like some trash under the black. When I scratched @ it with my fingernail, the black paint peeled about an inch long & half an inch wide, exposing the original (glossy) white. Oh by the way, none of the jams or under the hood are black. That I knew b-4 I bought her. Now I need some skilled body painters advice. I need several questions answered & some honest advice. Since there is poor adhesion between the original white & the jackleg black, does all of the black have to come off & if so what is the best method to use, sanding, peeling, or can it be desolved with a solvent (keep in mind I aint got a clue what kind of paint the black or the white, for that matter, is. If it is repainted properly, does it have to be white again? Is it possible for me to have her repainted without having as much in the paint job as the vehicle?
A little advice from some of you do-it-yourself experts to a 70yr "OldFool" would be greatly APPRECIATED!
Thanks in advance,
Bill/ fishing aboard the "RETIRED HOOKER"

[Kidhauler]

Welcome to the board. I would check with a local body shop most will do a free quote on a job. The black will have to come off for sure if it flakes that easy anything you put on top would not stick. A guy in highschool had a similar paint job and we used a pressure washer on some of it and then a chemical peel and a putty knife took the rest down to factory paint.

[Smiliesafari]

I agree.........and welcome to the site. All of the old paint has to be removed. There are several methods to consider. Check with a few paint shops in your area to get a general consensus as to which may be the best. Any way you look at it, it isn't going to be cheap. Like everything, "you get what you pay for".

[doyoulikeithere]

I've always said...
"It aint the fashion, it's the Function, that counts"
Carry around a black rattle can and hit the white spots

No matter what color or what you do, you will get more door dings and such in parking lots.

Save your money.

Oh, and Hey, welcome to the site..
Very nice deal on such a new van with all the goodies!
Got any pics of this wonderfull paint? I drove a red van with one blue door all last winter.
It was very reliable and got me everywhere I needed to go.

[thegreenmachine]

my van has a primer grey fender......

[doyoulikeithere]

I painter the roof of the red van with the blue door. The roof was fading bad, so I rolled on some flat black, looks good enough, I'm thinking of doing it all. with a roller. Lol...

[1Gary]

Of course it depends on how much depth you want to put into the paint work.This thread is about repair work and paint.Hope it inspires you to get-er-done right.

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