How to paint/prime aluminum front valance BT7

[fishyboy]

Hi all,
I have a new aluminum front valance which I would like to paint (my car has not had one for the 25 years I have owned it).

I have a can of matched top coat, but how do I prep the aluminum?

My plan was to give it a quick sand, clean with a cellulose thinners/acetone and they spray on some acid etch primer before several top coats.

I am not looking for a concourse finish.

What do you all think?

Phil

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I think your approach will work fine.

 

[vette]

Phil, your plan will work. I use a "2k urethane primer". Another option is to spray the clean metal with an Epoxy Primer. then let it dry for a week before you sand it and spray your top coat. Epoxy primer is an extremely strong and sealing type of paint. Its sealing ability will not allow anything to bleed through it. In today's high tech auto body world the recommended procedure is to spray epoxy on the bare metal BEFORE you do any "body work". That means the fillers, etc are put on top of the epoxy paint. In my old school world, we always but the puttys and fillers on the bare metal first then covered the "body work" with the primers. today they want to seal the panels first. Do the work, then build the base again with more sealers and primers to get ready for the top coats. Dave.