I know that there is an excellent forum here for paint and body but I wonder if it would be ok to also have a general thread for idiots, (me), who are rank beginners and want to learn how to prep and paint cars? I know that there is a lot of knowledge and experience here on OT.
I plan on also asking questions on the other forum but this might be a better place for the old, "this is a football" type questions that I need answers for. I think that I've asked a couple of times before and gotten advice on what type of spray gun and compressor I would need to start out but I can't find the thread. I've watched YT videos and I really want to learn how to paint, I think I could become good at it. I'll never know if I don't try.
I have access to a booth to rent in LA but need to learn a lot first. I have a general sense of bodywork and getting a car straight before paint, I'll start off with a question about proper substrate; when is it better to leave some factory finish on and when is it better to sand/strip down to bare metal? Is it always better to start w bare metal? I've heard that the factory underlying primer on many cars is superior to whatever you would be using...not sure where and when that is true. I'm dealing right now with 1980s and '90s Mercedes-Benz cars, so the factory primer and paint was excellent.
I'll post pics of the cars.