Lead, Bondo, or both?

sballard · 05-22-2011, 07:37 PM

I've often seen accounts of guys removing lead filler when stripping the paint off of our P-cars and replacing it will plastic filler. My question is "Do we have to remove the lead when stripping the paint?" I am currently stripping the paint off the windshield frame and there is lead filler in abundance in the crevices. Do I need to remove this and replace with fresh lead or plastic filler? Further, can I just layer the plastic filler over the original layer of lead or is this a problem?

What is the preferred polyester/plastic filler for replacing lead? I assume that the typical filler is not appropriate since you need something with greater strength that you can lay on thicker. Is "Metal-to-Metal" appropriate?

962porsche · 05-24-2011, 03:45 PM

the 1st thing i would need to know is just how your striping the finish off ? but for the most part if there is no body rot under the lead then you can leave it on the car . if you need to do body work over lead then the lead will need to be isolated . that is you will have to spray a coat or two of a catalyzed E-primer down 1st then do your body work over that . if you sand thru the e- primer and open up the lead when your doing your body work you will need to reprime over the spot of lead before you apply more body filler . on most cars were they lead seams the amount of plastic body filler you would need to fill the void would be way to much for body filler to handle . applying body filler that thick it would just crack over time .

sballard · 05-25-2011, 04:47 AM

I am using Aircraft paint stripper to remove the paint and PPG epoxy primer. I had to do some repair at the bottom corners of the windshield frame. I was surprised to find a layer of lead in the frame which I had to partially remove. I know that some here use non-lead filler to fill the gap between the outer rocker panel and the latch posts, which should be a pretty thick patch. I seem to recall that filler is typically fiberglass reinforced. Would that stuff be OK to lay on the windshield frame, or is it best to just lay on more lead?

haycait911 · haycait911's Garage

I use 3M 8115 panel bond as a smear coat over bare lead, sand, then filler if needed. sticks like crazy, difficult to sand through, and isolates the lead. don't put more lead on the car.

sballard · 06-01-2011, 10:09 AM

haycait911-

Does your advice for not adding more lead have to do with potential toxicity issues or are there other concerns? I've already done some lead work on the rockers, but I was not crazy about it.

962porsche · 06-05-2011, 07:38 PM

if you don't want it to srink in down the road you will need an isolating coat or two of a E-primer . then do any body work over the e-primer . if you sand down to the lead when your doing your body work its ok just spray an other coat of e-primer over the bare lead before you apply more filler . because your using a paint stripper sand the lead realy good 1st . the lead is soft so it will soak up some of the stripper in the top mill or so of the lead . there are body fillers like USC's pro7 that will stick to lead and zink but its best to just spray a coat or two of catalyzed e-primer 1st .