I'm fairly new to body work, and I want to do the job right. I am going to start up working on the SSEi again and primer is in my near future for a couple spots. Is there any real difference if I use a spray can primer vs a primer applied by a spray gun, especially if later on it my be sanded down a bit again?

this wont really answer any questions, but on my camaro i have been using spray can primer to prime the body parts so they look decent and all 1 color until i get a professional paint job. I have been priming and then sanding 2 coats on each part with 220 grit, and 400 in some spots.

Please if you plan to keep your car for more than a few years do not use spray can paint on any exterior part.

The cheapest exterior primer I would use would be Dupont Ful-Epoxy primer.
If you have the money you can buy high-end epoxy primers that lacer thinner will not remove.

What is the name of that expensive paint from the Netherlands?

thats why mine is only a temp fix to prevent rust and allow for one solid color. I wouldnt use it for the actual primer for a good paint job. I know autozone sells sprayable primer for paint guns. $39.99 for a good bit.

You can use a spray can...... just make sure it says PPG, or DuPont on it. NOT Duplicolor or Plasticote or Krylon.

PPG and Dupont are canning smaller qty'* of good primer / epoxy primer.

The primer you use depends on the paint you'll use later. Or plan on sanding all the primer off that you rattle can on, then re-prime the whole car.

Spray can Paint jobs are for ricers. , Primers is ok in a spray can for protection between work.

DON'T use a spray can primer! they are not a high build primer and are really only good to give you a uniform color
and this does go for spary canprimes from the big paint companies too... if you look at there'* you will see that they're etch primers which means there only for spraying a LIGHT coat to help with addheastion of what ever will go ontop (all paints, and most primers are not direct-to-metal) the ONLY spray can primer i know that is a high build primer is made by BASF, It is a 2 part primer (primer & hardener) in which you have to break a seal in the can to mixe both parts to use it. but its only good for a day (it will harden in the can) To the best of my knowlage that primer CAN NOT be bought over the counter (profesional use only)


As for the primer you have to use a gun for, DON'T get the crap at the auto parts stores! because when you go to get it painted the painter will HATE YOU!! go to a carquest and get a RM (BASF), PPG, or DuPont primer only. they are the only ones the will not react badly to the solvents in the base coat of the paint process.


As for Application. make sure you feather/backsand your area to be primed with 320grit (no finer) and go atleast 4-6" PAST the outter edge of you repair with the first coat of primer, wait 5mins the allpy the second coat 2" IN from the edge os the last coat (smaller) wait another 5 mins the apply the last coat again 2" in fromn the last coat (smaller again) the last coat should be the same size as the reapir was in the first place Doing that will insure you dont have any excesive build up around the outside to have to sand down and will hep makesure you get no sink rings later on after its painted.


Good luck, and happy priming

thanks for the info..i'm not even going to finish my car now unless i get some real primer

Thanks for all the advise.

I don't want a spray can paint job, but I wasn't sure if intial primer would be an issue out of a can or not. I'll probably se about getting the good stuff and spray it on.

Now that said, I will be doing the work in small bits and won't have the time or money to break out the primer in a paint gun everytime I touch the metal. Isn't there somethign out there that you can spray on unfinshed metal to stop rusting before it gets primed and painted? I thought I saw that on the Poewr Block (spike TV) a while back.