Sanding B5 body panels

[B5NUT]

Looking for some advice on sanding down body panels, and just wondered if there is anyone on here with bodyshop experience. There is no damage to the panels it's just someone has down a pi$$ poor job on them before, it looks like they were done with a rattle can and a blindfold! Do I go down the bare metal or just take the top paint off? Also whAt do you recommend to sand the panels down with.

 

[Sulli79]

If its all smooth and no flakey paint, a reasonably aggressive scotchbrite pad should be enough. Are you painting it yourself? If not ask the bodyshop doing the work some are pretty helpful with the advise if you doing your own prep to reduce costs.

also I reckon YouTube will have stacks of how to vids

 

[Bradderz_1988]

All you need to do is as above use a scotch pad till its to a matte look finish with no laquer visible (no shine at all) use panel wipes to get rid off the crap and if theres any deep chips, sand with 1000 grit paper till almost smooth then finish of with 2000 grit but go over that area so its levelled out in that area !!

 

[B5NUT]

I'm doing it myself, I've painted a few panels but they have been new. Just wondered if I should take it back to metal, or just take the top coat off. Also what is the best machine to do the sanding, I have a 150 litre compressor, which I mainly use for blasting & painting.

 

[Sulli79]

I haven't done much myself but I have found that doing it by hand was better for me as with a machine I took too much off on curved areas.
I wouldn't personally go to bare metal unless treating rust