Dent repair/ paint problems

tguil · 08-01-03, 06:58

Are there any paint/body repair experts out there? With 12,154 members of this forum there have to be a few.

It is Friday evening and I have just picked up my black 2003 Dodge hemi from the body shop. I had a minor dent (over $500) repaired at the top of a door. The repair was made and base coat was applied in the area of the repair and then the WHOLE door was clearcoated. The door handle, rearview mirror, all of the moldings and all emblems were removed to insure a quality, lasting repair. SURE!

This is a shop that I have gone to for thirty years. Yes, I have had to go back on several occasions to have things that were not quite right fixed. But still it is one of the best in town.

Two problems. The first -- the repair shows because the painter or perhaps the tech that removed the dent did not “feather” the repair correctly. Can this problem be corrected without stripping all the moldings, etc. off and reapplying clearcoat to the entire door? Can the repair/repainting just be done in the area of the original repair? I don’t want a door with too many layers of paint on it.

The second problem. The entire truck is covered with clearcoat overspray – windshield, hood, roof, maybe more. I think that they were careless and did not mask correctly or else it was too close to another job. The work was done in a paint booth. I’m sure that the clearcoat was PPG urethane. The shop will have to get it off. Will clay remove this overspray? I know that is what it was designed for, but I’m just not sure. How else might the folks at the shop attempt to remove the overspray? What should I insist that they not do?

I know this is going to be on my mind all weekend. I would very much appreciate any suggestions you might have before I talk to the shop manager at 7:00 a.m. on Monday.

Tom

Guitarman · 08-02-03, 02:13

The area of the repair that shows poor feathering is under the newly blended basecolor of course, so the only remedy is to wetsand the area again, and flatten/feather it correctly, then blend the basecolor again over that and reclear the entire door. Basically doing the first repair procedure over again. They CAN use a melt -in clear for just that spot(negating the need to reclear the entire door), but it will still require they fix the feathering problem the way I described. FWIW, there is no amount of additional clear over top of the problem that will solve it. A "good" shop can likely spot in the repair without removing the mirror etc. but they have to take their time and mask well for that to happen.

You're still allright with the amount of paint on the truck- you needn't worry yet. If you had to have another repair done 6 months from now, they might want to strip it down to metal and start over to be safe, but a couple extra layers of base/ clear at this point-no worries from my painting/ blending experience.

As far as the overspray, well, there are special clays of different composition that are made for such situations, but...catalyzed urethane enamel is a different beast than acrylic enamel and lacquer, much harder and more stubborn because there's a chemical reaction where it actually sinks into the existing clear, actually becoming part of it. Their options are limited and a couple not so digestible;

Clay is safest option (aside from solvents) , but probably won't work well because of the nature of clear catalyzed urethane.

Compounding and/or wetsanding will remove some of the factory finish, but will get it if done properly. They should provide proof of their ability to do this right, because you're at Autopia means you know how badly things can get when buffing is done by the inexperienced.

There are no "safe" solvents that will remove it EASILY, at least none that I am aware of. Maybe somone else can chime in on that one. If they want to take some lacquer thinner to it, run away! It can cause checking and cracking in many brands of urethane clear, from only one application. It won't happen right away either, but months down the road, when holding them liable and proving it will require a lawyer of Johnny Cochran's abilities.

Best of luck, don't quit till you get satisfaction of some kind.

tguil · 08-02-03, 06:52

Guitarman,

Thanks for the very complete reply. I had assumed that the repair would require the work you outlined. (I didn't want to accept it though.)

I was not aware that the oversparay would require such an aggressive treatment. When they are done removing the overspray on the factory paint, I guess the surface will be ready for the Blackfire that I have been wanting to try.

Tom

Guitarman · 08-02-03, 09:19

Happy to assist...

It won't be very difficult for them to block the clear flat in that spot, blend in some basecolor, and re-clear. much less involved compared to the 1st repair, so don't fret too much.

I'm sure they've had to deal with overspray before, so think positive. Cheers.

BTW-They're nice trucks, especially in black

tguil · 08-06-03, 05:46

The overspray was just a light mist from drift in the shop. It was a hot day and the shop doors were open. (The temperature and humidity might have had something to do with the messed up repair too.) The shop manager is positive that clay will take off the overspray. The truck is in the shop and has been block sanded and maybe even painted by now. They stripped off all the moldings and emblems again. The painter will attempt to blend the clear but if that doesn't work he will immediately clear the whole door. The concern is "matching" the factory orange peel.

Tom

Lost Pup · 08-06-03, 07:36

Assuming you allow them to make repairs, show up with a small ladder and a camera and a body checklist.( stop at any car rental shop for one ).

Take your time and inspect the vehicle carefully top to bottom in full view of the shop. Take pictures if possible and record any problems on the checklist , date it and have the Manager sign it as well. Provide a copy to them. I know you are serious but by reducing it to written form and presenting to them you are a step above the rest.

tguil · 08-07-03, 07:02

My truck is sitting in the paint booth overnight. Four days in the shop. They were sort of busy I guess. They also were very darned careful. The painter decided to reclear the whole door. I hope there is not too much paint on it now. I'll know tomorrow afternoon. Well whatever, I have a "lifetime" guarantee from the shop on the paint.

After the paint is totally cured (60-90 days)will DAP or 3M Finesse applied to the whole side pretty much take care of slight differences in orange peel from the factory paint to the new paint? If not, can the shop take care of this with a rotary buffer?

Tom

Guitarman · 08-10-03, 01:08

They will have to block it/wet sand (or dry sand with 3m D/A discs) to match up the orange peel, buffing or compounding won't flatten it out as well. Either way, they should know how to make it match with the oem orange peel perfectly, since they encounter this all the time in their work.

Best of luck.

tguil · 08-10-03, 01:44

It's going to have to be sanded. Should the urethane have time to set up for a while or can it be done right away? The area that needs the sanding is the flat part of the door under the window. It sort of ripples a little. There must be at least 4 coats of body shop clear on this section.

The repair itself is perfect.

I for sure an not going to have more painting done!

Tom