How to remove this *ugly* touch-up paint?

[pr0digy25]

Family member just recently picked up an `01 Porsche Boxster... nice car, except for the touch-up job the previous owner tried to do when the garage door caught the rear bumper. Definitely looks worse than the damage, colours don`t even match.

No idea how long the pain has been there...t ried giving it a go with the Langka, but barely removed any. Don`t want to wet-sand... not comfortable with that. I`ve heard suggestions of lacquer thinner, but then read that it`s a no-no... the lacquer thinner I have contains toluene, which is supposedly not good for clearcoats.

A repaint or fix on this spot is in the cards... but maybe a few months down the road. Just want to get rid of the offending spot and atleast cover it with the factory matched touchup I have.

Your opinions are welcome and appreciated!

[audiboy]

I don`t know of anything other than wetsanding down the off color and applying the correct color on top to better fill in the damage. I know you said you aren`t open to wetsanding, but it`s a lot easier than it seems it would be. If a fix is in the near future, you may just be better off until then. Maybe someone else has another idea or two.

[TrueDetailer]

You could use a razor blade to get most of it off. I know that sounds crazy but if you have a steady hand and the right angle on the blade, it`ll take it right off with out harming the clear.

If you don`t want to go that route, you could try some thinner, Or try using a heavy cut compound on it, or wetsanding. Again if you got a steady hand you could wetsand just the touchup off with out sanding into the clear to much.

[jaybs02]

I would say that calls for some wetsanding and buffing. Even though you said you weren`t comfortable with that idea, that would atleast knock down the harsh appearance.

JMHO
"J"

[mgm2003]

Micro-mesh paper will do take care of it (have you wet sanded before?)

Here`s a job by `The Master`, filling in VERY deep scratches, and finishing up with sanding/compound/polish.....

http://www.detailcity.org/forums/the-detailing-showcase/16001-2005-tl-my-son-took-snow-off-a-steel-shovel.html

[C. Charles Hahn]

Again if you got a steady hand you could wetsand just the touchup off with out sanding into the clear to much.

I agree. Actually if you`re that nervous, take a #2 pencil with a new eraser on it, and glue a piece of sandpaper to the end of the eraser (the same size as the eraser head). Soak it a few minutes to saturate the paper, then use it as a "mini-sanding tool" so you can control it better. After that, just fill it in with the proper color, wait for it to cure, sand it again to level it off, and get a light to medium cut compound to get rid of the tracers. I probably wouldn`t even use anything but 2000 or 2500 grit papers for a job that small.

[CalgaryDetail]

I would just go for the repaint. It will cost u a few hundred bucks but you know its done right, and will look good (if you go to the right place) from the sounds of it its a nice car so dont skimp hes got a porsche he might as well hav it done right

[Brenton]

I use lacquer thinner on base-clear systems, and Reducer on Urethane Enamel systems. Both are safe in a WOWO application, and the colour typically buffs back.
Not a recommendation, but it is worth trying, especially if you are throwing words like "repaint" around.
It`s ugly, but it works. And it looks like a rocker skin you are working on? Pretty hard to buff back wetsand marks.
Also, check that outside the touch up paint is the right colour. Remember that under flourescent lights the colour changes.
brenton

[C. Charles Hahn]

And it looks like a rocker skin you are working on? Pretty hard to buff back wetsand marks.

That actually looks like the edge of the front bumper to me; which honestly isn`t TOO bad if you have a PC and flexible backing plate. I`ve been able to remove 2000 grit tracers with this combination and DACP (M83) :)