Think this is fixable for a first timer?

[kahnstruct]

Ordered some touch up paint and clear coat to try to repair this. Hopefully will only need clear coat. Any suggestions on how not to do this? I`ve read several articles on how to fix scratches and small chips, but this one is about 2 inches in diameter. Right on the front of the hood.

[imported_Indy YZF]

I cant really tell what we`re looking at here...But it Looks like youve got a an area several inches in diameter where the clear coat has completely pealed off. What Im seeing is an area approximately the size of your head in the reflection, shaped kind of like an amoeba....But your description of the damage sounds more like youre describing a 2" scratch.



I think you should clarify cause your descrition doesnt match what Im seeing...IF the clearcoat has pealed, the only fix is to repaint the entire panel.

[kahnstruct]

Sorry if I was unclear. The area in the picture is 2 inches across. It looks like the clearcoat peeled off for some reason. I bought some touch up paint from paintscratch.com that comes with a bottle of clear coat paint also. I was thinking I could just apply the clearcoat over this 2 inch area.

[imported_Indy YZF]

. I was thinking I could just apply the clearcoat over this 2 inch area.



For it to have any chance of working, youd have to wet sand the area, trying to knock down the edges for a uniform surface...Then, youd have to spray a light color coat over the area, prep it , and spray the clear...



There is a small chance you might be content with the results, but Id be very surprised if a total panel surface prep and respary isnt required...So long as you realize this is the likely outcome, I dont suppose youd have anything to lose to try the local method first.



Good luck and let me know how you make out..Pics would be nice too. :p

[kahnstruct]

Yes, I was planning on wet sanding it with 1000 grit first. So you dont think that simply dabbing the chipped area full of clearcoat with a small brush, then knocking it down with a buffer would come out looking alright? I`m just curious as to why you think the whole panel will end up needing to be repainted.

[imported_Indy YZF]

So you dont think that simply dabbing the chipped area full of clearcoat with a small brush, then knocking it down with a buffer would come out looking alright



No...You see the border now? Covering it with clearcoat will allow you to see that amoeba border, just as you do now. If you sand it first, then youll be just putting clear coat over the scuffed area....You dont want that do you? Thats why I said you need to sand it down, remove the border...But then, youll need to lay down a color layer because you cant lay; the clear down over the scuff...itll looked just like shiny, scuffed paint! I think if you took it to the pros, theyd want to redo the panel.

[clint]

With repairing clear coat using touch-up paints, I havent had the greatest success myself-

Mostly because the touch up I have is lacquer and the clear on the car is urethane.



The two types of paint get cut at different rates, and the lacquer gets smoothed way faster than the urethane. It leaves a shiny spot at best, and a depressed shiny spot at worst.



If you are going to try to re-clear- be sure the new clear is the same type as the old.



If it were me, I`d get some estimates from body shops, since the car is easy enough to drive like that. You may be suprised at how afforadable some shops can be- they may charge less if you have the whole hood re-clear coated, as it may be less work to spray the whole part than to try to blend it.



You can probably drive there, have them take the hood off, then drive around without the hood for about three days till they are done, then go back to get it.



Plus if that spot came apart, the rest is probably close to letting go as well.

[kahnstruct]

Good point Clint, though I was weary about taking to a paint shop for fear of having them do a shoddy job with paint matching and overall quality. I`ve had some bad experience in the past. I guess I`ll try it and see how it turns out, if it is bad then I haven`t lost anything as I`ll have to take it to a pro anyway.

[clint]

I was talking about only having the paint shop re-clear coat- your color layer is probably ok..



I would guess they would just sand it a little to make the new clear stick and spray away.



I think clear is cheaper since it has no pigment, and they buy it in larger quantities.



I used to be a helper in a body shop decades ago when I was a kid- the painting was the easy part- the lame part was getting the panel off or masking the car- getting the trim on and off- all that stuff..



They seem happy if you just want to have a loose panel sprayed- and it`s already off the car and the trim, grill etc is removed..



For example, my audi a6 bumper is getting stripped, repainted and re cleared for 120 bucks- but I have to remove/remount it..

and it`s a big ol` thing..



If you do remove the hood- you`ll need help putting it back on- a total of three people for a brief time while the bolts get started is safest.

[imported_Indy YZF]

I would guess they would just sand it a little to make the new clear stick and spray away.



Clint, I was thinking that once the area was sanded, color was needed to be laid down, becasue laying the clear over the scuffed color layer would look terrible; just like shiny scuff marks...

[Detailing NY]

I dont think i would do that myself. If the clear is peeling off and you spray new clear on top, it will only peel off again.

You should take that to a local body shop and get the hood done by a pro.

nyd

[clint]

Originally posted by paul e





Clint, I was thinking that once the area was sanded, color was needed to be laid down, becasue laying the clear over the scuffed color layer would look terrible; just like shiny scuff marks...



You are probably right- I guess it would be a call for the painters- they might be able to just sand the color layer back to life- .



the thing is, alot of times it`s easier to repaint than to sand to perfection in preperation.



A good test would be to spray some clear touch up lacquer on the spot and see how it looked.. If it sucked- take it back off with lacquer thinner and launch it to the painter. Like kahnstruct said, it will either work with clear coat touch up- or go to the pro- the touch up attempt shouldnt make much difference if it fails.

[imported_Adamah]

You dont want to shoot clear over sanded basecoat. The very least you`d want to do to repair that is to feather it in, tint and blend your new basecoat on then shoot the clear. Followed by a wool leveling pad on a rotary buffer.

And you`d think since clear doesnt contain any pigment that it would be cheap...I wish.

[clint]

These guys make urethane touch up-color-rite (http://www.color-rite.com/index.cfm)

[imported_Indy YZF]

These guys make urethane touch up



dAMN Clint, youre super at finding these real useful, out of the way sites! Keep up the good work!!! Now, what`ll i do with all my damn lacquer touchup! Do you think lacquer is still ok for base color, and urethane the clear, or, do you need to have base and clear being the same chemical?