I could really use some help with a Maaco Paint Job.

[SVXDriver007]

This is my first post here so let me start by saying hello. I heard about this site from a guy over on the SVX world Network who goes by Bwana. Thanks to him for plugging because this place looks great.

Now for the nitty gritty. I bought a Black SVx about 6 months ago and the guy who had it before me got it a Maacoish paint job. It looks ok but you can really se the orange peel on the doors and there is alot of swirling on the hood. To makes matters worse I had a bit of a run in with a guide line from a transformer and as a result I have a newly painted bumper and drivers side fender. The guy who did the paint work matched the color just fine but there is quite a noticable difference in overall shine between those 2 pieces and the rest of the car. Obviously the best thing to do would be to have the whole car repainted but I have some other things I need or want to adress first. (now that half of the readers have hit the back button). I would like some advice on the best way to "fix-up" the maaco paint and try to get it to shine more like the new parts. I did a search for maaco paint jobs but noone seems to have tackled such a job. any ideas?

Thanks in andvance for any help I appreciate it.



Shane

[jimmybuffit]

I did something similiar back in `94, on a beater Celic GT-S. Fisheyes and all.



At the time, I had access only to a Black and Decker 9" DA Orbital, wool pads (with drawstrings!) and 3m machine glaze.



It actually came out looking pretty good, a black car with no swirls, and (almost) no fisheyes. This was a single stage - no clearcoat - paint job. I kept the beater for two or three years, without any issues.



Thinking back, it makes me shudder!!!!



Jim

[imported_Larry A]

Maaco paint jobs can be wet sanded with 1500-2000 paper and buffed with a rotary buffer. Its a LOT of work.

[everner]

I "tuned up" $500.00 paint job with 1500, then 2000 grit (color sand paper). Then I hit it with a hand application of finishing compound on the (sharp edges) and areas too close for comfort for a rotary. Then, hit the wide open spaces with the rotary buffer(Wool- fast , be careful, stay awake...) and the same compound. It came out BETTER than a factory paint job! Just be sure you have enough paint to work with. BTW, I did the "hard areas-under the bumpers(older car), rocker panels, lower body" first, when I was fresh. Then on to the "easier" areas.

[Magellan498]

Well if this is a daily driver, I wouldn`t recommend wetsanding too much. To get orange peel out you do take off quite a bit of paint, and you don`t need clear coat failure after all that hard work.



Now if this was going to be a garage queen and concourse level car, go for it. Here`s a good step-by-step guide. http://www.goodspeedmotoring.com/?page=color_sanding



And here is a thread where this was discussed before.

http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25572&highlight=color+sanding