Cracks in the clearcoat?

[NVcobra]

Hello, i have a black 97 mustang cobra, and ive knoticed a couple fine cracks in the clearcoat, there not open ,they look like cracks in glass that hasnt broke yet, will these be a future problem? an how can i best protect them? thx:wavey

[Jngrbrdman]

Does it look like lint that was somehow waxed over or something like that? Small fractures in the clear coat like that are just signs of a failing paint job. Its something that you are only going to be able to watch it get worse. Keep a good UV protectant on it in the form of a sealant and start saving up for a paint job if the clear coat is failing. Its actually pretty typical of Ford paint jobs. My Taurus did it and I`ve seen a number of other cars from the late 90s that are starting to have this problem.

[Bill D]

I recently learned isolated cracks in the clear of my 89 Deville are defects of the paint itself used by GM from that brief, particular era. The cracks remained isolated and never spread or magnified over the years.

[NVcobra]

thx so far guys, wow bill hope im as fortunate as your turned out. Yea mine are isolated to about the size of a nickel an they look like a bird foot print. I was thinking about scratching a nice deep circle around the offending area to keep it isolated !! ;) jk,thx

[Bill D]

He he,



You`re in better shape than me. My cracking covers an area along side the driver side door. The paint`s white which makes it less noticable. I guess it just be called patina. After seeing some severely cracked, but all original paint in cars at shows and that being considered patina, I just overlook that area of my door.

[Jngrbrdman]

Where are these cracks at? If they are isolated in a small area then they could be caused by an impact from a rock or even a bug.

[jimmybuffit]

Does it look like this?



Bird Dropping/Claercoat Failure (http://autoint.com/tips/bird_dropping.html)



Photo credit to Grumpy, and the folks at at AutoInt, who can`t post this valuable sort of info...



Hope this helps...



Jim

[MattZ28]

Mine has the spiderwebbing you`re talking about, but what 1993-2002 F-body doesn`t? :nixweiss :lol

[NVcobra]

Jng, its in the back on a corner of my rear spoiler. Jimmy no not that severe,it looks like two white hairs in the shape of an X. thx guys:xyxthumbs