Can you repair clear coat?

[stephen4785]

My cars clear coat is flaking up on the hood in a couple of spots.Theres just these small 3-4 inch ares where theres no clear coat.I do need a new paint job but cant afford it so is there anything I can do to "fix"this so the clear coat doesnt come off the entire hood.

 

[Ronstang]

If the clear is peeling then you are going to need a new paint job. Even if you can feather the edges of the clear enough so there is no edge it is going to show through the new clear. The best best is to have the entire panel painted and not the car itself so you can just repair what is needed for now.

 

[bsedwebt70-5.0]

since you are dealing with ruined paint anyway you can try this - i do it all the time and it works - get some very fine wet sand paper 800 grit and 2000 grit - feather the damage out with the 800 wet sanding it and then get some spray can clear coat from walmart and shoot the damaged area after you have smoothed it out - let the paint cure - don't worry about the texture til later - after everything has cured then you want to wet sand it again with the 800 to knock it down somewhat then use the 2000 grit wet sand til it is perfectly smooth - after this buff it really good with nu-finish liquid car wax - then look at your reflection and smile - Bryan

 

[allcarfan]

you could just have your hood painted

 

[5.0n66]

dont know if you're into the rice scene or not but painting hoods flat black seems to be all the rage nowadays

heh, it's not for me but since all the "cool kids" are doing it.....

 

[66P51GT]

dont know if you're into the rice scene or not but painting hoods flat black seems to be all the rage nowadays

heh, it's not for me but since all the "cool kids" are doing it.....

At least ricers can't say they invented this look. Look at the '67 Trans Am Mustang that Shelby American / Terlingua campaigned. Here is an example photo:

I personally think this look is right at home on the Mustang.

 

[5.0n66]

I stand corrected .....but still if it's on a bone stock civic

 

[J-Scratch]

since you are dealing with ruined paint anyway you can try this - i do it all the time and it works - get some very fine wet sand paper 800 grit and 2000 grit - feather the damage out with the 800 wet sanding it and then get some spray can clear coat from walmart and shoot the damaged area after you have smoothed it out - let the paint cure - don't worry about the texture til later - after everything has cured then you want to wet sand it again with the 800 to knock it down somewhat then use the 2000 grit wet sand til it is perfectly smooth - after this buff it really good with nu-finish liquid car wax - then look at your reflection and smile - Bryan

This actually works, and does not cost much at all. Just a little artistic skill.

 

[stephen4785]

Well It doesnt matter anymore.I detailed it Tue and I put wax on it and hand buffed it then polished everything.Well now there's about 50-60 little rust pin holes in the hood.I didnt want to do it this way cause I hate to see old cars drive around with primer on them for a long time, but Id rather have a primer'ed car ready to paint instead of a car with rust spots all over it.

 

[1320stang]

wet sanding the paint doesn't always work. I tried it on a '89 Isuzu Amigo I picked up for $300 and by the time I get the clear sanded off, the paint is just not thick enough. I've tried feathering the edges, totally removing the clear, all of it. I'll end up taking it to MAACO and having them shoot it, but I think I'll tell them I don't want base/clear, I want two coats of color. That way I can sand out their inevitable runs and get rid of the likely orange peel and have a decent looking job for the $200.

 

[bsedwebt70-5.0]

That is a good idea - MAACO - they do a ok job for the money - just take all your own mouldings off etc.... I too have sanded through the color coat on newer cars but the old mustang did not have base clear originally so someone had to have painted it that way and that means thicker paint usually so you can sand more. As you can probably guess I am a wet sanding fanatic - I can work wonders with super fine paper, synthetic cutting compound, polishing compound, wax and lots of patience....