racerx520

iTrader: (1)

I repainted my t/a about 10 years ago (I didn't have much money at the time, nor do I now, so I used some pretty cheap paint) and now the clearcoat is peeling in certain spots. I was wondering how bad it might be if I were to compound the car with a typical variable speed buffer and apply this "sealant" from Car Guys. I am waiting on when I'll be able to afford to repaint the car, or when I'll have time to strip it down myself, and want to make it look as good as possible for now. Is this going to make the car look way worse if I do this? I am hoping for a result of not seeing big patches of peeled and peeling clear coat making the whole car an eyesore. I understand its not the best solution, but is it going to be totally awful?

Thanks in advance.

TransamGTA350

iTrader: (2)

If the clear is peeling away from the basecoat, then there was not proper bond between them when the clearcoat was applied. It is typically done as a wet on wet (let the basecoat flash off, then apply the clearcoat right away) and the base and clear chemically bond together. If the clearcoat was applied after the basecoat was fully dried and the basecoat was not sanded to create a mechanical bond, the clearcoat will delaminate over time. Sounds like that is what is happening here.

I'm afraid there really is nothing that you can do to reverse it or slow it down. I'm not familiar with the sealant you are talking about. It may make the areas with the missing clearcoat look a little shinier temporarily, but it will still be obvious where the clearcoat has peeled. Probably won't really look any better.

The only fix is to remove the paint, prep and paint it again.

dagwood

iTrader: (5)

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

When our Chevy dealer would get factory paint with pealing clear under warranty back in the 80s, the body shop guys would wet sand the effected panel. As long as the water is coming off milky, you know you are removing clear. When the water starts to turn body color, you have hit the base coat. The panel could then be cleaned, and re-cleared.

It's not a solution I would like to use on my car, but if you can do it yourself, and cost is a factor, it may be a way out short of a full repaint.

I should mention, they would remove as much bad clear by mechanical means first, to save time / effort over wet sanding every inch. This usually meant duct tape or razor blades...what ever would pull the poorly adhered clear from the panel.

dagwood

iTrader: (5)

If you have a metallic color, you cannot do that. Any time you sand into metallic basecoat, it will shift the metallics and you will never get rid of it by just clearing over it. You will see it, big time. Some base color would have to be blended over it......and that's still not really the right way to do it.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Good point on the metallic dagwood.

And no, never really the right way to do it, but the way our body shop guys could stop above water doing warranty paintwork. I just mention it as a potential low cost option.

dagwood

iTrader: (5)

You're right.....its about the cheapest option. And dusting a little basecoat over sand through spots isnt that big of deal

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the input guys. Right now I'm just trying to get a couple more years out of this paint, I won't be able to redo it right until then. I want to strip and prep it myself but I don't have time or money for it now. I was hoping this may just make the peeling spots a little less noticeable until I can get around to doing this the right way.