Greetings!

It has been a while since my last post, as I have finally completed the engine rebuild and installation. My 2000 XKR now purrs like it is supposed to, and have been enjoying putting some (awesome!) break-in miles on it. I encountered bad fuel pumps and dead O2 sensor (heater), which was interesting to replace after everything was back together in the engine compartment. But I digress...

Now that it is a runner, it is time to tackle the myriad scratches on the flanks inflicted by the PO. I appears the kitty was used as a place for their kids to lean their bikes while it had been in their garage.

In doing my research, and trying a bit of rubbing compound with a DA buffer, the scratches may be deeper than the polisher can handle.

Are all the finishes on this vintage two-stage with clearcoat or is my BRG a single stage color? What have people done on the clearcoat if the scratch hasn't gone down to the base color? Wet sand?

Thanks in advance for the responses.

TC

 

159 Views of your thread as as I write this but no replies which is surprising as plenty of members here have experience of paint rectification.

You could get advice if you post some photos of the scratches.

Graham

 

I know Wayne (cjd777) will have some ideas for you. Hopefully he'll see your post in the next day or so....

 

I'd do what Graham is suggesting and post some pics!

For overall paint correction, I have experience; but recommend joining the Autopia.org forums because learning it yourself will save you money for years to come! Great resources for detailers, and good source to learn products, methods, and find who's having sales on stuff; although over time they've started selling product in addition to having forums, but the advice and threads are still great.

If the scratch hasn't gone down to base, you have some decisions to make. You can buy a paint thickness gauge and try to make sure you keep plenty of clear and don't polish too much off. With or without that, I would be extremely conservative when wetsanding just to preserve the clear coat. You are polishing to level the scratch, which means taking off the clear around it making the area thinner.

Start with the mildest abrasive and method first. Like a random orbital polisher with a milder polish and pad combo. You can always step up, but if you burn through the clear, you're onto doing painting not paint correction. This is mostly duh stuff I'm explaining but it's worth saying!

As far as anything down to base or primer, Dr. Color Chip works well for rock chips and deep scratches, but will polish off so polish first, then rock chip repair.

 

TC, If the clear coat is the only thing scratched, you have a chance to make a invisible repair but it's a long process. Do you have heat in your garage? If not, this will have to be a spring time project or move it to someone who does. You can use a heat gun if you know what to look for in the paint and how hot to get the metal in the repair area.
The materials need are:
1 spray can of your color (most auto paint stores can do this) They can also read you color for matching.
1 spray can of clear
1 sanding sheet of wet and dry 1000 grit
1 sanding sheet of 2000 grit
1 sanding sheet of 2500 grit
1 pan of soap and water
a flat sanding block 2 1/2 by four, I think.
A buffer would be nice, but hand buffing will work.
A bottle of denatured alcohol for cleaning the area. They make cleaners for this and are available at the paint store, in quarts. Clean the area to get rid of wax and grime. Now tack cloth the area using lite strokes, pushing hard on a tack cloth will leave some of the sticky stuff on the surface.
You must fill the scratch with paint or it will always show. A coat of your color or two lite ones is going to help. If you are sure that no base has been hurt enough to show the primer then this step is not needed. The first couple of coats of clear should be restricted to the area affected. Tape off the scratch as close as you can get, if you use newspaper double it up, save seeping through onto the paint. Let each coat dry for 20 minutes or so in 75 degrees. You should be close to level with your paint, if you have young eyes and can see that, fine, if like me use a magnifying glass. Now let it set for a day or so, as is going to shrink. Give it another couple of lite coats and let it set again. This time pull the tape right after you paint while it's soft. What you have now is a ridge all along the area, after setting for a couple of hours use the 1000 grit with soap and water and the sanding block trying to stay only the width of the block. It should go flat in short order, when the sheen has gone from the area, check right next to the scratch, stop. This way you have only sanded away very little of the original clear. Do not push hard on the block at any time. Now it gets interesting. Cover as much of the car as possible and tack the area again, paint in a circular motion across the scratch for 8 inches or so. Let dry, tack and increase your spay to 12 inches in a back and forth motion. I hope you have most all areas covered except where we are working. Get away from it for a day or so. Use the 2000 grit wet and dry with soap and water on the block for right in the area we are working on until all is dull and smooth. This takes a while, now the 2500 grit can be used to get all the overspray off the surrounding area, which I hope is less than a couple of feet.
Buff out with polishing compound, not cutting compound.
Aren't you sorry you asked. Like any kind of painting, it takes time to do it right.
On the sand paper, you may need some 800 grit to start if your paint job is not smooth and a little bubbly.


Wayne PM me if you need to discuss this further and give me a phone number.

 

Thanks for the good recommendations. My garage space will have heat this winter, so I can get things warm. Based on the comments, it sounds like even the non-metallic colors for our cars have clear coat.

I have a DA polisher and a selection of compounds and polish, so with some patience, the car should look better by spring.

Dealing with the scratches will be a decent distraction from my other project car. Just picked up an '85 Maserati Biturbo with 25k miles and just some minor issues to get it running.

I love my Jag, so it will be fun to see how nice I can get it.

Thanks

TC

 

Check out this guys YouTube and Website, AMMONYC I often refer Larry's information to people, He's very high end detailer (6 figures +) with a lot of good knowledge he wants to share. He'll have something in his stream to deal with what you are concerned with. While he uses a product line he developed you're under no obligation to use them there are plenty of alternatives, but he isn't selling products he just loves ares and car care.

 

Funny you mention AMMONYC as I have been watching his videos this week, and also recommending them to a pal working on detailing his Ferrari 308. The banter sometimes gets old, but his recommendations are solid and boy does he have some mad skills.

He has a couple videos on wet sanding that I plan to watch before I put sandpaper to paint.

Thanks

TC