gr8corvette

There is a Corvette show in Melbourne Florida tomorrow. So I decided I would get my 61 roadster all prettied up. I had never used a clay bar and there was an article in Vette magazine on how to apply clay bar that I just got around to reading. I thought this was kismet, so I decided to clay bar the car.
I had been told by several detailing shops that my roadster did not really need to be clay barred, but I thought this would be a good time to learn about it. I did the trunk first. I could not see any difference, but thought I would do the hood before I called it a day. There is the bottom of a paint bubble that has been on the hood since before I bought the car three years ago. I have waxed over it may times and it stayed fast where it was. Today, when I slid the clay bay over it (yes, there was lubricant), it just crumbled. There was now a white half inch dot in the middle of the hood of my Honduras Maroon roadster! I don't think it was due to the clay bar; it was just its time to let go.
I tried some touch-up paint that was a close color. Now I have a different color red half inch dot in the middle of my hood.
I went to the local paint shop my mechanic recommended. The owner came right out to look at my car. Explained how he could repair it. He gave me the cheap method that he would not recommend (something called spotting) and did not warranty more than a month (he said it would probably look bad in 3 months). I did not even ask the price. Then he gave me the more expensive way. I can't say I understood the entire process, but there is a lot of sanding and a clear coat at the end. It would be $300 total cost. There are a few other bubbles on the hood, so these will all be fixed too. The warranty on this is for as long as I own the car.
Hopefully I did not insult him, but I asked how familiar he was with Corvette bodies. He took me inside to show me he was painting (repairing) a C5 that had been rear ended. He actually spent a lot of time with me; I have been to a lot of shops where the estimator (not the owner) tries to get you out of there as soon as possible.
Anyway, I am bringing the car back in two weeks. He said it will take about 3 days to sand, paint, and clear coat.

Blk63Vette

BEWARE OF FLORIDA SUN....IT CAN RUIN A GOOD PAINT JOB..MINE GOT TOASTY AT A CAR SHOW..CHROME REFLECTION OF ANOTHER CAR BUBBLED THE PAINT OM MY DRIVERSIDE FENDER!!!

SDVette

Sorry to hear this... but I would say that a claybar does 'stress' the paint more than anything else. I use (and love) the claybar on my '98 all the time, but the paint on my '61 is original.. it's not getting clay-bar'd.

Hitch

$300 bucks to paint the hood... That's not much.. I would have him do it...

SpartyGW

$300 is cheap. People often don't realize how much the materials cost. You'd spend $100 on materials just to do it yourself. And that's assuming you had the tools and access to a paint booth.

dplotkin

Not at all. A clay bar is harmless. Its purpose is to pull dirt and contaminates (such as overspray) from the paint. It does not use abraisives. And it's only necessary on a car that has been allowed to get and stay dirty. Frequently washed/polished/waxed cars hardly ever need a clay bar.

Dan

65 fi

I wonder if you may be opening a-can-of-worms.with a repaint of the hood. Why not enlist the help of a local artist to get the color right and spot it in.

lib

When we rebuilt my 63 about 6 years ago, I had the original hood repaired, re-painted, and re-installed on the car. The paint guy had a difficult time making the new paint match the older paint. After many hours and attempts at getting it correct we agreed to a solution. He sprayed the new paint lightly around the hood to blend in with the fenders and front end. It looked good then and still looks the same today. My paint was older than yours, but just a thought if you run into the same problem with your job- lib

Frankie the Fink

A competent painter can do an undetectable blend. I've had it done on solid colors and my much more difficult metal flake '61. When something like this happens that you know will bug you until its fixed its best to "suck it up" get it straightened out and drive on.

You can spend weeks hand-wringing over, and hating, that spot every time you drive the car - deal with it now. $300 bucks is reasonable.

appaloosa 0012

300 could become 3000 if he does not do it right!

Tampa Jerry

Do you have aftermarket A/C? The compressor seal on my 68 went south and slung oil on the underside of the hood and now I have bubbles on the finished side of the hood. I added a shield on the compressors of my 66 and 68. Jerry

1snake

I can't tell from his avatar but if the O.P. has metallic paint, his will have to be repaired the same way. If they paint just the hood, you'll easily be able to tell the difference where it meets the body. You can't simply paint up to a sharp line and call it good. Blending is an art and it's a lot of work.

Jim

kenba

Good advice. Also he said here were other bubbles on the hood.

ohiovet

A friend of mine just had is mismatched hood painted to match the rest of the car.
After having a few pints of paint mixed he choose the best match (not ever perfect) and painted the hood.
Not to bad but a noticeable difference.
He ended up repainting the hood and blending the hood surround.
Perfect.
Now the original cost was $500.00 and that's what he paid, but the painter said it should have been closer to $1000. I agree.
My point is it is almost impossible to get a perfect match between 2 body panels.
Blending fools your eye and looks great when done properly.

SDVette

My point is that the pressure applied to the paint by the claybar process is more than anything 'normal care' will cause. It's only "harmless" if the paint is healthy.. but if you have a bubble, it might break it off.

gr8corvette

I have already made the appointment for the repaint in two weeks. My wife thinks I am getting off cheap compared to other mistakes I have made in my life. For the sake of my health, I let the obvious answer to that comment go unsaid!
I really don't mind paying the $300 for a good job. I know I don't have any painting talent and if he can make the hood look good, then it will actually look better than before without the bubbles.
I think the paint is a metallic paint. Although I don't want a horrible car, remember this is a daily driver quality car. The paint shop is a reputable shop that has done Corvettes, so I am sure (hope) it turns out OK. In addition, it is guaranteed for as long as I own the car. So if the bubbles return, then I will take it back.
Someone else suggested the feathering around the fenders for a better match. Isn't that like "spotting" the original bad spot. The paint shop said that over time, there may be a problem with that. I am just hoping they can match the paint. I am also going to ask for a pint can in addition for all the other chips/dings around the car.

Boyan

I cant even get the plastic bumper painted on my wifes Honda for 300 bucks!

1snake

The original quote was 3 days, $300. Using the typical "body shop modifier of double" the O.P. should expect a minimum of 6 days and $600.

Jim

509 rat

wrong answer.

gr8corvette

Six days won't upset me since I don't drive it on a daily basis. $600 would upset me.
I will let everyone know how it goes.