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Howdy all-
I joined the Flying Roof Club about a month ago, so I was glad to see such an awesome thread for refinishing the top. I sanded most of the day yesterday, starting with 220, then 400, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000. I then used MeGuiar's Medium Cut for a couple rounds of polishing, but I can still see some sanding marks. In fact, I realize that I can see marks from the 1000 grit at least. I guess I got impatient...
Anyway, I plan to have it clear coated by a pro, but do I need to make sure there are no sanding marks at all? It's uniformly dull, and I know I got all the OEM clear coat off, so do I need to keep sanding or will the clear smooth it out? I'm using a Black & Decker random orbital polisher too... Perhaps I need heavier equipment?
Thanks for the great thread and descriptions. They've been REALLY helpful.
Using a DA is very safe to use, but is a much slower process that a direct drive buffer in the hands of a pro. Did you wet sand with the 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit papers? I'm sure that if you still see sanding marks that they'll show up even with the clear coat applied. Ask the painter for help first.
Thanks guys-
Yes, I did wet sand with the grits I mentioned, but perhaps I didn't sand quite enough with the last three. I was losing light outside, and probably rushed into lighter sandpaper grades after 1000. That being said I went through 8 pieces of 1000, 8 of 1500, and a couple 2000 grit ones.
I REALLY don't want to do any more sanding, but if it won't look clear when it's finished I'll have wasted my time. Good advice to check with the painter--I'll do that. I was just wondering how clear folks got theirs before the clear coat was applied. Sounds like maybe the clear coat will make a world of difference as long as it's uniformly sanded to 2000 grit. Maybe I need to ask the paint shop for a little finishing prep work too...
I sanded mine with about 600 grit and cleared it. It was completely hazy to look through before but was clear after.
Originally Posted by Pete W
I was going to tell you what the other guys said. Clear will fill in 1000 grit no problem. Most shops don't go to that fine a paper to clear.
In addition to the above, if you were to go too fine on the sanding, or try to actually polish the top before clearing it, the clear may not adhere as well as it would if stopping at 1000 grit.
In other words, paint needs something to "grip" to, and if the surface was polished or too smooth, the clear may not adhere well and start peeling prematurely down the road!
By the way, I think we all still have some sparkles left in the tops when looking from the inside out, regardless of the method of refinishing.
I'm doing this to my targa top right now. While it looked like it was well peeled on the passenger side about six inches in towards the center, it's a little tougher than I thought.
I sanded with 500 grit w/d for over an hour and got about 1/3rd of the top done. The driver's side is much shinier (and thicker I'm guessing), so I'm going to drop down to 400 or 320 on that side, then work my way back up to 1000 grit.
I haven't decided if I'm going to do the clear or just wax it.
Anyone polished out the top, buffed it smooth and clear, then waxed it?
Well, I got done with a nasty cold I caught for three weeks and got back onto this project today. I had way too much clear left on the driver's side, so I dropped down to 400 grit.
That took, gulp, another three hours with one break for a beer and lunch. When the 400 was done, I went back at 90 degrees with 500.
I'm letting my arms rest for a bit, have another beer, then go back with more 500, then 1000.
I'm having the car completely repainted next week, so I wanted the clear targa top ready for the body shop to do the clear, and put on the new weatherstripping.
When I talked to the body shop about it, they said to stop at 1000 grit so that the clear had something to stick to. They also said that whatever fine scratches might still be in the top won't matter as the clear coat will fill it in.
When the car is done I'll post pics of the top. And now I'm going back out to wrap it up. My arms are killing me!
Nice job! Mine has the passenger side flaw in it too.
Has anyone ever considered covering the top with black vinyl? Seems like it should work.
Steve
A friend of mine has a vinyl wrap shop put on some flat black vinyl on his C4 top. Cost was about $250 and looks real nice. I am going through through the refinishing process. More work but will last longer, I think.
My top looks like crap also. Problem is I'm a little daunted by the thought of doing all of this myself...sounds like I could spend hours hand sanding and it might not turn out the best. I can see myself spending hours and hours...arms falling off...and still not getting it right.
I went to the local body shop and the guy said he couldn't help me.
Other than a new top (which is not an option $$$ wise), has anyone here had someone do this process for them?
My top looks like crap also. Problem is I'm a little daunted by the thought of doing all of this myself...sounds like I could spend hours hand sanding and it might not turn out the best. I can see myself spending hours and hours...arms falling off...and still not getting it right.
I went to the local body shop and the guy said he couldn't help me.
Other than a new top (which is not an option $$$ wise), has anyone here had someone do this process for them?
Find another body shop. Like I stated in an earlier post (#116) back in 2010, while my car was in the body shop for other damage, I had them sand and clearcoat the top. He charged me about $200 or so, but said it took longer to get the coating off than expected and if he had to do another one he would charge more.
It's been almost 4 years now and the top still looks great.
My top is off of a 95 c4, I sanded the top tonight. When I look at the top though the outside looking in it has a haze to it and looks really good. When I look though the inside out of the top it still looks like it has a million little spider cracks. I hope that makes sense.
Also if I missed it sorry what speed should the buffer be at?
thank you
I am having the same issue with the spider cracks visible from the inside. I am wet sanded by hand with 400. All the old clear coat is off, but it still looks like an old top from the inside with millions of tiny cracks. They are all very linear, pretty uniform, which makes me wonder if the acrylic has broken down internally and its just shot. Maybe more sanding will get past that damage? I am getting all that milky white acrylic off when I sand. Frustrating because I have sunk probably 4 hours into it, and not sure it was worth it.
Here is a pic of my top finished. This is after I sanded with 800, 1000, and 1500 paper. followed with medium cut needed to do it twice and a run over of polishing compound. If a 10 is a new top I would give this a 6 or 7. My wife says a 8. It looks a 100% better then before and it was less then 30 dollars to repair. You can still see the spider cracks that C4 is also talking about.
Also the white spots on the bottom is the camera not the top.
So I finally got the nerve to try this...and unfortunately I'm thinking it's going to turn out like I had expected.
Look at the picture:
It may be hard to see but there are large "swirls" that look like water stains (looking at the pic they are large "arcs" that sweep from left to right) from acid rain or something...was that way when I bought the car. I've gone down to sanding with 400 for quite some time...then 800 then 1000. I can still see the swirls.
Is it possible that this is some sort of defect that is in the plastic itself? Maybe I don't have all of the factory clear off...I don't know...but it's getting frustrating. I've been sanding for hours.
I can take a pass with 1500 then attempt to polish it and see what happens but I'm afraid that some primer, duplicolor, and clear coat are in my future.
When I refiinished my clear top I had the same look. It was some of the hard coat I had not removed completely. I finally just quit sanding and applied adhesion promotor, then clear. The top looks good as far as I am concerned and a whole lot better than when I purchased the car. Look in my profile and I think there are some pics of the car. Good luck
In addition to the above, if you were to go too fine on the sanding, or try to actually polish the top before clearing it, the clear may not adhere as well as it would if stopping at 1000 grit.
In other words, paint needs something to "grip" to, and if the surface was polished or too smooth, the clear may not adhere well and start peeling prematurely down the road!
By the way, I think we all still have some sparkles left in the tops when looking from the inside out, regardless of the method of refinishing.
Steve
I think that's what's happening to me.
Two years ago I sanded my top, went all the way down to 320 paper, worked my way back up to 1600 wet sanding. (May have even been 2000... Why just do when you can overdo, as I always say). Sprayed a coat of 2K urethane clear coat (comes in a nifty spray can that keeps the components separate until you bump a button on the bottom to let the components mix). Let it dry, wet sanded to 2000 grit, buffed it out with a rotary and polished with a DA. Man, this thing SHINED when I was done!
Now the clear coat is starting to peel up from the edges.
Weighing whether to
a) try again, but go no finer than 1000 grit on the acrylic
b) try again, as above, but use a conventional one-part urethane clear
c) buy a commercially refurbished top... about $900
I would just redo the top. The clear that you sprayed on should come off much easier than what you took off. I would start with 400 but no more aggressive than that. End with 1000 grit and you should be good to go. The clear fills in the 1000 grit scratches no problem.
04-08-2013, 05:31 PM
