paint problems
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 869
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
paint problems
I do not have detail pictures of the BC/CC paint job. I need some advice here before I talked to the painter and the person who recommended the painter.
Not sure if any of you been following the build on my car… So here was what is going on:
Almost three years ago, someone recommended me a painter near where the car was stored. The person who did the body work trailered the car to the painter’s place. The body arrived to the where the chassis was at night before we before we moved to the Midwest from California. There were some problem areas the painter could not address afterwards since we took the car with us on a certain date. I gave the person the date we were going to leave. He said there would not be any problems with the hard deadline. First off, I noticed a few things wrong (did not paint underside of the hood hinges). Plus, there were some thin spots where he did not cover enough paint.
We hauled the car in an enclosed trailer out to the Midwest where I proceeded to work on the chassis. I left the paint to cure in the enclosed trailer for almost a year. A year later I began working on the body. I noticed a couple of problems the hood and decklid had stripes in the paint. The metal parts (cowl vent and glove box hinge was not wet sanded before clear coat). Also, the hinges were not painted. There are dull spots where I think he buffed through the paint. In fact, one spot where you can see through the paint to the primer.
Fast forwards, the car is drive-able and the paint is not holding up at all. I noticed a small bubble on the trunk lid. The paint under the top fender trim is wrinkling. Now, I know I did one thing on the side fender and was caused by my mishap. Though, the paint is not holding up at all. I think the paint is just too soft and does not have enough hardener.
66jack can tell you more about what is going on…
It just seems like it is going to be a lot work getting all of the existing paint off since the painter has to reshoot the entire car. I guess I need to take it to the painter and see what he thinks. I am afraid he is going to say I should have taken to him earlier though that was not possible. Now, it is possible him to repaint it.
I guess I feel like it is a cheap maaco job and not worth what was spent. The kicker was I had someone who I knew could have done a better job for the same price. What should I do?
Not sure if any of you been following the build on my car… So here was what is going on:
Almost three years ago, someone recommended me a painter near where the car was stored. The person who did the body work trailered the car to the painter’s place. The body arrived to the where the chassis was at night before we before we moved to the Midwest from California. There were some problem areas the painter could not address afterwards since we took the car with us on a certain date. I gave the person the date we were going to leave. He said there would not be any problems with the hard deadline. First off, I noticed a few things wrong (did not paint underside of the hood hinges). Plus, there were some thin spots where he did not cover enough paint.
We hauled the car in an enclosed trailer out to the Midwest where I proceeded to work on the chassis. I left the paint to cure in the enclosed trailer for almost a year. A year later I began working on the body. I noticed a couple of problems the hood and decklid had stripes in the paint. The metal parts (cowl vent and glove box hinge was not wet sanded before clear coat). Also, the hinges were not painted. There are dull spots where I think he buffed through the paint. In fact, one spot where you can see through the paint to the primer.
Fast forwards, the car is drive-able and the paint is not holding up at all. I noticed a small bubble on the trunk lid. The paint under the top fender trim is wrinkling. Now, I know I did one thing on the side fender and was caused by my mishap. Though, the paint is not holding up at all. I think the paint is just too soft and does not have enough hardener.
66jack can tell you more about what is going on…
It just seems like it is going to be a lot work getting all of the existing paint off since the painter has to reshoot the entire car. I guess I need to take it to the painter and see what he thinks. I am afraid he is going to say I should have taken to him earlier though that was not possible. Now, it is possible him to repaint it.
I guess I feel like it is a cheap maaco job and not worth what was spent. The kicker was I had someone who I knew could have done a better job for the same price. What should I do?
Last edited by jimh_1962; Jul 25, 2011 at 04:13 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 1,291
From: minneola fl
Sounds like you're going to have to strip it and repaint. Here are some typical causes of what you're describing.
1. Cheap paint
2. Cheap primer
3. Not prepared properly
There is no sanding of the base coat before clearcoat. The clear coat can be cut and buffed after it's finished, but if you "cut through" to the base, you can't just spray some clear over it....it doesn't work that way. The "wrinkling" that you describe is common when too much paint is applied (usually acrylic enamel). What kind of paint was used?? What brand?? It sounds like some adhesion issues, which can be caused by a million things. Most of the time it's from cheap materials or mixing materials that don't belong together. A blister will come up from bad body work, or bad adhesion, or gassing of the paint. Gassing is caused because the paint was put on too quickly, and usually too heavy, not allowing the lower coats to flash off sufficiently. With all of the issues that you're having, it sounds as though the painter was a rookie. The bad news is that it's not an easy fix. I would NOT paint over it. Get it back down to glass and start over. BTW, the amount of hardener is important for good flash, etc., but because it's a chemical process, even if there is too little hardener, it will dry the same....just take a little longer (a couple of days maybe). From your description, it sounds like the painter used acrylic enamel, with no hardener, and clearcoated it.
Mike Coletta
1. Cheap paint
2. Cheap primer
3. Not prepared properly
There is no sanding of the base coat before clearcoat. The clear coat can be cut and buffed after it's finished, but if you "cut through" to the base, you can't just spray some clear over it....it doesn't work that way. The "wrinkling" that you describe is common when too much paint is applied (usually acrylic enamel). What kind of paint was used?? What brand?? It sounds like some adhesion issues, which can be caused by a million things. Most of the time it's from cheap materials or mixing materials that don't belong together. A blister will come up from bad body work, or bad adhesion, or gassing of the paint. Gassing is caused because the paint was put on too quickly, and usually too heavy, not allowing the lower coats to flash off sufficiently. With all of the issues that you're having, it sounds as though the painter was a rookie. The bad news is that it's not an easy fix. I would NOT paint over it. Get it back down to glass and start over. BTW, the amount of hardener is important for good flash, etc., but because it's a chemical process, even if there is too little hardener, it will dry the same....just take a little longer (a couple of days maybe). From your description, it sounds like the painter used acrylic enamel, with no hardener, and clearcoated it.
Mike Coletta
Last edited by mike coletta; Jul 25, 2011 at 05:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 869
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Sounds like you're going to have to strip it and repaint. Here are some typical causes of what you're describing.
1. Cheap paint
2. Cheap primer
3. Not prepared properly
There is no sanding of the base coat before clearcoat. The clear coat can be cut and buffed after it's finished, but if you "cut through" to the base, you can't just spray some clear over it....it doesn't work that way. The "wrinkling" that you describe is common when too much paint is applied (usually acrylic enamel). What kind of paint was used?? What brand?? It sounds like some adhesion issues, which can be caused by a million things. Most of the time it's from cheap materials or mixing materials that don't belong together. A blister will come up from bad body work, or bad adhesion, or gassing of the paint. Gassing is caused because the paint was put on too quickly, and usually too heavy, not allowing the lower coats to flash off sufficiently. With all of the issues that you're having, it sounds as though the painter was a rookie. The bad news is that it's not an easy fix. I would NOT paint over it. Get it back down to glass and start over. BTW, the amount of hardener is important for good flash, etc., but because it's a chemical process, even if there is too little hardener, it will dry the same....just take a little longer (a couple of days maybe). From your description, it sounds like the painter used acrylic enamel, with no hardener, and clearcoated it.
Mike Coletta
1. Cheap paint
2. Cheap primer
3. Not prepared properly
There is no sanding of the base coat before clearcoat. The clear coat can be cut and buffed after it's finished, but if you "cut through" to the base, you can't just spray some clear over it....it doesn't work that way. The "wrinkling" that you describe is common when too much paint is applied (usually acrylic enamel). What kind of paint was used?? What brand?? It sounds like some adhesion issues, which can be caused by a million things. Most of the time it's from cheap materials or mixing materials that don't belong together. A blister will come up from bad body work, or bad adhesion, or gassing of the paint. Gassing is caused because the paint was put on too quickly, and usually too heavy, not allowing the lower coats to flash off sufficiently. With all of the issues that you're having, it sounds as though the painter was a rookie. The bad news is that it's not an easy fix. I would NOT paint over it. Get it back down to glass and start over. BTW, the amount of hardener is important for good flash, etc., but because it's a chemical process, even if there is too little hardener, it will dry the same....just take a little longer (a couple of days maybe). From your description, it sounds like the painter used acrylic enamel, with no hardener, and clearcoated it.
Mike Coletta
Thanks!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 1,291
From: minneola fl
I have not used Matrix, so I'll save my comments, but the tech sheet shows that it can be used over PPG DBC. I typically use DBC with PPG 2021 clear. I know of some shops that have had a problem with using other brands of clear over DBC, and I know that PPG will not warranty any work that is not done with PPG products from bottom to top. Good luck.....I hope you can get it straighted out.
Mike Coletta
Mike Coletta
