Paint problems with 1996
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Paint problems with 1996
I have a brother that owns a 1996 since new. He has been having a problem with his factory paint for many years now. It has been bubbling and flaking in areas all over the car. He has taken it took a body shop to be repainted and the shop found out some interesting news. They claim to him that the factory left the release agent on the body panels from the molding process and that is causing the paint to lift. Has anybody else had any of these type of issues with their 1996?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
I have a brother that owns a 1996 since new. He has been having a problem with his factory paint for many years now. It has been bubbling and flaking in areas all over the car. He has taken it took a body shop to be repainted and the shop found out some interesting news. They claim to him that the factory left the release agent on the body panels from the molding process and that is causing the paint to lift. Has anybody else had any of these type of issues with their 1996?
Banned Loser
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 53,423
Likes: 250
From: They say you learn from your mistakes, I must be a genius
2017 Corvette of the Year
2016 C4 of Year Finalist
Creator of the "Original" whining and crying thread
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17
If the claim is in fact true, it sounds like it may be an isolated incident. The paint and clear coat on my '96 still look good after 17 years.Early year C4's were known to have clear coat issues.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
No specific problems I know of on the 96 paint. Nearly all cars experience clear coat deterioration after 10 years, and once it starts it will continue until it's repainted. Look around, and you will notice it especially bad on Chrysler and Japanese cars.The release agent he is talking about is in the SMC process fiberglass, and has been used on all Corvettes since the mid 70's, and I know of no problems with it. If it was a problem, it would show up as flacking down to the fiberglass, not on the clearcoat.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,388
Likes: 2,741
That seems like it would be quite unlikely! "All over the car" is maybe somewhat exaggerated and isolated to a particular panel maybe? It sounds maybe like someone is being "prepped" for a substantial "overcharge" that's related to the preparation for a repaint! I'd suggest a second opinion or more!
Snapshots documenting it, the color and maybe the build information on the drivers door might be of interest. Is the car garaged and in what climate?
Snapshots documenting it, the color and maybe the build information on the drivers door might be of interest. Is the car garaged and in what climate?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Thanks for the replies everybody. Yeah its all the way to the fiberglass not just the clear that is flaking. He's hoping that somehow the ins may cover it but not sure yet. We were told just yesterday afternoon so have to go see for ourselves how it looks.