Acid Rain
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 125
From: Dunstable MA
St. Jude Donor '05
I first found out about acid rain paint damage when I asked why I couldn't wash off those nasty spots on the hood of a nearly new black car 
It was not a Vette, but the same principle applies: the acid eats into the clear coat as the droplet dries. The acid concentrates and does its nasty work around the edge of the droplet, so you see ragged circles in the paint. If that's what you've got you will be able to feel it with your fingernail!
In my case, the dealership buffed the horizontal surfaces of the car, and that minimized the visual effect. They also told me to never let a car dry on its own after a rainfall; rinse it with tap water and then towel it off. I could not adhere to their instruction, but I started using AutoFom protectant, which is supposed to resist the effects of acid rain, and it worked. (I am not sure what other products will do the same job.)
It was not a Vette, but the same principle applies: the acid eats into the clear coat as the droplet dries. The acid concentrates and does its nasty work around the edge of the droplet, so you see ragged circles in the paint. If that's what you've got you will be able to feel it with your fingernail! In my case, the dealership buffed the horizontal surfaces of the car, and that minimized the visual effect. They also told me to never let a car dry on its own after a rainfall; rinse it with tap water and then towel it off. I could not adhere to their instruction, but I started using AutoFom protectant, which is supposed to resist the effects of acid rain, and it worked. (I am not sure what other products will do the same job.)
