Corvette acne?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville TN
Corvette acne?
My 84 has what looks like bumps either under the paint or the clear coat. I have seen this on older corvettes but not on anything newer than 80. It is the original paint, the car has always been garage kept and maintained. I am the original owner and it is the original paint.
What the heck is this? Should I buy acne medicin for my corvette? Its 22 years old way past adolesance. Its mainly on the hood. In one part it bubbled up and chiped off. Major eye sore. I was quoted $6,000 to repaint the car to factory specs. What should I do.
What the heck is this? Should I buy acne medicin for my corvette? Its 22 years old way past adolesance. Its mainly on the hood. In one part it bubbled up and chiped off. Major eye sore. I was quoted $6,000 to repaint the car to factory specs. What should I do.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,032
Likes: 4
Is it mainly on the hood, in the area over the a/c compressor? If that's the case, I'd be willing to be that your compressor is slinging oil on the underside of your hood.
Otherwise, I'd question whether parts were repainted, but you said you are the original owner, so that eliminates that possibility.
I'd avoid repainting, until you're able to answer why the marks are occuring. You're body guy didn't have any ideas? That suprises me...Where else is it occuring besides the hood?
Otherwise, I'd question whether parts were repainted, but you said you are the original owner, so that eliminates that possibility.
I'd avoid repainting, until you're able to answer why the marks are occuring. You're body guy didn't have any ideas? That suprises me...Where else is it occuring besides the hood?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 644
Likes: 15
From: Clarksville Tennessee
I have the same problem. My car was repainted about 5 years ago and I've started to notice the bumps in the same areas the you mention. I plan on having it repainted, but I owuld like to know what causes it. I was told it could be moisture causing the paint to separated form the surface.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,032
Likes: 4
I am willing to bet that your a/c compressor is throwing grease on the inside of your hood. That grease leeches into the fiberglass and can cause the bubbles your describing. The area you describe is about where that grease would land. If you dig through the archives on this site, you can find instances of when this has happened to other people...... I believe they had to replace the hood to prevent it from happening again, but I'm not familiar with it enough to say that for sure.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville TN
I have a hard time believing its the compressor. Just because I keep my underhood area so clean and I have never seen greese there. I would belive it is moisture in the fiberglass, but would like to know how to stop it if that is the case.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Corvette Paint Problems
Back in the 1980s I went to the corvette factory in Bowling Green with a group of trade school students. My father managed a paint store that supplied some of the materials to this school and so he and I went along for the ride. At the factory there was a line of cars along a wall of the factory with the top of the nose and the top of the area behind the hatch glass sanded and taped off to have the paint touched up. I have seen several of the '80s models with the paint faded on these areas over the years. I wonder if the problem you describe could be because your car may have been one of these cars. My '91 had paint fade on the hood and has been touched up on several panels at one time or another in its life. My father's '90 Indy offical car came with a paint disclaimer for the yellow. The materials and process could have been less than 100% in the '80s.
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Not to hijack this thread, but I am curious... If it were oil penetrating into the fiberglass, what could be done to prevent it? Painting the under side of the hood maybe?
If it were moisture, would painting the under side help seal the fiberglass?
If it were moisture, would painting the under side help seal the fiberglass?
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville TN
The more I think about it, I dont think it is oil because if it were then the paint that is on the underside of the hood would be damaged as well. Mine is in perfect condition. I have not had any paint fade except for the rear bumper on the top. This was the first paint problem that started about 12 years ago. First I noticed very fine spider cracks in the paint and in the last few years it faded and has large water stains, which confuses me also because the car has never been left wet. Even if caught in the rain it gets dried off as soon as possible.
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 295
Likes: 3
From: Newton NJ
Sounds like it could be de-lamination from the sun and poor paint quality from GM. GM had trouble with their paints in the 80's. I know on mine it did the same thing it was actually the clear being pushed up from the color coat that was breaking down underneath. This can happen from sitting in the sun or just by the paint breaking down from age.
Had the car repainted with urethane paint no more de-lamination issues.
Had the car repainted with urethane paint no more de-lamination issues.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 664
Likes: 1
From: Orlando, Florida
I have a torch red 95 and I noticed this on the tail just behind the rear hatch glass. (Five or six little blemishes) I am the 2nd owner and I always garage it but I know the first owner must have left it out in the sun alot because of the condition of my window swipes and seals. I'm leaning toward the "sun exposure" theory. Just my 2 cent's.
