Paint bubbles.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
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Paint bubbles.
This last spring i had my 90c4 repainted along with some body work, both came out great. The only real issue is several spots have bubbled under the paint, its still solid on the car but is still bothersome. The guy who did the work is a perfectionist and clearly very good at bodywork, before mine he had never painted a vette and isnt sure why the paint bubbled. Does anyone have advice or some direction as to how to fix this? Or is it just a byproduct of repainting 23 year old fiberglass?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
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From: Charlotte NC
QUESTIONS:
1.) Do you cover the car outside??? IF so...STOP ...regardless of the car cover you have. AND if you do..is the inside of your car musty smelling??? And please do not write that you cover your paint job with a plastic tarp....which is the BIGGEST NO-NO imaginable!!!!
2.) Are these bubbles on the high side of the panel that they are located on? So the tops of the quarter panels just outside the area where the rubber seal goes for your back glass...on the hood where under the bubbled area you have inner structure...and at the tops of the doors by the outer window sealing strips and mirrors...BUT you do not have bubbles down low...below the center body trim and tops of the urethane bumpers.
Talk to your painter and have him describe what he used from the raw SMC (if he stripped it all the way down)to the top. SO all primers, adhesion promoters, body fillers etc. ESPECIALLY if these bubbled areas were filled and that is the only area you are getting a problem. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!
Many other factors can be involved...but we will start here.
DUB
1.) Do you cover the car outside??? IF so...STOP ...regardless of the car cover you have. AND if you do..is the inside of your car musty smelling??? And please do not write that you cover your paint job with a plastic tarp....which is the BIGGEST NO-NO imaginable!!!!
2.) Are these bubbles on the high side of the panel that they are located on? So the tops of the quarter panels just outside the area where the rubber seal goes for your back glass...on the hood where under the bubbled area you have inner structure...and at the tops of the doors by the outer window sealing strips and mirrors...BUT you do not have bubbles down low...below the center body trim and tops of the urethane bumpers.
Talk to your painter and have him describe what he used from the raw SMC (if he stripped it all the way down)to the top. SO all primers, adhesion promoters, body fillers etc. ESPECIALLY if these bubbled areas were filled and that is the only area you are getting a problem. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!
Many other factors can be involved...but we will start here.
DUB
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
No car cover since its been painted and only covered it before the paint job a few times when weather was getting real bad. First bubbles showed fairly soon after the paint dryed between the very front of the hood and the headlights, those are by far the worst. Smaller ones between door and hatch glass, also on the quarter pannel arches. Ill need a day or two for the other info. The painter is leaning towards moisture is getting into the seams and pushing the paint out after it gets warm
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
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There all fairly small in surface coverage the biggest being about 1/2 inch at very most but most are smaller. The ones on the hood are pushed upward the most by far, everywhere else you really hafta look to find them. Ill post some pics asap
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 87
From: bluff dale tx
if they were small pin head bubbles i would guess solvent pop. large bubbles are not good. this is the sign of an incompatible solvent trapped under the paint . need to know what was used on it solvent wise .
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
I will do just as soon as I possibly can, maybe by tomorrow but I don't know yet. The paint guy really wants to know to as I said he's a perfectionist he just doesn't have any experience with Corvettes. I'll post pictures of the bubbles and get The product information. Thanks for your help by the way
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
If I had to lay down a bet...I am quite sure that it is moisture contamination. Especially the area right in front of the headlights and in front of bumper (that narrow area). And the "halo" section...YEP...moisture. AND this can be attributed to the car cover being used. ESPECIALLY if it was allowed to stay on the car when the weather cleared up and the sun dried up the rain. Car covers GREATLY reduce the ability of air moving around the car...and when a car is in the sun...and it is wet under the car...the moisture has no where to go but up...and it gets in the car and will begin to collect and damage all upper sections of the car. That is why you more than likely do not have any problems below the body side moldings. CAR covers being used outside and NOT maintained= GREENHOUSE EFFECTS to your car. SO do not be surprised if anyone used one or uses one and the interior fasteners begin to rust...and you wonder why.
Your guy is wrong ...the SMC can not delaminate as he "thinks"....and I have to agree with "Scott Marzahl".
Still need to know what he used on the car....and if it was completely removed of all paint or not.
DUB
Your guy is wrong ...the SMC can not delaminate as he "thinks"....and I have to agree with "Scott Marzahl".
Still need to know what he used on the car....and if it was completely removed of all paint or not.
DUB
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
The car wasnt stripped of all paint. It had been painted a few years before i got the car, but it was very poorly done so it made sense to have it redone. A few parts had body damage but those arent the problem areas. The hood is the worst part i think because the sealant on the underside of the hood is deteriorating, but other areas arent near a seam. Ill post pics asap, bear with me please im an over the road truckdriver and dont get much time.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
