dkrotz

Ah that is the question.

Hello,

My 1980 SC (black) still has excellent paint but for the front air damn and hood (road rash). This tends to stick out because the rest of the car looks great. My question is, should I have only the air damn and hood repainted? Will this match? Would I be better off just having it touched up? I don't want to end up doing more harm then good, but I don't see this car needing a full paint job for at least a decade (thanks to Porsche for that).

I'm asking on this forum because I know I'll get unbiased real world advice :-).

Thanks in advance for any input,

Derick

fixnprsh

Touch ups look like strech marks on a fat chick (nice visual huh) A good painter can match the black just fine, so find a highly recomended painter in your area and do it right with the front valance, bumper, hood, and fenders. Get new rubber and head light lenses if your rollin in dough to complete the package!

Dan Cobb

I couldn't disagree more.
Touch ups look more like stretch marks on a SKINNY chick! Totally out of place (you'd expect to see them on a fat chick!).

Don't take the same path someone with an old toyota pickup would take towards paint repair with a Porsche. If you do, you will have a negative imapct on the value of your car (and we will take away your right to own one!).

If it is bad enough to cause you concern, consider a bra (there are several types, even a magnetic version) to conceal the areas until you are ready/able to repaint the entire front end (or car for that matter!).
JMHO

BTW, I just saw a white (Grand Prix) Carrera Targa today that had a dent along the rear 1/4 and a bad touch up on the rear deck. The first thing I thought was.... man, that car couldn't be worth more than $6,000 IF the interior and drive train are EXCELLENT.
Bad body work or paint have quite likely the largest negative impact on future buyers, not to mention other owners. It may drive like a dream, but if it looks like a dung pile, people will assume it is.
+++

purrybonker

Maybe there's a "middle ground" here. I had a bit of a road rash issue with my silver '87 cab and was debating a paint job for quite a while. I psyched myself up to doing the hood, bumper, fenders and mirrors at a local premium (quality and price) shop.

The guys there talked me down (yes, down) to doing just the mirrors and bumper. They observed that unless I was in the concours game, I was better off with a 20 something year old car with beauty marks than one with an obvious facelift.

I ended up doing just the bumper and mirrors and am very happy with the results. These are well differentiated (separation and plane) surfaces that do not present themselves as obviously being resprayed in comparison to the rest of the car. The couple of nicks that I have since picked up on the repainted bumper actually completes the overall image better than when it was pristine. I'm still debating adding those prissy mirror bras because those flags are just such a handy target for any flying debris; but I doubt I can bring myself to do it.

But my hood was/is not that bad at all and maybe black is easier to work with than silver....

nullH20

My coupe roof's paint is looking very tired / worn. The rest of the car's paint is original & in good shape (i.e. not v. good or excellent). Has anyone had experience with getting a roof resprayed? What cost ballpark should I be thinking? I would replace the windshield at the same time (chips) but would any other windows need to come out?
thanks

Dan Cobb

I would also pull the rear window and paint the area that goes behind/next to the gasket. I hate the thought of taping off the window gaskets or door handles and expecting good results.
++++

Jay H

If you are in concours, even the repainted hood and fenders might disqualify you from certain classes of competition. As an amature judge, I'd much rather see a cleaned up original car with it's blemishes than a repainted 'perfect' car. It's only original once.

I'll agree that doing the bumper and mirrors was the best compromise.

Jay
90 964

Ellsworth Wente

park behind suv's with trailer hitches for a while... eventually, one of them will put a scratch in your hood like they did to mine. I got new bumper rubber, a new smile, & I had my hood repainted (black) for free. (although it really pissed me off at the time, of course) I threw in the extra $ myself to have the front fenders/headlight rings repainted since they were chipped up as well. The local shop did an excellent job. black is the easiest color to match... as stated above - if it's a concourse "rare" car, leave it alone, but if it's just a car that you want to drive & sparkle, go for it! I can stand in the garage and stare at it hypnotized for hours ;-)
Before the SUV induced repaint, I considered a bra, but having had them on other cars in the past, and witnessing the sandpaper effect they have on the paint they protect (Yes, I cleaned mine frequently), I decided to live with the rock chips exposed. I like 'em better nude ;-)