Flint

I saw a thread a while ago about fixing the clearcoat in little spots, but I have at least 1/3 of it flaking off my hood. I'm considering a couple options:

1. somehow removing the clearcoat and polishing the paint directly (obviously some reservations about that).

2. removing clearcoat and have it redone by a pro (or leaving a pro to do the whole thing).

This is not so much a priority, but a "while the hood is removed from the car" thing. And obviously, it looks really nasty.

Garth S

The colour coat laid under 'clear' in this two part process is neither designed for exposure to the elements nor is a good candidate for buffing/shine. Actually, the colour coat is normally quite thin and absolutely flat/non-reflective.
Normally, colour can be spot area repaired if required, and the entire panel reshot with clear. The Glasurit clear system used on these cars is incredible stuff - absolutely rock hard.If you get into the colour coat, matching can be a trick.
Sounds at the very least, you need the clear redone.

Flint

Exactly, if the color isn't that heavy, I don't want to leave it exposed like that. How do they protect those non-clearcoat colors like red?

slate blue

Not meaning to be offensive, everybody needs to start somewhere, I would leave it alone. I have painted plenty of cars, there is no way to sucessfully fix metallic paints without it clearly being seen. Especially how you describe your problem. I would suggest that to make your car look good to excellent you will need to paint the entire front end.

Also if the clear has delaminated you will probably need to strip those areas,
( or atleast get rid of the peeling clear)as what will stop that from happening in surrounding areas after you have the new paintwork done. Somebody has been in there before and done a crappy job and as such you will probably need to remove their work. Factory paintwork doesn't, in my experience peel or delaminate.

The hood is subject to lots of heat, both from the sun, being a flat panel and of course from the engine, to last basically it needs perfect preparation. Make sure you are happy with what your pro tells you. If not, post some pictures and get back to me.

Good luck Greg

Flint

I had wondered that myself. I suspected the that because the hood pad underneath had deteriorated it was letting excessive heat through but this... Now I think about the mismatched passenger fender and I put 2 and 2 together.

Pictures! Almost forgotten I had taken some. I'm okay with leaving it alone if its safe to, then in a couple years do a total repaint (which I see looming on the distant horizon anyway).

slate blue

O.K thanks for posting the pics, two reasons that might have happened, the hardener they used was old. Two when they sprayed the clear that let it flash off for too long. The two coats get adhesion from a chemical bonding, the base coat should have minimal solvent left if it, not too much overwise you get solvent boil. Solvent boil is little bubbles that form when the solvent or thinner can't get out. But you need some to get the chemical adhesion.

If the hardener was too old it just sits on top of the base coat and never bonds. That bonnet was certainly repainted before. I cant really suggest anything but to repaint it like you suggested. The old clearcoat will need to be removed pior to applying any more paint.

Cheers Greg

Flint

Thanks for the advice, Greg, that solves some mysteries for me (possibly more that I didn't bring up). Hopefully I can minimize it getting worse until I can afford a repaint. Hmmm, I wonder if they make a bra for the entire hood (bonnet).

IcemanG17

Seeing pictures like that makes me glad I don't have any clearcoat!!! One advantage of a Guards Red car!
Brian