LuigiPetrone

that's the problem... everything else on the car is in fantastic shape. i would not want to blend on fenders that are perfect just to paint the hood... but the hood is getting pretty chipped up...

Dock

I know that most, but not all, automobiles are painted using the color/clear process. I just wanted to clarify which process you were referring to.

How much time do automobile painters allow the color coat(s) to cure before applying the clear coat?

s65e90

Not long at all. Maybe 20-30 min depending on the manufacturer.

Dock

So the clear paint needs to cure but the color paint doesn't.

Carlo_Carrera

It is best for the clear coat and the base coat to bond and cure together. Thus no need for the base to "cure", this makes for a lasting solid paint finishing and is in no way similar to the process of applying a clear bra type protective.

Dock

So the base color coat(s) doesn't off-gas?

autobonrun

Then I definitely would not blend the hood into the perfect paint of your fenders. It would be paint the hood alone or live with the rock chips. Maybe have them shoot a couple sample pieces so you can see how close they can get; especially important if you have metallic paint because metallic flake size and even the direction in which the flakes lie can affect how the paint looks.

I can tell you that I had my hood resprayed to eliminate rock chips on my metallic color 79SC back in the late 80's, and they got extremely close; but I can tell the difference. I did not blend into the fenders. Others only notice when I point it out to them. If you can get it to the point that only you can tell the difference, I would say you are there. But you'll have to be prepared to accept a slight difference yourself. If you're not ready to do that you'll have to live with the rock chips. Not many options.

LuigiPetrone

would it be an easier job if my paint was not metallic? I don't believe mine is....

Carlo_Carrera

It off-gases with/through the clear coat. The clear coat layer is much thinner and permeable at the molecular off-gas level. It is almost like osmosis.

Dock

So which is more permeable, the clear or a coat of wax?

Carlo_Carrera

Depends on what state of cure the clear coat has achieved and which wax is used and the process by which the wax is applied and cured.

Dock

So there should be a point in time where the clear coat is less permeable than a coat of carnauba wax. At that point there wouldn't be any off gassing of the color coat through a coat of wax. That might well be before 30 days post painting. In fact the clear coat may be finished off gassing before 30 days.

Here's a quote from the interesting article linked below:

"Many paint company now say the 30-90 day recommendations are based on old paint formulations and the p-Sheets need to be up-dated in line with the latest paint specifications, although to my knowledge this has not been done. Most paints can have a paint protection product (wax / sealant/coating) applied within 36 – 48 hours of painting."

http://togwt1980.blogspot.com/2015/0...ars-paint.html

Carlo_Carrera

The key word there is, "can", as in "Most paints can have...". Just because they "can", doesn't mean they "should". And who is the author of this article anyway? Why should anyone care what he thinks? I could quote dozens of top flight restorers who have painted multi-million dollar cars and they will tell you this guy knows nothing.

Which gets back to my earlier statement. It all depends on the cure time of the paint and the type and application of the wax.

Rvca3112

according to xpel, you can apply after being painted because the gases are still able to escape from the paint with it on. The new ppf stuff is insane!

Dock

"Can" would in this case mean wax can be applied without negatively affecting the paint.



Because he may be right.

It has taken a long time to get people not to change their oil every 3000 miles. The same may be true regarding convincing people not to wait 30 days (or longer) to wax their new paint.