Almost finished painting

[mriz]

Well I was on the fourth(final) coat of clear and dirt or somthing got on the door. So stupidly I try to fix it. Needless to say it's back to primer. In the process I knocked the shop light into the perfect rear quarter panel but looks to only have gotten the clear. ? is can I scuff the rear quarter with ?1500 grit and re-shoot clear , or is that one going back to primer also?

[hls30.com]

I would try color sanding both the panel and the door, go back ony as far as you have to. Clear is easy to work with, and easy to fix. if the problems didn't make it to the color coat, just redo the clear. No point in priming again, unless you just would feel better doing it.

Will

[mriz]

Well the scratch looks to be to the color coat . I may attempt a repair before I sand down the entire panel first. The question I have is how to prepare the cured clear coat surface for more clearcoat on top of it?

[hls30.com]

As with most things, I would read all of these instructions three times out loud (as if you are explaing to your frustrated best friend what he just did wrong so as not to wizz him off further-but to keep him from continuing the same mistake) at three different times of the day before you do this, and again just before doing this- to make sure the jello sets!

A smathering of elbow grease applied with a constant and generous flow of water, and a block coveredwith 600 grit, followed by 800 grit, followed by 1200 grit to get to the scratched surface, then 1600 over the whole surface, and then prep it normally and shoot it. When the new clear is completely dry hit the whole pannel with water and 1600-2000 grit and buff it out with the appropriate compound-ask where you bought the paint. You will not be able to see the repair-if it didn't hit the paint-and the job will look like the prettiest mirror you have ever seen! You will probably want to do the last sanding-and buffing to the whole car after you see that panel!

Don't be shy with the water while sanding, if your feet aren't pruned after 5 minutes, you had better be weating golashes! Make sure you use a quality block for sanding, and do not rub hard, you do not want the sheet metal to flex under the pressure of your sanding. Go slow and take your time. You control the results you get with your patience and your care.

All you are doing is polishing the clear, applying more, and polishing again!

Will

PS, you know it now, but unless you are going to wipe it all off, and start over, never try to fix paint while it is wet!

[mriz]

Thanks for the instructions Will. I plan on sanding it this weekend. You can bet I'll never do that again ! This has been quite a learning experience for the first paint job. I'll post pics when finished.

[mriz]

Wet sanding is completed, just need to get it buffed out. Paint job is o.k. for first try but next year a repaint is in order with a color closer to the one blitzkraig has.

[hls30.com]

Pictures? Pictures? Pleaase!

Will

[mriz]

I won't get the pictures back from being developed for a few more days. I think I'll ask for a digital this christmass! The color is close to the factory light blue metalic . It probably looks best at about 30mph . Next year I hope to get it down to about 15 mph.

[hls30.com]

I can't wait to see how you did!

Will

[mriz]

I uploaded the pics to the gallery. Just remember it's my 1st attempt at bodywork and paint. I'll post more after it's buffed out .That will be when I find insurance so I can leave the driveway.