paint scratch touchup

[tony]

Soooo. I went and had a blast at the Des Moines Goodguys this past weekend. I had a new idea to add 2x4 wood to keep my 33 from bottoming out on my trailer as my exhaust hung up last year. It went well but I caught the body on the 2x4 where it has a door hinge at the beavertale at some point and scratched the S**t out of it along the rocker panel (I didnt space the 2x4's far enough apart). It goes clear through the paint into the fiberglass it seems. What's the repair method for this? Should I tackle it or leave it to a bodyshop? I was going to buildit with my leftover original paint up after cleaning up the scratch and color sand then clear it and buff that out. thoughts?

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[Presto51]

Hi Tony

You stated, "It goes clear through the paint into the fiberglass it seems. What's the repair method for this? Should I tackle it or leave it to a bodyshop?" It's not a simple touch -up , if you want to make it look like it never happened, if that is your goal.

To do it right, will depend on your tools and skill. (skill for a lower body damage repaint we can get around, but tools, like air compressor, paint gun(s), masking paper and tape not so much) .

With that said and you asked for repair method, I will list the can't tell it happened steps:

Compound, to clean the lower door, quarter panel above the lower body line of the rocker panel area, along with the undamaged rocker area.

Keep the area confined to just the rocker area, meaning your should mask off above the rocker at the lower body line. ( Don't "Sharpe/hard" tape right at the lower body line, come up about eighth of an inch above that lower "roll" line, and use another line of tape to soft roll half of it above the body line, (leaving half it to hang out in the air, with the other half overlapping the masking tape line above the lower body line. You will reapply this soft tape line several times doing the repair.)

Sand, feather edge out the complete scratch try to keep it as contained as possible.

Prime the sanded feather out area (this is where with the above taping procedure your are keeping the over spray off the rest of the car.)

Guide coat the primer, block sand, reapply primer if necessary. (Check the "soft" tape line and reapply to keep build up off the lower body line)

Finish sanding with 600 grit. ( scuff sand an area big enough to blend your clear)

Compound out the end of your blend area to clean/prep for clear coat blend

Apply color coats, each one over lapping the pervious coats (pending on color that is usually about three coats) letting each coat flash off

Apply clear coats (about three) over lapping the last color coat, with the other coats over lapping like the color coats, allow for proper flash time between coats.

Apply "blending clear coat" at the ends of your last clear coat.

Let clear harden, and buff the repaired area.

Well that's my thoughts and I hope it's the type of information that will let you decide which way you want to go.

Ron

[33fromSD]

That sucks, been there, done that.

Yup, tricky fix but doable. I took a huge gouge out of my driver's side running board loading it on my beaver tail trailer last summer to get it inspected for registration before I realized I needed additional ramps. If you're used to doing your own paint work and aren't afraid to try, Presto51 lays out the exact steps needed. The only thing I'll add is to minimize overspray I used an air brush to spray all my repair. Its a little tricky to get the consistency right but it worked out really well. Sure, if you get up close on your hands and knees and look hard you can see it but standing looking at it you'd never know.

Mine involved fiberglass crack repair too so a few more steps involved then yours.

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If you're not comfortable doing the work or don't want to go through the hassle of all the steps then take it to a body shop but it probably won't be cheap (I'm guessing $400-$800) and as how busy those guys are it may take a while to get in.

Good luck with your decision.

Jim

[tony]

Wow, very good info from of you guys. Is there also a method to infill with fine brush in lieu of spray painting? I imagine the final job is not as good though

[33fromSD]

Hey Tony

I can't fully tell, but yours look like it may have a slight metallic to it, if it does, brushing will leave metallic streaks since the spray gun or air brush gun atomizes the metallic and spreads it evenly.

Short answer is "yes" you could brush it on, but it would stick out since brushing leaves thicker layers. Since it's the rocker panel it may not be overly noticeable to anyone else but you though. It comes down to you and what your okay with (your car). Auto-body purist would say my repair on my 33 above is too obvious but I'm perfectly fine with it cause you really need to look for it. Most people don't even see it unless I point it out.

If just hiding the scratch is your goal and you'd be happy with that, then yes, brush on some touch up paint followed by brushing on clear and call it good.

Jim

[Presto51]

Wow, very good info from of you guys. Is there also a method to infill with fine brush in lieu of spray painting? I imagine the final job is not as good though

Tony the problem your going to have with brush touchup is that the basecoat color is very thin, without much body to it, so it doesn't fill, even with going over it with clear you're going to see the scratch, or it may look more like a scar. Unfortunately you don't have a whole lot of options for a never been damaged look.

If you do fill with a brush, and don't point it out to people, they may not notice at first look, since these cars are low to the ground.

Ron

[33fromSD]

Tony the problem your going to have with brush touchup is that the basecoat color is very thin, without much body to it, so it doesn't fill, even with going over it with clear you're going to see the scratch, or it may look more like a scar. Unfortunately you don't have a whole lot of options for a never been damaged look.

If you do fill with a brush, and don't point it out to people, they may not notice at first look, since these cars are low to the ground.

Ron

Depends if he uses the base coat to touch it up which I agree is thin, or if it's a factory color and he orders actual touch up paint which would be a little thicker. Either way, agree if you look you'll see it but it comes down to what look Tony is going for.

Jim

[tony]

It is metallic. It's a factory bmw paint. I have some leftover and it is unreduced right now. Very thick

[33fromSD]

Much better (IMO) than working with reduced paint.

To me I always live with the philosophy that if I don't like how something turns out then I'll re-do it. If you have the same mind set and you're not looking for total perfection then if it were me given that it's the rocker panel I would take my time but try to touch it up with a brush (get a few testor model car brushes) and see once it dries if you can live with it.

Keep in mind it will dry in a matte finish so you'll need to do the same with a clear coat. The nice thing about clear is you can apply several coats of that and then wet sand / buff that small area to match the shine when it's cured. You'll still see the scratch slight if the light hits it right but you're going to really have to focus on it to see it.

The nice thing about these things is it will always bug you since you know it's there, but hardly anyone else will see it since they are not crawling around on their hands and knees looking for it.

If it doesn't turn out, then either try the steps suggested above or take it to a body shop, but at least you'll know you tried before you took those steps.

Jim

[tony]

I'm gonna give it a go. I already went to one paint shop and they turned me down. I'm not too concerned with perfection. I'll probably brush it on and post when it's done

[33fromSD]

I would do the same

Jim

[Brave Salmon]

Wow what great suggestions from he troops. Guess I should have asked this question with my 33. I painted it myself and over three years must have fixed dozens of little scratches, chips and other screw ups in the paint. I got a few very good tips from Mr. Miller and really just did as you are doing via trial and error. The greatest thing about paint is it can always be sanded off and re done. I fixed my cowle twice after scratching it with the roadster windshield before learning to tape it off during top swaps. The third time it looked so good afterwards, I had to repaint the damn hood to make it as nice. Go for it Tony, you'll be so proud of yourself for gutting through it that you will start looking for other stuff to attack. have fun. that's what its all about.