Botched paint fix. Now what?

[dukess396]

My attempt to fix some trash in the fender failed. I have a huge blend mark towards the front of the fender. The rear is perfect. I sprayed base over wet sanded universal, then 2 more coats of universal on top of that. Can this line be fixed, or do I scuff the whole fender and start over.

 

[crashtech]

You should always re-clear the entire panel you are blending for maximum quality. It's hard to tell exactly what you did there, but from here it looks like you buffed it too much, or there was an inappropriate use of masking paper, or both.

You should prep the entire fender like you are going to paint the whole thing, lay one coat of intercoat down on the whole fender, apply base to the area which needs to be covered, making each coat go out further from the last, then clear the whole thing. The trick is in the technique used to create the blended out area of the base. It's sometimes hard to achieve a perfect transition from the repair to the existing metallic. The coat of intercoat helps a lot with this.

 

[dukess396]

Sorry if I sound like a boner, but I'm not sure what intercoat is? Is it absolutely necessary? It wont be a big deal to respray, if all I have to do is scuff the existing finish and reshoot. The area I'm having problems with is one of 3 spots I burned through while wetsanding the clear. The other 2 spots came out beautiful. So If I had just laid more clear it would have been ok?

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

When doing blends it is often hard to see the original paint you are trying to blend to because of the sanded clear coat. Intercoat is a clear base coat that you apply over the sanded clear prior to making your blends. It really helps you to see how your blend is, shall I say blending?

Here's my front fender after I sanded through:

Here's the same panel blended and ready for clear coat:

Cut and buffed:

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

A successful clear blend requires the proper prep, cleanliness, and color control-there can't be any hint of color in the area where the clear is to be blended, the blend also needs sufficient cure time before any buffing. Judging from the harshness of that line in the pic it looks like there was contamination in the blend area-may have gotten some color where it shouldn't have been?-the smallest trace of overspray will mess it up, it needs to be perfectly clean and scuffed clear where the blend will be. In the old days we would hand rub the blend areas with superduty compound to prep for the blend nowadays we have 3000 and 4000 grit which works well. Blending solvent is used to melt the dry edge of the clear as the last step only-if you shoot three coats they should extend farther out on each pass and the blending solvent gets used on the last one only. The blend needs to cure up fairly hard before any buffing otherwise you'll just burn up that thin edge of soft fresh clear. I've got some blends as old as 19 years that are still undetectable but some say it can't be done...... You need to have proper prep and cleanliness, total control on where the color goes, and the blend needs to be completed in the prepped area, and don't rush the time to buff.

 

[crashtech]

Bob, would you do an open blend on a front fender, or just clear the whole thing?

To the OP, the intercoat might not be necessary, it just helps stack the odds in your favor. Depending on what paint system you use, your jobber may be able to sell you a small quantity of what is sometimes also called colorless basecoat to perform this procedure, it's essentially the same thing as SPI intercoat.

I don't think it is all that hard to just clear the fender after the metallic is blended. That takes a lot of the need for skill and finesse out of the equation, and ensures a long lasting repair.

A good open blend takes some practice.

 

[jeremyb]

I usually just clear the entire panel. I hate open blends. I've done a few that came out perfect, and i've done a few that just came out awful. Eventually got it right. I think part of the reason i'm unsuccessful with them, is because i hate them...lol!

I know guys that do them all the time and they look great. What i cant stand the most is when a quarter panel is done and blending the clear right at the a pillar (up and over the sail panel) right before it comes down meets the fender. The roof is cut off by a moulding of some sort so you dont have to get on the roof. Why do an open blend there when you only have about 2-3 more feet and the panel ends? Just clear the rest of it.....i see it all day long in collision shops.

I personally think an open blend has no place on these restorations. Others might disagree but i just seems to cheap way out and too many variables to get it right...these cars cost a lot to do and don't need any more headache to add to them. Of course...now when you talk about a $500 lot car...things are different. Even the most horrible blend will pass.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

I agree-do what makes sense,clear the whole panel if it's just a panel, but say like an old vette where there's no breaks there's no way I'm going to reclear the whole tub if I can do a blend and stand behind it. A bolt on fender-clear it complete.

 

[strum456]

Bob stepped me through blending the clear on my rear panel. Not even a week after I painted my car, the rear panel got dented (I don't even want to go there). Anyway, I did what Bob said, and the blend is completely undetectable.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

Bob stepped me through blending the clear on my rear panel. Not even a week after I painted my car, the rear panel got dented (I don't even want to go there). Anyway, I did what Bob said, and the blend is completely undetectable.

We need to see some pics of that coupe when it's back together!

 

[strum456]

You're right Bob, I need to stop slacking and get some pictures posted.

I drove the car for a couple weeks. Right now it is in my neighbor's wood shop covered in sawdust. We have been working on the floor for about a week now. It will be white oak. After that, it will go to a local place for dyno-tuning. Hopefully it will be back on the road in the next couple weeks, and I'll finally get some pictures posted.