Sumner - The auto paint you can buy from Autozone, Discount Auto Parts, Pep
boys etc... can be used pretty easily to do this. You can use the spray or
the kind with the little brush. It's laquer so it can be easily worked and
blended so that you can get a pretty nice job without spending alot of
money.
The key to the whole thing is to get the new paint up to the level of the
old paint. You can do this by using the paint with the little brush in the
cap. This is how I've done it:
1) Even though there is no visible rust you MUST clean the area well. There
is a product called Nick-sand that is like a pen with an abrasive for a tip.
Most autoparts stores have something like it. Use it to clean the scratched
area. When you're satisfied that it's well prepared, clean the area in and
around with rubbing alcohol
2) Get a GOOD quality thin paint brush about the width of the scratch. You
can get these at any hobby store. Use the brush to paint coats of the well
stirred touch up paint into the scratch. Keep doing this until you've built
up the paint to at least the level of the old paint.
3) Wait for it to dry thoroughly. Laquer dries fast but make sure it's good
and dry before you do anything else to it.
4) Wet sand the area with 600 grit wet-dry paper. You might want to use a
sanding block or just wrap the paper around something. You're simply trying
to 'feather' the new paint into the old paint. I don't know what your
original paint is so be careful to use a very gentle touch.
5) Get a high quality heavy cutting buffing compound. Any auto paint store
should have this. Don't use glazing compound or cleaner - it'll take you
forever to get rid of the fine sanding scratches. Buff the area carefully
until the repair is blended to near invisibility.
6) You can use a finer buffing compound with wax in it to finish.
That's all there is to it ;-) I've gotten good results with this method and
it's MUCH cheaper than a body shop.
Good Luck!!
~Mike Brooks
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sumner Weisman" <sweisman@gis.net>
To: "Triumphs" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 9:12 AM
Subject: Non-LBC car painting question
> I have a black car with a pretty good paint job except for several areas
> down low on the fenders where the paint is scratched from brushing against
> something. It's not down to the metal, just down to the primer. There is
> no rust. These areas are about 1 inch high and 6 inches long. If I take
it
> to a paint shop they will want to do the entire fenders for big bucks.
How
> good a job can I do with a can of spray paint? I have wet sandpaper, 400,
> 600 and 1000 grit, and also buffing compound. I just want to do that
area,
> not the entire finder. I've done things like this before, but it never
> really looked professional. Are there any tricks I ought to know?
> Alternatively, can a paint shop just do a small area without repainting
the
> entire fender, and have it blend in? Sorry for the non-LBC content.
>
> Sumner Weisman
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