Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

I have an old MX-5 (yeah, yeah, hairdresser car i know), and the lacquer finish is starting to degrade badly on the car and the paint is starting to oxydise quite badly too, leaving a once lovelly red car a bit like a flakey Scotsman after a few days at the beach.

The question is - could i remove the lacquer finish? Would that be wise? Or should i take it to a body shop to be relacquered and buffed and polished or would it take a re-spray?

Any ideas?

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Budweiser is the resident 'bodyshop' expert, but isn't logged in atm :)

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Cool, i'll keep an eye out for him. :tu:

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Could you not T-cut the car.
This removes the top layer of ****e.

Then wax to bring a nice shine

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

He is now! :D

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Well help me man - pwease! :p:

Im reduced to begging goddammit.

Its the lacqeur thats coming off that bothers me more than the oxydisation.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Is the lacquer flaking off and what colour is the car? Ahh Red i see!;)
Which panels are starting to have the lacquer flake off? Usually if its flaking off, it means having to take the panel back to metal and repainting it to avoid any problems.
It could be that it`s been painted in the paste( Not very well!) and it hasn`t been prepared for painting properly.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Does red paint suffer more from these types of problems? My boss had a red car which became very dull and tatty looking, he used Mer products (not a very good advert for them!) but swore that the use of a pressure washer caused the paint to lose it's shine.
I'm only asking because I've just swapped my Pepper Red Ka for a Ford Focus - Colorado Red! :rofl:

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

It depends Chim, If the car is painted in a solid colour, ie no lacquer, it can become dull and faded over a course of time and carwashes and using washing up liquid to clean it etc, if it`s a clear over base colour, ie basecoat colour with a lacquer topcoat, it`ll keep its colour and shine for many years.:)

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Aha - so how would I find that out? :shrug: I've had a Supacoat treatment put on it before I bought it, hopefully that should help?

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Get a bit of t-cut on a rag and rub the paint, if you get colour on the rag it`s solid colour if not , it`s clear over base,.
Or just look on the chassis plate and look for the paint code which will be something like " L97" or the like.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

So it looks like a trip to the bodyshop is the only option concidering that the lacquer is coming off (quit a bit too) then?

Any ideas on the price (im thinking a lot here though!)

Incidentally its coming off the driver door and the front two wings.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Is it not flaking off of the bonnet though?:erm:

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Thanks for that - another little job for the weekend (whan I can dig the T Cut out of the shed!)

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Actually now you mention it is is starting to happen a little bit there too, the worst by far is the Drivers door.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Normally, if you paint the bonnet, you have to blend the wings so you can`t tell the colour difference. Sounds like your car has been either, painted for stonechips or painted because of accident damage.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Not sure mate - all i know is that its flaking and i would like to know what to do with it.

Is the bodyshop my only option here?

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Take it to a body shop and get it mopped. This removes the top layer of laquer, I believe the MX5 had 4 coats, and should be cheaper than a flash over and bring your car back to a shiny finish.
The problem is red! The pigments in red paint fade quickly and turn pink, its all to do with the way the pigments refract light. Red cars fade after time.....so fading is the real problem you will have with your MX5.

Hope this helps!

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Mopping doesn`t take the top layer of lacquer off, all it does is take out imperfections in the finish.
If the lacquer is flaking off, the only real soloution is to take it back to metal and repaint it.
Mostly with Reds, the problem is either inferior quality paint, ie cellulose, or being a solid colour, not being looked after properly, or, the prep work not being done properly.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

So, basically, without a big paint job, im kinda screwed then?

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Without saying it, yes.!

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Not totally it depends the extent of the laquer peel, is it orange peeling, trick chipping or has water got under it. Laquer peel does not mean a total re-spray either as a good body shop (few years ago whilst at uni I worked in one) would rub back the laquer and re-laquer, not do a total re-spray unless required.

Pigment is also a major factor in paint fade, I agree with the other factors as well you listed but the chemical decomposition due to the actual pigment of the paint was a huge factor in paint technology some 10 years ago when the posters MX5 was produced. And a correct mop actually removes the top layer of paint / laquer.

Without seeing pictures of your car I can not comment totally but from what you have said Id say a full re-spray is not needed. Just my opinion. ;)

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Hi mate, i didn`t say a full respray was needed if you`ll re-read my post please.;) Orange peel just refers to the paint finish. I didn`t mention that.
You could wetflat the paintwork but you couldn`t be sure that the flaking/crazing/whatever could not be prevented from coming back again, could it.
I`ve worked in bodyshops for the last 24 years. I`m not a painter but i do have more than an inkling about what i`m suggesting here.:D

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Fight, Fight, Fight :D

I think the easiest way to solve this is to take it into a bodyshop and see what they say.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Please do mate, but i`m only giving my opinion as to what was asked of my thoughts, it`s really hard without seeing the car to be honest,.
No offence to pop 80 and i`m sure he knows what he`s talking about, so please no more of this fighting talk! :D
I`m only small anyway!:angel: Lol!

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

No no no im not fighting or disrepecting anyone, I only spent 4 years in a body shop but my uncle owns a custom paint mixing factory so I know a little from him. Im sure you know your stuff budwiser no doubt matey :)

Without seeing it its really difficult to say whats best or not best just take it to a good body shop. It may turn out its cheaper to get 2nd hand pannels in your colour than have the body shop do anything to it though ;)

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Second hand panels will not match the painted panels on the vehicle so, thats` a big no no to start with.
Just do what i suggested tbr.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Out of interest how much is a respray nowadays?

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Sombody told me that i could get it done for about 800 quid, but that was only external panels.

So essentially if i wanted to change the color then i would also need to do internal panels (like sills, underside of the bonnet, boot etc.) and that would be about 1500 quid.

Dont know if that still holds true though.

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

Bloody hell I didn't know it cost that much! I could get a decent car for that price!

Re: Car expert needed (Paintwork)
 

£800 - £2500 the more you pay the better the job and prep work.