Paint Job Question?

[LyonAdmiral]

When I found my 5th Avenue it was much better shape than it is now. It has one major rust spot about the size of a 50 cent piece and the clear coat is bubbling in spots all over the car. One spot in particular on the hood as big as a dollar bill has peeled off. I've stopped taking it into the car wash to slow the speed, since it seemed to speed it up.

If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

 

[Justwondering]

I've lost the clear coat on most of the car. Saving money for painting next year.
In the mean time, I've agressively managed any rust spots with a dremel and wire wheel back to bare metal. Spot treated with a can of paint/primer of the correct color from oreilly's.
If I could get both the top side and back side, I did both.

For example, rivet holes in the trunk where the vinyl roof is attached and belt molding is attached.

Then I cleaned and waxed all the exterior metal.

I've replaced some of the very rusted screws holding on belt trim, wheel mouldings, etc.

Have not addressed the door hinges/bolts yet.

Am just now cleaning in the engine compartment and replacing vacuum lines as I clean.

I'd go with clean it up and apply wax periodically til you get it repainted. Someone here with far more experience can address clear coat failure.

 

[Aspen500]

Not much you can do. After years and years of sun exposure the clear starts breaking down and little by little it goes away. Usually turns white looking and then the base coat is exposed when it gets farther along so the original color comes back except it's flat not gloss.........Clear having no pigment tends to get UV damage all the way to the bottom of the paint film vs the colors which block UV light except on the surface. Eventually, single stage paint has primer showing through.

Like Justwondering said, about all you can do is keep a coat of good wax on it to slow the process down a bit. Even that's a lost cause at some point (like the roof of my '96 Dakota. Black truck, but white roof with black blotches now).

 

[LyonAdmiral]

I got one estimate for $1800 to redo the paint and clear coat of the car...

 

[Jack Meoff]

I got one estimate for $1800 to redo the paint and clear coat of the car...

That's a pretty average price for a decent job.

Until you can get to the actual rust spots...... what I do is put grease on them to stop them from growing till I can address them.

 

[BudW]

My dark silver ’86 5th Ave has a decent paint job, but in last couple of years I have what appears to be two white racing stripes on the roof from clear coat failure. It looks as if it didn’t get enough (or too much) clear coat when first applied.

The rest of the cars paint looks decent except for a couple of “non-paint” related issues.

Pen-striping is a different story. About 80% of the original pen-striping is gone.

BudW

 

[Aspen500]

$1,800 to repaint a car is cheap. Provided they do good work and use a quality brand paint system, go for it! Around here the same job would be at least double that, if not more.

 

[LyonAdmiral]

$1,800 to repaint a car is cheap. Provided they do good work and use a quality brand paint system, go for it! Around here the same job would be at least double that, if not more.

Just have to save it first.

 

[LyonAdmiral]

Like Justwondering said, about all you can do is keep a coat of good wax on it to slow the process down a bit. Even that's a lost cause at some point (like the roof of my '96 Dakota. Black truck, but white roof with black blotches now).

I wonder if there is a car wax that has sunscreen or better UV protection built in...

 

[Aspen500]

Unfortunately, wax doesn't do a whole lot to protect from UV damage. I mean, a good quality wax will help but the sun is still going to do it's thing. I've always used Griot's Garage products and they are some of the best out there but even waxing every couple months or more (my '96 Dakota) eventually the 8-10 hours a day M-F for 20 years, sitting in a parking lot at work took their toll anyways.