Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Aesthetics Paint Job procedures

Does anyone know if paint Shops paint over clear coats or do the stip it down? Reason being I have a black car 3 clear coats, the black paint has expanded under the clear coats, giving it a cracked look even though it is smooth to the touch? Any suggestions, I am going to get it painted, just dont know if I have to bring it down to bare metal of paint over it. Blaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

It depends on where you take it. Some places (Maaco) will just paint over the surface. Others will light sand, and then paint. Full restoration places may take it all the way down to bare metal before painting.
Your best bet is just to have the car lightly sanded. Don't go down to bare metal, you'll take of the Electrocoat that is under the paint which prevents corrosion. As soon as you hit bare metal, say hello to rust.
Look for a shop that will sand the base coat (black) all the off. A decent sander can get rid of all of the black paint without coming close to hitting bare metal.

Thanks, I think that I am going to bring it to a custom place today or tomorrow and get a price quote, to see what they say. I dont want this to happen again but I am glad it did beacause now the wife has no say in it, she wants a new paint job, thats the cool part. I am going to get black and blue hopefully,. Guess we will see.

Joe

When we repainted my car, we stripped all that cracking paint off the car. We did not want the old paint to affect the new in any way. After it was stripped down to bare metal we used a sealer to protect it.