Advice about paint job

maw8c

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Hey all,

So they have had my CS since November and went up to take a look at where things are last week. He's winding down, but it isn't perfect. There are waves in the passenger door where some work was done. Most concerningly to me, there is a small notable pocket on the roof where there had a been a rust bubble before - the bubble was the main impetus for me to get the darn thing repainted in the first place! It is a sunroof car. He says he patched it but goodness.

He's kind of giving me a "that's just the way it is and I couldn't get it any better" type of response. He's such a great guy - and I know he's clearly sick of working on it. But my impression was those guys were the best around Virginia. I guess I'm just seeing what you guys would do.

Thanks,

Mark
 

AndyM

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I don't know anything about the painter or the deal you've worked out, but if it were me, it would need to be perfect. If you can see a defect in the body work, then its not right, IMHO.
 

maw8c

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He's claiming that he told me the bubble could come back (which he did, though I obviously didn't expect it to be before I picked it up) and that there is moisture up there only resolvable by replacing the whole roof. He said he sanded it down about 3/8ths and put some sort of 99% metal filler there, and he's surprised it came back so quickly, too but there isn't anything he can do apart from replacing the roof.

I know the sunroof is a rust nightmare but....
 

Malc

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Trouble is once rust has got a hold you have to do some pretty drastic action to save the situation. "Normal" filler of any kind is that if moisture can get into it it starts to swell and lift off. The only real way to do it is to "lead load" the effected area. A tricky operation that is rarely used these days mainly due to health and safety, plus the risk aversion society we live in!
I have done it and it took a while and the repairs effected are sound 10 year on....
You can use products such as J&B weld which is an epoxy type filler, very good but there must be a sound base for it.
Really what you need to do is take the effected area back to bare metal, let in repair sections if required and go from there.
One thing I have noticed when cars are restored few folk seem to bother rust proofing with cavity waxes like Waxoyl and Dinitrol. Remember the days when you could get a car Ziebarted? I stuffed over 20 litres of waxoyl in my 2002tii 6 years ago and the rust has been held at bay. Worth the mess and effort!
Good luck
Malc
 

maw8c

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Thanks much. Malc, interestingly these guys do the lead loading and that was what I thought they were going to do. He's claiming that would not have done any better. Would you disagree? Thoughts on what I should tell him?
Thanks
 

Malc

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It's very difficult for me to say, simply because I haven't see the work done. Assuming they had "cleaned and treated" the area effected properly and done true lead loading, then I doubt if the problem you describe would of occured.
The lifting of the paint suggests that they have used a plastic based filler which hasn't been water proofed. Most plastic fillers contain talc (Calcium Carbonate) to bulk it up, which is fine as long as the damp and water cannot get to it. In addition any rust/rot uder it must be cleaned up and removed. If not then the problem will reappear.
I do not want to cause you, or the garage any problems but it sounds like they have tried sort the problem in their most cost effective way, which just happens to mask the problem rather than curing it.
To cure the rust problem in the roof is going to take time, money, and lots of effort.
Storing a car in damp conditions will not help either, especially if the paint hasn't fully cured. Depending on the paint used there maybe a reaction between the old and the new paint.
It can be cured, but unless you are prepared to spend lots of money or have a go yourself then you are fighting a long battle. As I said before taking the roof back to bare metal is probably the only way short of replacing the roof, which you probably do not want to do!

If you can send/post some pictures of the effected area, from all angles, maybe we can all help you fine a solution.
Malc
 

Ed G

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Rust bubble and waves with fresh paint? It would get me sick. No telling where the other sins are hiding. Rust needs to be cut out, acid etched and new patches welded in. Straight surfaces need to be block sanded built up if too low and blocked again and again until right. Sounds like your baby sat for a while in between intermittent rush treatments.

If he's a nice guy, then I'd let him know how upset you are and ask how he can make things right. If he still claims that that's the best that can be done, then I'd ask for a discount on the bill so I could afford to take it to someone who could fix it right.

If you bargained with him up front to do things on the cheap and cut corners, then there's a gray area there that may prove to be an expensive lesson.

I feel your pain! Good Luck.
 

maw8c

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God so nauseated about this it's keeping me up - come on sportscenter rock me to sleep. Ironically I told the guy the reason I wanted the whole thing redone is because of the original rust bubble. I certainly said nothing of cutting corners.

Any further thoughts appreciated. I'm obviously a novice regarding how this stuff goes - my first restoration. Leaving a very bad taste.
 

Malc

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I think you need to talk to the guy in a calm and thoughtful manner about what has happened. That way you should be able to come to an agreement about sorting the situation. Do bear in mind the your first agreement with him, can you remember or have a record of what it was?

Runs in paint do occur, but this should be sorted on a professional job. I would expect that to be recitfied.

Don't loose sleep over it. Old cars have a habit of causing problems and it's a day to day battle just to keep them up and running. I am forever doing "stuff" just to keep them alive.
Malc
 

Adadebe

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I had the same exact scenario on my 73 cs. An excellent body work was performed and very patiently. However, I pointed the rust spots next to the sunroof openning - He was like it "I'd take care of it" and he was not too serious about it - GUESS what!! A very perfect paint job was done and after 2 years - I see very tiny bubbles around the sunroof.

Please Please level with this guy and get it done once and very well.
 

TilotLicense

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without seeing the car and knowing what you and the body guy discussed before hand,it would be hard for me to fault him...knowing these cars if he told you the roof needed to be replaced it sounds like the rust is substantial...I would have replaced the roof if it is a problem area and you specifically had the car painted for that...in the end I might lay out $7,000.00 including my labor for the paint without any rust repair that requires cutting anything...and but if I keep the car 20 years I am certain there will never be any bubbling under the paint...
 
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