Picked up my tail from the body shop yesterday

[Jadams1]

I picked up my 76 turbo whale tail that I had painted to match my car yesterday and was dissapointed. The shop had the paint mixed up per the factory paint code 463-9-3 and told me it was way off but said they could tint it. They ended up blending a nissan color that was very close and got the color almost perfect. Unfortunately, the metalic flakes are bigger so it doesn't match. At a distance, it looks pretty good. Also, the surface of the clearcoat also has an orange peel texture to it.

The shop I used was Topline Motors, Inc. located in northern RI. It's a small idependant shop that works on mostly Porsches. My car is not a show car but I expected a better job coming from a shop that works mostly on Porsches.

Can anyone give me a procedure to sandout and buff the clearcoat to get rid of some of the orange peel texture? Do I need to wait a couple of weeks before doing anything? Thanks!

[GSpreeman]

How much did they charge you?

[reesestewww]

Wet sanding and high speed buffing is a talent. You can ruin of burn through the clear if you’re not careful. Its something that I would never try on my own car. Anyone can spray paint on a car, but its the sanding and buffing that really makes the paint job. I would have them do it. But i understand if you don't want them touching the car. Ask around your local area for someone that really know how to sand and buff. I’m in Daytona Beach and I travel 4 hours away to a fried of mine who does my body and paint work. I have not found anyone here that I trust.

[Jadams1]

Paid $200.

Called the owner of the shop back and they will buff it out at no charge and we'll go from there.

[KTL]

Just curious. Why did they clearcoat it anyway? The rest of your car (80 SC) is not clearcoat, correct?

$200 for the spoiler seems relatively reasonable.

I got a good one to add here. I just stopped by a local body shop this morning to get an estimate for refinshing the rear bumper, rear lower valance and the two rear bumper extensions from my car. All four parts are in great condition (no rust, just worn paint) completely disassembled, thoroughly cleaned, removed from car and estimated in person. Wanna guess the price? I'll tell you so I don't hijack Jadams1's topic any further.

$971!!!!!!!! Holy @#$%!!!!!!!!

Good luck with your spoiler. Ask some friends who know body guys. Maybe you can get a fella to do the wetsanding and polishing on the side for you?

[RickM]

Kevin beat me to the punch. Your factory finish is not clear coated. But perhaps it's repainted. Matching paint is definitely an art. I'd take the advice given above and have them wet sand and polish the top coat. This is a common technique for removing orange peel. However, a factory finish, which hasn't been buffed too many times or repainted will most likely display a certain amount of orange peel.

[Jadams1]

KTL,

I am not a paint expert but I think the paint system on a 80 is a base coat clear coat system.

The owner of the shop that painted the tail agreed to buff it out to knock down some of the orange peel texture at no charge.

Maybe it would have been prudent to have the adjacent panels blended at the same time to minimize the contrast???? I dropped off the tail and the original engine lid for him to match.

Yikes, $971!!!

[Harlan Chinn]

Paint and bodywork is expensive for good work. You definitely get what you pay for. The original paint did not have a clearcoat so your spoiler may be much shinier than the rest of your car. If your car is a metallic like my car is, the new paints will have a larger metallic structure to them. It seems that the early metallics had a finer grind of metallic in the paints. Also the factory used Glasurit paint which goes on thicker as a production technique and with more of a "European Roll" for the apparent orange peel. Porsche is not a totally hand build factory like it may have in the past. Once the cars are painted on the production line, they receive a brief buffing and that's pretty much it.
A competent shop will come back and wet sand with 1000 and then again with 1500 grit before using a machine polisher for a almost dead flat finish but that is totally dependent on how many layers of paint and clear were applied. I just had my car completely repainted.

[Vipergrün]

I believe metallic paints are cleat-coated, others are not...

[jrb964]

My '80SC Weissach is diffently clear coated.

On the whole top of paint and body work - you get what you pay for. I'm looking at getting my SC repainted - same color - no major body work just clear coat wear and cracking. Price will be in the $3,000 to $4,000 range. But for good work that's what it costs.
My opinion......

[KTL]

Originally posted by bb80sc
I believe metallic paints are cleat-coated, others are not...

Ahh yes. That sounds right to me! Thanks.

Don't get me wrong fellas. I totally agree you get what you pay for. That rule is of utmost importance when talking about paint/body work. Prep work is the most important part of the job without question.

My point is this. jrb964 gets his WHOLE CAR done for $3-4K and my rear bumper parts cost $1K? C'mon! That's crazy.

There's some added cost of dealing with the stoneguard flexible finish, but that's only a couple hours labor (kinda high) and another hour for stoneguard application.

My point for me bringing this up is that I think $1000 is kinda rediculous.

Carry on! Sorry to sidetrack things AGAIN.

[Jadams1]

FYI, I did all the prep work on the tail so the body shop just mixed and sprayed, $200.

[magilla]

John,

Sorry to hear the results were less than awesome. I am looking forward to seeing the final product. I think the best view will be through my windshield at Limerock.

[Targa Dude]

Hi John, this is actually not to uncommon an accurance, When I had my tail painted they actually re-painted it 3 times for about the same price if I can recall. and My tail is black..Luckly for me it was the painter who was not happy with it. I'd bring my car in and he would look at my car and then the tail.. and he'd say nope.. come back tomorrow. This painter is actually well known here in the Bay Area and he only does Porsche's.
Jorge (Targa Dude)

[pbs911]

If possible, always take a piece of the car that you want matched. I do it and my car is black, but there are about 100 different shades of black. You can talk about color codes all day long and all you will get are opinions on what it should be. If you take a piece that is to be matched their is no disputing the color, tone, and shade. I always thought a machine called the phantom can be used to determine the exact paint that can be used to match. Anyone here of this?

[Targa Dude]

Paul, funny you mentioned the number of shades of black.. who would of thought.. thats what Brian Sessions said..thats exacltly what I went through.

Jorge (Targa Dude)

[magilla]

I bought an OEM tail from a black '86 (I think), and then a black decklid from an '83 SC that had been painted a non-OEM black. My SC is OEM black (as far as I know). I put the tail on the lid, and couldn't tell that there was a difference, and then mounted it all on my 'SC, and still couldn't tell the difference. Am I color blind? I think it all looks original, both from a distance and close up. Maybe you concourse guys could tell the difference? It sound like, in retrospect, I should have bought a lottery ticket that day....

[GSpreeman]

Just curious, if I do all the prep work, how much will a shop charge me to shoot it with the base and clear coats?

[Jadams1]

Magilla,

That view of the tail would mean I am in front of you at limerock. HaHa.

pbs911

As I mentoined in this post, I did bring the stock engine lid along with the tail.

[magilla]

That's OK, John, I'll get a side view pretty quickly, and then you can check out the shades of black on mine.