[chrisbalich]

Originally Posted by ADDvanced

I have been refreshing the Technical forum over the weekend, multiple times saturday, sunday, and monday, waiting for this one. It's looking awesome! Wet sanding and polishing a car out is a total slog, here's just some random thoughts.
- Sometimes it's worth checking paint/body shops to see how much they'd charge for wet sand/buff. They have all the pro equipment and people who are used to doing it all the time, and if they haven't changed their entire strategy to marketing BS and rebranded things like "paint correction" instead of cut/polish, their prices may be reasonable.
- I wet sanded/polished out my Audi wagon, it ... sucked. But I did pick up a few things. If you're hitting a panel w compound and it's still not getting shiny, you probably need to sand it more. I went down to 1500 everywhere, it polished out rather quick. What compound are you using? I pretty much use 3m PerfectIt, it's $50 a bottle but it's a big giant commerical bottle and it works amazingly well.
- Sanding through the primer, so, just throwing this out there. My car had **** paint. One side, someone got too happy with a buffer, and cut through the paint into the primer on the fender, door and rear 1/4. The other side had crazed/crackled look to the finish like somoene sprayed a weird chemical near it. Since I had just gone through the hell of wet sanding/polishing out the Audi with it's >checks notes< 33 individual painted parts (FML), I didn't want to paint a car again. Possibly not ever. So.... I started sanding the rest of the car, 800 down to 1500, in random spots, then just polished it out, so now the entire car has a 'mottled' appearance. It looks well worn, and reminds me of an old baseball glove. I get CONSTANT compliments on the paint, it's unique, it's still shiny, and people love it. Point is, I took a flaw and made it into a feature, and I think that vibe would fit your car.
- For paint sealant, I use Klasse, german, been around since the 60s, works awesome, can layer it, and its CHEAP. Link: https://amzn.to/3YgqbUs
- Distract! Add a bunch of vinyl decals, and nobody will ever notice flaws in paint.

Anyway, lookin killer man, just don't want you to get too bummed about sanding through. Hope this helps, cheers!

Edit: I'm stuck in a teams meeting for a few hours, so, idk, something punchy/graphic/loud/vintage like this = nobody notices your paint flaws:

I don't hate those graphics, but they're not really my style. If I go with any sort of graphic, it'll be big flat black (satin?) meatballs. Even that may be more than I can stand. I'm a 'less is more' sort of fella.

Originally Posted by Focker

To add to the peanut gallery, 3M trizac 3000 grit is expensive, but 10000% worth the price.

Good to know.

Originally Posted by Porkshop

Please keep us updated on the dash, as I have one in the same state of problems. I will probably end up painting my car also as I hate the thought of painter jail....

I spent another hour on that dash last night. The vinyl on it is so brittle, that any amount of flexing the dash causes more cracks. I got mad last night and ordered a new unit off eBay. The reviews/feedback on it are that they fit well, but the covers are a little rubbery.
We'll see in a week when it shows up. If it's horrible, I'll send it back and be out shipping and another week of my life.

Originally Posted by Hulley

Not gonna lie, I like the no rocker look even though I know you're putting them back on.

IB cars without rockers look unfinished to me. I just can't do it.

Originally Posted by jpnovak

I think the paint looks great. It takes the ethos of the car and ups a few notches... And I mean that exactly as-is.

Thank you.
Once I get it on the road and clock a few miles, I'll be better poised to assess the 'character' in the paint.
I honestly think the blems in the paint are an expression of honesty. This is what really happens the first time you paint a car.