[bk2life]

This is a buick century.
the GM paint had failed, and the lady has been driving it around looking like a real POS.

I dont like to do stock repairs, nor repaints, but, this belongs to a good friend's mom.

This paint was so trashed we didn't know it was covered in hail damage.

After stripping the top surfaces and repairing hundreds of dents, it was primered, blocked, primered again, and blocked again.

Currently wetsanding, will post finished pics in a day or two.

The front window was oriingal, had some chips and was a brownish burned tint, so i had windshield replaced, and will be getting the tint removed/reinstalled as well.

It's not perfect, but then again it is a buick century..

 

[Matt C.]

Looks like you are making great progress! Body work is something I wish I had more knowledge in.

 

[bk2life]

finished buffing, gave it a quick wash, installed the headlights and taillights, and will clean it up more tomorrow.
both front window regulators are dead, so ill be pulling the door panels off to see what it needs as well...

 

[manbearpig]

mmm, orange peel.

 

[bk2life]

mmm, orange peel.

It's what's for breakfast

 

[bk2life]

Not perfect, but good enough for a 72 year old lady who doesn't even know this happened..

 

[Rhotpursuit]

Not perfect, but good enough for a 72 year old lady who doesn't even know this happened..

View attachment 366822 View attachment 366823

Don't I wish....

 

[chevymec]

mmm, orange peel.

GM never charged extra for it!

So this clear problem seems pretty common with GM vehicles of those era. Is this a problem with the quality of paint or was it a paint process problem? My '00 Z71 clear started coming off in lines and I could spot many many Silverados the same way. My '04 Accord also had clear problems like this.

 

[Rhotpursuit]

GM never charged extra for it!

So this clear problem seems pretty common with GM vehicles of those era. Is this a problem with the quality of paint or was it a paint process problem? My '00 Z71 clear started coming off in lines and I could spot many many Silverados the same way. My '04 Accord also had clear problems like this.

My guess is it's a cook in the desert sun problem.

 

[bk2life]

Is this a problem with the quality of paint or was it a paint process problem?

From what I've been told, it had primarily to do with a change in the composition of the primers they used and also the era during which the major shift to base-coat/clear-coat took place, and this new paint didn't have the ability to 'move' with the surfaces. The manufacturers had to switch to low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint to meet EPA regs. most went to a basecoat clearcoat system. However, they were really just learning about the vagaries of this system. early paints needed 45 minutes drying time before the clearcoat was applied. When the factories needed more product, they didn't wait as long as they needed to, so the paint wasn't truly dry. this caused adhesion problems as the paint aged. Where before it was more flexible and wouldn't crack it now is not flexible and does crack. The sun hits the upper portion of the car. The paint and the body panels have different coefficients of thermal expansion. If the paint cannot flex and move around with the body then eventually, you'll have a similar problem. Then you take said car out and drive it down the road at 70mph. The wind will impact the leading edges...along with bugs, rocks, birds... so you will have some peeling there first.

 

[PeteD]

This is a buick century.
the GM paint had failed, and the lady has been driving it around looking like a real POS.

I dont like to do stock repairs, nor repaints, but, this belongs to a good friend's mom.

This paint was so trashed we didn't know it was covered in hail damage.

After stripping the top surfaces and repairing hundreds of dents, it was primered, blocked, primered again, and blocked again.

Currently wetsanding, will post finished pics in a day or two.

The front window was oriingal, had some chips and was a brownish burned tint, so i had windshield replaced, and will be getting the tint removed/reinstalled as well.

It's not perfect, but then again it is a buick century..

View attachment 366757
View attachment 366758 View attachment 366759 View attachment 366761
View attachment 366760

Very Nice $5-$10k(retail) surprise gift !

 

[bk2life]

The tint is being redone so we snapped a quick comparison picture.

 

[PeteD]

Looks like you are making great progress! Body work is something I wish I had more knowledge in.

The more you do body work, the better the outcome gets