dealing with scratches right through the clearcoat

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RaceDiagnostics

Active Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
299
Location
Dunfermline
Car
450SL XK8
After my success with the deep scatch on my TT I decided to see if I could improve the appearance of some bad scratches on the 450.

These ones are worse than the one on the TT, they are right through the clearcoat to the basecoat so no chance to completely remove them.

Here we go, these are on the front left wing.
450%20scratch%201.jpg


Rub down with 2000grit paper and speed detailer to lubricate.
450%20scratch%202.jpg


The question is always how far down to go into the clearcoat, you just never know, unless you have a paint gauge tool, This was as far as I wanted to go.
450%20scratch%203.jpg


Next rub out the sandpaper marks with something like scratch X.
450%20scratch%204.jpg


Last time I did it by hand but this time I was able to pick up a cheap random orbit machine for £15 from the Aldi leftovers bin.
450%20scratch%205.jpg


Next, the scratches on the side were sanded down, should have done these a bit more, but they are deep, I think I will have a go at filling these with clearcoat and sanding them again sometine.
450sl%20scrach%206.jpg


Finally a bit of a rub with the finishing polish, far from perfect but much better than what I started with.
450sl%20scrach%207.jpg
 
Just for a rule of thumb I use if you can catch your finger nail in the scratch it will be too deep to polish without breaking through the lacquer, another tip rub a bit of oil into the scratch if it disappears then there is a good chance of it polishing out as the scratch hasn't broken through the laquer
 
Just for a rule of thumb I use if you can catch your finger nail in the scratch it will be too deep to polish without breaking through the lacquer, another tip rub a bit of oil into the scratch if it disappears then there is a good chance of it polishing out as the scratch hasn't broken through the laquer

Not true, your nail is very sensitive and can pick up scratches that can easily be sanded out.
 
It all depends on the thickness of the clear coat the newer cars have very thin clear coat as a way of saving weight and money on production costs, trust me I've been in the body repair trade for 27yrs
 
I read a very long thread on detailing world about stone chip and scratch repair. The trick is to fill in the chip or the scratch with paint then sand off the excess paint to leave level with the rest of the car.
 

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