Repainting Damaged Quarter Panel; Input Needed!! (1 Viewer)

[97 AZ LC]

If you put on two full cans I think you could so some light wet sanding with 1500 or 2000 before buffing. The SprayMax Technical Data Sheet (below) says you can polish the next day, but your weekend is almost over.

 

[LongHaulCruiser]

Don't do it. Results will be terrible.

Hey man, that looks pretty good. Sorry I doubted you.

 

[TheForger]

Found some time to begin the correcting process. 1000, 1500, 2000, Meguiars M85 cutting compound on a DA buffer - no polish or wax (ceramic coating maybe?) yet. For now I'm focusing on just the areas I repainted, but this will eventually be a full-vehicle paint correction once I get a feel for what works best. Just kind of taking it one panel at a time. Power washer peeled the corner of my fender trim off (again).

Down to a wet 2000

First pass of the cutting compound

 

[MongooseGA]

Looking great!

I just did a big paint correction on mine a few weeks ago including some color sanding. I had great success with 3D One hybrid polish on microfiber pads with my DA. I did hit the sanded spots with the rotary but otherwise, I'd recommend it if you haven't tried it yet. Check my build thread for before and afters.

 

[TheForger]

Looking great!

I just did a big paint correction on mine a few weeks ago including some color sanding. I had great success with 3D One hybrid polish on microfiber pads with my DA. I did hit the sanded spots with the rotary but otherwise, I'd recommend it if you haven't tried it yet. Check my build thread for before and afters.

As a matter of fact I’ve been looking over your thread for the past 2wks leading up to my paint correction; it started with me wanting to restore the window trim the same way you did and now look where it’s led! But I am seriously considering ceramic coating the whole truck as well. I’ve never messed with that stuff but that seems like the popular method of finishing a full detail now a days, and if it really does last as long as some of these companies advertise that’d be amazing. I’ve always been a wax kinda guy but obviously times are changing hahah. I’m still a few days out from that step since the compounding and polishing steps are revealing more imperfections that I’d like to correct, but I’m doing some research on coating brands and will probably be ordering some soon.

 

[MongooseGA]

This was my first coating as well. In the past, I've been a wax guy for garage-only cars and a fan of polymer sealants like Klasse SG for everything else. Having done it once, I'd say it's definitely worth it even if the effects are as long as an old school sealant. Even after a 2-day correction process, I was still very easily able to see the additional gloss that the coating left on the paint. I'm not usually one to say a certain top coat/LSP does much for the finish (the prep does), but it was very noticeable.

 

[DMX84]

That's looking really good!
Funny though, I hit a deer last summer and wiped out my right front fender, broke the headlight mount and completey destroyed the turn indictor and the ARB bumper looks perfect.
I'm giggling while reading this as I'm looking for a used fender that's the same color so I can just bolt it on and drive it!!

 

[TheForger]

Finished compounding the hood, passengers side, rear, above the windshield, D-pillars, and the body panel that connects the A & D pillars spanning across the top of all the side windows. Will move onto polishing tomorrow, then I’ll be using CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 ceramic coating once it arrives. I will also polish the glass and use Hendlex Glass Pro ceramic coating on everything glass. Then I’ll clean the black trim because I just haven’t cared to do that as I went since this is already such a time consuming (and back aching) job.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Looking real good. Give us some further out shots so we can see the whole side.

 

[TheForger]

I haven’t touched anything below the trim yet. Honestly, I’m not sure if I will considering how much abuse it takes. At the most I’ll polish and ceramic coat it, but I don’t plan on compounding it since it’s got so many imperfections. Also trying to get the dent on the drivers rear wheel arch out with no luck. I might leave that to a PDR pro at a later date. Also, I don’t have the best lighting in my garage. I may get it out in the sun after polishing either tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

[suprarx7nut]

That looks like you blended really well. I can't even tell where the repair was which is all you can ask for for that sort of repair. Nice work!

I wouldn't fret the dent or lower doors. The better I get the paint on any car, the more the little stuff bothers me. You're probably at a really happy medium about where you've got it!

 

[TheForger]

That looks like you blended really well. I can't even tell where the repair was which is all you can ask for for that sort of repair. Nice work!

I wouldn't fret the dent or lower doors. The better I get the paint on any car, the more the little stuff bothers me. You're probably at a really happy medium about where you've got it!

Appreciate the compliment! Yeah in all honesty now that I’ve corrected the upper two- thirds of the truck I just feel I’ve hit the point of diminishing return. The lower one-third is rarely ever seen up close and even when it is, its angled down towards the road not up to your eyes so it’s harder to pick out the little imperfections unless you got on your hands and knees. I got a couple small spots left to compound such as inside the door handles and then I’ll move onto polishing!

 

[TheForger]

Polished and out in the sun. Just waiting for my ceramic coatings for both the body and the glass to arrive Friday, as well as my glass polish. Will finish up this weekend. For now it’s time to start cleaning up and repairing the trim.

 

[DMX84]

That looks AMAZING! I should look into painting mine, and love the color too.

 

[TheForger]

That looks AMAZING! I should look into painting mine, and love the color too.

Thanks you for the compliments! I would definitely recommend it if you have a lot of free time. I’ve taken my sweet time with this project spreading it out over several months and it’s still not perfect, but it was definitely a learning experience. I know the next truck I paint I will do a lot better on, luckily this one is just a weekend warrior so I’m not looking for perfection. But I will say between YouTube and the collection of knowledge I’ve learned while reading through numerous threads here on MUD, I’ve learned more than I ever could have about paint correction.

 

[TheForger]

3 coats of CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 ceramic coating and finished with their Reload spray. Now time to let it cure and stay out of the rain. We’re having bad storms now that will continue through Saturday, but I’ll be getting it outside Sunday (Monday at the latest)says to not let any water hit it for 5+ days after applicationand the longer it can cure the better it will withstand the elements in the long run. Also need to clean & repair the trim and everything below it.

 

[TheForger]

Razor blade, clay bar, Griot’s Garage Fine Glass Polish on a DA buffer w/ultra polish pad, Hendlex Glass Pro glass coating - Time consuming but worth it. And I haven’t even gotten to the interior of the glass but I’ll just do that with windex(vinegar). Also cleaned up the side cladding and lower 1/3, now just need to work on the window/windshield trims and lower cowl. It should be pretty this Saturday for the first time in a while so I will finally get to see it outside.

 

[TheForger]

Finally got it out in the sun!

 

[Hokie LX]

How was the application process of the CQUK 3.0? Did it go on and level fairly easily? I've used the older versions of that coating on some vehicles years ago.

My truck has been wearing Gtechniq CSL/EXO for the past 3 years and I think this spring I'm going to do another detail and reapply another coating as 3-4 years is my usual cadence of re-coating my personal cars. Been up in the air about which coating to use this time around.

 

[TheForger]

How was the application process of the CQUK 3.0? Did it go on and level fairly easily? I've used the older versions of that coating on some vehicles years ago.

My truck has been wearing Gtechniq CSL/EXO for the past 3 years and I think this spring I'm going to do another detail and reapply another coating as 3-4 years is my usual cadence of re-coating my personal cars. Been up in the air about which coating to use this time around.

I was really impressed with the application of the CQuartz UK 3.0. It self-leveled very well and was easy to buff off afterwards. I did it in my garage at a solid 75°F and 35% humidity and it would flash after about 45sec and I’d wipe it off at 60sec. 3 coats total (on the finally coat I wiped it off at 1min 30sec) and then finished with their Reload spray within an hour of the final coat. It looks better than I could’ve ever imagined but only time will tell how it holds up since this is my first time ever applying ceramic coating. I’m really interested in it’s hydrophobic and oleophobic properties but I’ll have to wait for the next round of storms and highway driving before I can test those out.