Please excuse if this is a dumb question but being a FNG let's me get away with these. I tried seraching for this but didn't come up with anything. Can you sand the clear coat off car paint to turn it flat? The paint on my car is in pretty good shape but I would like to have it in flat. I was thinking a really fine grid sandpaper and a few hours in the garage should do it. Any input is highly appreciated, thank you.
3M makes a 3000 grade abrasive called Trizact. If you buzz the car down with it on a da and then hand rub gently it you can get a satin finish. If you want to go back to shiny just pull the wheel out and hit with some 3M 6085 and the gloss will come back
It's probably going to look like a really bad case of swirel marks more than flat if you just sand it or use a scotchbrite alone, just go over it with 600 grit and shoot a simi gloss or flat clear coat on.
I'm there with you, I do not understand it, especially when it's taking a fine paint job and doing it. Oh well....
As clean as the paint is for it's age, it's too light of a color for me. My eventual plans are to paint it a darker satin color but due to low fundage I'd like to at least have it be 'satin looking' for now. If it can be done I plan on taking my time with it and doing a clean job. I promise.
A light sand with some 3000 grit wetndry should do it, but will leave some very fine swirling. Do all your sanding strokes in straight lines, not circular, and the marks will be a lot less noticable.
I did mine with green scotch brite pads and water. we did that with a front to back motion so I didn't have swirl marks. just make sure you use light pressure so you don't have deep scratches in the paint.
I guess I should have asked for opinions or suggestions instead of if it's possible, since it obviously is. In retrospect it does sound like a stupid question.
if you are doing this to your Caddy-don't. it is your ride, but many here wish they had a good paint job. leave it alone until you can afford to do the paint job right. bet there are other things on your ride that need attention more than the existing paint finish.
wet sand with fine (2000,3000) careful around the edges....you could also try hand rubbing it with 3M super duty compound
When will this **** end! I wish someone would steal my dull paint/primered car and leave a nice shiny one in it's place. Primer, just like the 50s, bro.
My son started on his truck when he was 14. Now 16 and still has it. He didn't want it glossy. Not sure why but it's his so whatever.This is the day after we shot it. It was shiney! He waited a couple days to let the paint cure and then wet sanded it with 1500 and on up to 2000 My youngest son hanging out for a picture. Note it still has a slight shine but nothing like before. I think it has alot to do with the color too. If you do a black or darker color I think you would see the swirl marks more. I know the truck is to new so if the HAMB Gods have to pull it then make it so. Just trying to help a fellow hot rodder out with his question.
just drive and enjoy it! wait till it really looks like ****, that wat you can save some cash and paint it how you want.
Thanks to everyone for the input. I don't mind some razzers here and there, I'll take some abuse to get suggestions and opinions from more experienced people any day. I'm fairly young compared to most of you and this is the first car that I will be working on myself. True, I don't have much experience but everyone starts from somewhere. The reason why I signed up here is because compared to other message boards this one seems like the most helpful but I guess the new guy always gets sh*t, takes me right back to high school. Thanks again to everyone who put in their 2 cent.
just keep at it, dont worry about what others think. at the end of the day, the car is yours. you have a great at***ude and remember kid, some people never change, that high school thing just stays with some people for life. all you can do is thank god you are not like them! cheers!
yes, it will work , and pretty well......you gotta use the 2-3000 grit though, dont use scratch pads. as mentioned, if its a good re-paint, you can always buff the gloss back if you want to. its gonna be some work to get it even. i usually reserve that process for motorcycle tanks, but have at it skull
Any decent car deserves shiny paint! The whole flat paint **** is a fad; even as recent as 25 years ago, primer was for UNDER the paint. Why the Hell would you scuff up a nice paint job? I just don't get it. Maybe I'm an old fart at 42?
Well said, we all have different tastes in the world... makes it interesting. But our tight nitch hot rod group seems to love to throw **** at each other some of us our those type of friends.