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Auto body repair & detailing/Questions Answered by Expert Gary
| Subject | Date Asked |
| painting a bronco | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: My 1989 Bronco has a cracked windshield, should I get it replaced before painting the truck? Can I ... A: I would recommend pulling the windshield out then painting the vehicle. This will allow you to avoid ... | |
| swirls and scratches on new 2012 black rogue | 1/14/2012 |
| Q: i just purchased a new 2012 nissan rogue black in colour. during inspection before taking possesion ... A: This is probably from when the vehicle was polished at some point in time. Black shows all minor ... | |
| can I paint my own car? | 12/20/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1992 Nissan Pathfinder and it is black but not ' new ' black anymore...I really like these ... A: Usually, about 45%-60% of the price quote is labor. So in other words, $2500 - $3500 of the price ... | |
| Polishing fresh paint | 11/1/2011 |
| Q: I just finished painting my 1968 Camaro using a base/clear system. Everything looks pretty good with ... A: First you will want to wet sand the dirt nibs and defects by using 1500 grit wet sanding paper. I ... | |
| Automotive paint failure | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1994 sedan that was repainted in 2005 and now the new paint appears to be failing in a ... A: I think this is an application issue. My guess is when the car was painted they had some issues with ... | |
| Clearcoat Failure? | 10/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2004 BMW that I purchased salvaged. I performed the majority of the repairs and took it to ... A: This could be numerous different things and without looking at it under magnification it would be ... | |
| plastic prep products and ppg acrylic urethane | 10/7/2011 |
| Q: The One Choice products, 4901/4902. Can they be stored in zip lock bags if used for small areas and ... A: The SU4901 can be stored in a zip lock bag. The SU4902 doesn't store well at all. Since it's ... | |
| Weld or Replace Bumper | 9/27/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2007 Honda Fit Sport. The front bumper suffered an impact from a blowout. One of the main ... A: It is possible that both may be telling the truth based on their experience. Since everyone has ... | |
| Fixing Surface Rust Spots | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1996 vehicle. I have some surface rust spots that I would like to fix. In addition to ... A: Some type of corrosion protection primer is recommended. I recommend a primer called Zero-Rust. It ... | |
| Scraped Front Bumper, DIY Opinion | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: This vehicle is a 1998 Ford Contour. While making a right turn, I thought I had sufficient ... A: The trick with painting plastic is getting proper adhesion. Anytime, you have bare plastic exposed ... | |
| 2001 chevy c3500 dually fender | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: i hit a tree and damaged my fender. i have all the pieces. i have looked fro replacement parts, but ... A: You can fix it but if you're not skilled in working with fiberglass it's going to be very hard to ... | |
| Collision Repair & Paint | 8/19/2011 |
| Q: My Nissan was in an accident where the driver-side light, its fender, and that side of the hood were ... A: In my opinion, I wouldn't accept any of these defects. When a vehicle is repaired it should be done ... | |
| Frontier | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2004 Nissan Frontier XE with the grey fender skirts. My truck is black and the fender ... A: There is a product called Permashine made by a company call Urethane Supply Co. Check out this link ... | |
| final blocking | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm doing body work on my 1951 Nash, I thought I had a good surface to paint so I sprayed the door ... A: Polyester based products will melt lacquer based products which could substantially effect adhesion. ... | |
| final blocking | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: I'm doing body work on my 1951 Nash, I thought I had a good surface to paint so I sprayed the door ... A: Yes, you can apply Fibreglass Evercoat Glaze over small dings and such provided that it's not over ... | |
| painting a new fuel tank | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: My son and husband are restoring a 1979 ford bronco and recently bought a new fuel tank...they ... A: Sorry to hear that you're having problems with it. I know how frustrating the painting process can ... | |
| Fixing scratches on lower unpainted part of Mustang front bumper | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: I noticed some scratches on the lower part of my 2011 Mustang's front bumper. It's the unpainted ... A: I have heard of guys using heat to restore plastic before. As a matter of fact, I talked to one guy ... | |
| Fixing scratches on lower unpainted part of Mustang front bumper | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: I noticed some scratches on the lower part of my 2011 Mustang's front bumper. It's the unpainted ... A: If it's a smooth bumper with no texture 1000 grit should work out fine. Just a thought, To blend the ... | |
| 1976 chevy impala | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: how can i repair the side windows on this car they are rusted out bad..i am gonna put a vinyl top on ... A: When dealing with rust I would recommend that you look into POR-15's Rust Preventative Paint. This ... | |
| drivers side wing | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: I have recently bought a drivers side wing off someone and they have told me that this is 'not a ... A: Sorry, I misunderstood your original application. I think what you actually will need is a double ... | |
| drivers side wing | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: I have recently bought a drivers side wing off someone and they have told me that this is 'not a ... A: This means that the glass will not attach by using nuts, bolts, or fasteners. Most likely it will be ... | |
| Front Scratch | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2009 Black Grand Cherokee. I was at a fast food drive through and instead of straightening ... A: Basically, if you can feel the scratch by running a fingernail (if your fingernail catches) across ... | |
| Small rust spot | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: what is the best way to repair a small (less than 1" in diameter) rust spot on a 2010 Toyota? I can ... A: For small spot sanding I recommend using what is called a Prep Pen. These are excellent tools for ... | |
| Clearcoat Spots | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: I am finishing a project (all urethane) with clear coat. Many small tube shaped parts. I have to ... A: It sounds to me that you still have dried clear hitting the panel. What I would recommend is that ... | |
| rivets | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: Part of a panel on my honda was badly rusted so I covered it with sheet metal using rivets? Should I ... A: If you grind the heads off then the panel will fall off. The only way to make them invisible would ... | |
| New Paint Job (practically) stinks... | 5/5/2011 |
| Q: Gary, I just got a new paint job on my '94 red Honda del Sol. I opted for the "M" company to do the ... A: It sounds to me that the material that they used is not a very good quality. That may be why they ... | |
| Multi-day project | 5/1/2011 |
| Q: I'm restoring a 95 Dodge Ram and I'm getting close to paint. It will be an Emerald Green ... A: You very well could have a chance of mismatch happening. Many things can affect the color of paint. ... | |
| 1965 corvette repaint | 4/29/2011 |
| Q: i have a 1965 corvette that has the original paint and i am repainting it. is there a special primer ... A: I would either recommend a polyester primer followed by a 2K sandable urethane primer or 2K urethane ... | |
| Front lower bumper cover on 2004 T-Bird dent | 4/17/2011 |
| Q: Is there a way that a circular indention about 6 inches around can be "popped out" on a 2004 T-Bird ... A: Sometimes you can use heat to help reform it. I would recommend a heat gun to do this. If you don't ... | |
| Dealer or local shop? | 4/1/2011 |
| Q: After a car crash involving our 2003 Honda Odyssey, we have the choice of the dealer or a local shop ... A: Sorry to hear about the accident. The only difference between a dealership shop and independent ... | |
| CLEAR COAT REPAIR | 3/24/2011 |
| Q: I have a motorcycle that was clear coated with PPG D893 and have some spots where the clear coat has ... A: Actually, Yes you should be able to blend base-coat over the damaged area and then re-clear the ... | |
| PPG Paint | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: I got two quotes on PPG paint for my 75 vette. The first is on PPG top of the line for 750.00. ... A: In my opinion, if you're wanting high end show car quality "trailer queen"(Car that's driven on and ... | |
| rubber molding | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: I gotta '94 Corvette. Some of the rubber molding around the doors etc are cracking. I really don't ... A: There are some manufacturers that offer a rubber dressing that supposed to help keep the rubbers ... | |
| locating med. avecado dye | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: I just purchased a 1974 Maverick Grabber with med. avocado interior. It needs some freshening and I ... A: Honestly, you will have a hard time getting the correct color without going to a paint supply house ... | |
| Hot Rod Black Primer | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: I've been trying to get a better understanding of black surface/epoxy primer and there difference. ... A: Many people are confused between epoxy primer and primer surfacer. To see the difference you have to ... | |
| bumper repair | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: I was recently hit and it cracked the bumper and i was told their was a new plastic glue out on the ... A: There are several things that would work for your application. One of the best glues on the market ... | |
| Glazing Putty | 3/3/2011 |
| Q: Can I get glazing putty for body repair in a black color or how can I make it black? I want it to ... A: To my knowledge there are no black glaze putties on the market. You could blend it with gel-coat ... | |
| Paint color change in rain | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: I bought a used car and a week later it rained all night. In the morning you could clearly see a ... A: Wow, I have never seen or heard of anything quite like this in my over 15 years of experience. My ... | |
| clearcoat | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: I will be painting my pickup truck with acrylic enemal paint my question is do I have to sand new ... A: It all depends on how soon after that you plan to apply the clearcoat. Usually most brands of ... | |
| paint flaking off OVERNIGHT | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: My husband went out to start his Blue Chevy Silverado truck.(I think its a 2008 model) We bought it ... A: Sorry to hear about the paint on your truck. Honestly this didn't start happening overnight though. ... | |
| Clear Coat over single stage? | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: I have an older ('84) Mercedes which had, at one time, been repainted in single stage burgundy. ... A: It will depends on whether it's a solid color or metallic/pearl finish. Solid colors can be sanded ... | |
| POR-15 vs Zero Rust | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: I am doing a restoration on a 72 Chevy Pickup that my Dad bought new. Anyways, Right now I am ... A: Sure, I can give you a bit of insight on both products. I have been selling and using both products ... | |
| Scuffing the paint | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: Gary! My truck has been scratched and dented, so I need some new paint. I took an auto body class ... A: I would recommend 180 or 220 grit before priming with a primer surfacer. This will give you an ... | |
| Auto Grill | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: What king of glue can i use for bonding the grill back into place of an 2008 ford ... A: I have used and sold many glues over the years and the best one I have found thus far is a product ... | |
| Cougar roof replacement | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: Hey i have a 1969 mercury cougar with a vinyl roof. it has rust straight through with vary holes ... A: If you can't remove and replace the top I would recommend repairing the rust holes using POR-15 and ... | |
| fading paint | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1989 gray Lincoln town car.The paint is fading around the headlights and part of the ... A: Unfortunately, There isn't much you can do besides re-painting the area. You might try putting ... | |
| paint | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: primed after market hood for chevy astro ,do i need to sand it or paint right on it also how much ... A: Ideally, It's best to sand and seal with an Acrylic Urethane Sealer or Epoxy Primer (If you are ... | |
| paint not matching | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: i have a 2007 miata color true red and i have a big problem. i have had the front fender painted 6 ... A: Lots of things can change paint color. For example, painting techniques, solvent selection, various ... | |
| sanding and painting | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: have recently repaired all the dents and dings on my 2005 dodge truck, which I'm told has a base ... A: When sanding an existing finish to prep for paint I recommend using 500 to 600 grit wet. You ... | |
| Clear coat | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: Gary, first off thanks for any information you can provide. I am restoring a 52 MG/TD and have used ... A: Ralph, Sure, no problem. DCU2021 is a PPG product, you will also need hardener; either DCX61, ... | |
| Clear coat | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: Gary, first off thanks for any information you can provide. I am restoring a 52 MG/TD and have used ... A: I sold Transtar clear for a short time and I had the same issues with it. Needless to say, I no ... | |
| Clear Coat | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a 2003 Ford F-150. It has some small areas where the clear-coat has peeled off on outside of ... A: In most cases that won't work. Because if the base color has been exposed to sunlight it has already ... | |
| airbrushing auto | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: when I airbrush sometimes sections of what i painted wrinkle up and i have to sand it and do it ... A: It sounds like a product compatibility issue. Are you using paints that are designed to be ... | |
| Painting panels | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: Gary, I am currently doing a frame off restoration on a Ford F-350. I purchased replacement fenders, ... A: I will tackle each question separately below: 1) I recommend that you scuff and either re-prime or ... | |
| moisture under clear coat | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I had magnetic signs on the doors of my Sienna which is silver pearl, when I removed the signs I ... A: Unfortunately, if the sign has been on for a length of time it will be hard to do anything with it ... | |
| Strtipping/prepping car for paint | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a two different cars that i am asking about, one is a 93 jeep Cherokee, and the other a 73 ... A: The Jeep you can just sand it out (usually called feathering) until everything transitions smooth ... | |
| cab corner on 96 chevy | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: it's a 96 chevy silverado ext. cab, the drivers side cab corner is rotted through to the point where ... A: To my knowledge no one makes a cab corner that size. If you know of any local manufacturers that ... | |
| Water bleeding out of primer. | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: My Dad and I are working on a 69 camaro as a restoration project and about 4 days ago we spray the ... A: If I understand you correctly, you are spraying a warm product on cold bare metal. This could cause ... | |
| PAINT/ CLEAR COAT | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I don't know if this is a question you can answer or not, but I hope you can. I purchased a vehicle ... A: I am familiar with Transtar clear. In my opinion, do not use it! I have had nothing but bad ... | |
| acrylic top over urethane base | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I'm going to paint a replacement bumper pad for my 2001 Tacoma. I don't think my hobby grade detail ... A: Duplicolor spray cans are typically made with lacquer based products. So it should work over the ... | |
| paints and primers for classic motorscooter | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: I am restoring a 1960 Cushman scooter that will be getting a body paint of PPG DCC 14339 cascade ... A: Yes, DCC can be clear-coated with no problems at all. It can be done 2 ways. 1 way would be to allow ... | |
| Buffing through clear coat | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: Earlier today I was buffing a rear quarter panel on a 2002 S430 with a co-worker but it looks as if ... A: In my opinion, No, there is no possible way to repair it correctly without the damage coming back to ... | |
| painting motorcycle | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: ... I am going to try and paint my harley davidson and i have never painted anything before although ... A: Step 1: The pinstripes will need to come off if they are vinyl stripes that have been clear-coated ... | |
| painting motorcycle | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: ... I am going to try and paint my harley davidson and i have never painted anything before although ... A: Depends on the type of paint and the color you will be using. Typically a quart of paint will do all ... | |
| Halo in clearcoat on Tundra | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2006 Toyota Tundra, White. I have noticed over the last year 'halo' marks in the paint. ... A: By what you are describing to me it sounds like the clear coat is failing. I would definitely take ... | |
| Old paint care | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I have an Oldsmobile with a repaint job from 1980. It has been garaged over most of those years ... A: I would recommend using a compound to take off any minor oxidation. Next, use a machine glaze to ... | |
| painting my car | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: i would like to paint my own car and own a small compressor that can be used around the house and to ... A: From experience I can tell you that a small compressor like that is only good for airing up small ... | |
| body work - fillers | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I am repairing/restoring an old truck. I have the body off the chassis and have sand blasted ... A: Many auto body technicians start with what is called a "cheese grater file" in the industry. This ... | |
| Paint Finishing Question - Solvent vs. Water | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2004 Dodge Intrepid which was recently rear ended. I have narrowed it down to 2 different ... A: I don't know the extent of the damage that is being repaired on your car but either system that is ... | |
| Spoiler Clear Coat 2001 Mustang | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could let me know if it’s possible to fix the clear coat issue that I’m ... A: It appears that whoever painted the part originally didn't get enough clear-coat on. To fix it you ... | |
| Clear coat | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: My son and I are restoring a 66 Mustang in Alabama. I have 2 experts on paint telling me 2 ... A: Honestly, both of those products are excellent. They are both PPG products but they are sold under ... | |
| scraches and small dings | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a black towncar and was wondering if there is a black product that can be used to blend in ... A: To my knowledge there is no such product on the market that actually works. The best way would be to ... | |
| mirror clear | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: 4 years ago when i was first introduced to the autobody repair industy i attended a votec college. ... A: There are lots of little secrets to getting that mirror slick finish. I would say that Prep work is ... | |
| Rear bumper 2006 Escape | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: 2006 Ford Escape I backed into a pole causing a very minor crack maybe 3" vertically but it pushed ... A: Honestly without visually inspecting it I would not be able to determine whether or not you would ... | |
| 2009 2009 Camry Paint Repair Question | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: Our 2009 Silver Toyota Camry has a very visible small damaged area through the paint on the rear ... A: I can see that you are very particular about your car since you have taken the time to write out a ... | |
| PPG DBU-9700 | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: Since DBU-9700 is a solid color, can it be color sanded to remove contaminants without breaking ... A: I would recommend that you try to avoid that method if at all possible. It could show scratches ... | |
| rear quarter panel 2002 S60 Volvo | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: When returning to my car in a public parking lot I noticed the left rear quarter panel was gaping at ... A: I would recommend going to a body shop supply store and getting the correct clips for your bumper ... | |
| Identifying types of pain | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: I'm hoping you might be able to give me some advise. I am located in Melbourne Australia. Some time ... A: I recommend sand a small inconspicious area with 1000 grit sand paper. If you get color right when ... | |
| fender accessories adhesive | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: How do i get adhesive fender accessories off of my 2007 red rendevous without damaging the paint? A: Usually a little heat will do the trick. Use a hair blow dryer and point the hot air at the edge of ... | |
| rust hole in s-10 | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a rust hole in my S-10 extreme at the riders side of the cab and it is starting to get ... A: Rust repair can be tricky if you've never done it before. It really needs to be cut out and a patch ... | |
| Paint Flaking and coming off | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: Gary. I drive a 2003 Nissan Frontier (Electric Blue in color) and noticed a few weeks ago that some ... A: I would recommend taking it and having it painted. It sounds like to me that you may be having some ... | |
| Paint repair | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2004 Toyota Corolla Sport and was recently hit on the front bumber. There is no dent in ... A: Unless you know either the guy who hit you or the guy that would be fixing your car I believe I ... | |
| Painting a plastic body golf cart | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a 94 Hyundai golf cart, the body is plastic, it is sound with no cracks but it is dull with ... A: I know of a couple of people who have used Fusion and was not impressed. I recommend using SEM ... | |
| Car Paint Color | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: A few years ago (I can't remember exactly what year) Ford came out with a beautiful and classy shade ... A: In 1996 Ford had a color called Ultra Violet Poly. The manufacturer's code was GN. You should be ... | |
| racing stripe | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm interested in putting a racing stripe on my 05 mustang gt. I my body guy is telling me that ... A: Usually the problem starts with a rock chip or crack in the paint. Unfortunately, Front bumpers are ... | |
| base paint? | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: I painted my motorcycle with epoxy primer because it was a plastic shell, my question is what kind ... A: If you are going over an epoxy primer you can use just about anything if it's done within 48 hours ... | |
| 1982 El Camino Front and Back Bumpers | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning Have another quick question I'm having issues getting the bolts off the front ... A: If I'm not mistaken, those are standard bumper bolts used on that El Camino. So yes, you should be ... | |
| Automotive bare metal | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: After a car body is media blasted and treated with phosphate ,how long before it MUST be in primer ... A: I recommend priming right away. Don't let it sit for any length of time before you get the primer on ... | |
| blending paint | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: i am taking a scratch and dent out of a door on a bus and wondering how to blend acrylic enamel ... A: Blending Acrylic Enamel paint is quite a trick. The only way to do it is to over thin the paint with ... | |
| Blending basecoat/clearcoat | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: I have refinished a lot of cars totally and complete panel painting, but have never blended one..say ... A: The recommendation for blending base-coat / clear-coat is to blend the base-coat color into the ... | |
| spraycan clear coat | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: I need to clear coat a motorcycle. what is the best spraycan clear coat money can buy? A: Spraymax makes the best on the market. It is a 2K Clear Coat that actually has the hardener built ... | |
| simix supreme sheild | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: Have you ever heard of simix supreme shield and if so how well does it work? A: Yes I have heard of it. As a matter of fact I use Simix renewable clear coating on my personal ... | |
| autobody repair | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: i have a 94 chev silverado shortbox step side, and the box is mint except for under front steps. i ... A: Kleanstrip makes a Fiberglass Paint Remover. The part number is GAF354. Here is a link where you can ... | |
| body repair glue | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: I misjudged the garage opening backing out and broke off a small, but clean break, piece of the body ... A: I am posting a link to a glue that I have used for different things and have been very impressed ... | |
| auto body repair | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I just got my 2005 cavalier back from shop. They put it on frame straightener because I was hit in ... A: It does seem a bit high from what you describe. However, it really depends on how much painting they ... | |
| pinholes | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: i have a older motor home that the roof above cab is fiberglass and has pinholes in it. what is the ... A: It depends how deep the pinholes go. If they are actually leaking you will need to re-coat with ... | |
| 70 trans am front bumper for paint | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: my question is how to prep and paint front bumper. Bumper has been wet sanded w/320 wet down to the ... A: I answered a question about repairing endura bumpers some time ago. Here is the link: ... | |
| primers/spot repairs | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: my question is 2 part: please explain what the differences are between a 2k, urethane, and epoxy ... A: 2K stands for 2 Component. The term originated for Urethane paints that require a Polyisocyanate to ... | |
| repairing imperfections after sealer has been applied | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: i am repairing a hood on a 1978 datsun 280z, i have repaired the dings and dents that were present, ... A: You should be able to sand and re-apply the MP182 primer over the MP213. However, for the most ... | |
| Partial powder coating of wheels | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: I am getting some Ford fanblade wheels off a GT and want to powdercoat just the fanblades black and ... A: Look at using a product made by POR-15 called Blackcote. It's extremely flexible, chip resistant, ... | |
| Paint match | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 08 Honda truck, color blue metalic, that was hit right front. Right fender, bumper, grill, ... A: They are telling you the truth when they say "plastics paint different than metals and rarely do ... | |
| Body Repairs | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: Is filler viable way to repair a minor dent in a rear quarter panel and door? Two shops I brought ... A: 350 bucks sounds way too cheap to fix this type of damage. Usually it's not a good idea to use a ... | |
| being over charged | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: ok this car cost $536 to fix but the guy is charging over $1000 in labor is this right A: You should try to get a second estimate for the repair. I have often seen body shops be several ... | |
| yellow repaint | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: I'm thinking of buying a car with new 2-stage black paint. Can I repaint with yellow without too ... A: It can be done without too much trouble but it will be a big expense. Basically, you will need to ... | |
| auto body repair | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2008 Blk. Chevy Impala. My door was hit on the drivers side with another door and caused ... A: 3M makes a product called 3M Ultrafine Swirl Eliminator that takes care of all swirl marks. Listed ... | |
| Feather edging | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a 96 ranger with alot of body damage mainly on the bedside but also on the cab. I finished ... A: I assume you are trying to get it flat and straight. You will need to get several coats of filler ... | |
| Car exterior paint color | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm planning to buy a new 2008 Toyota Solara and am deciding between silver metallic or (dark) grey ... A: Typically, the darker the color the more it will show scratches, dings, and dents. Black of course ... | |
| 1998 Crown Vic Front Bumper | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: Gary, I hope I'm taking this question to the right expert. I bumped into another car in a parking ... A: To fix this most body shops will either plastic weld it or use a plastic adhesive to repair the ... | |
| body repair single panel | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: There is no paint damage and the area is about 6 inches square. I took it to a body shop who ... A: Judging by the description you have given me there is no reason to blend adjacent panels. The color ... | |
| surface rust | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: Will walnut shells remove surface rust? Are they good for paint removal? Can soda blast be used in a ... A: I have a friend that does all types of blasting and uses walnut shell and phosphate primarily for ... | |
| 1993 jeep cherokee floor rust repair | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: ANSWER: Hi Anthony, If it's not a structural repair that should be fine. You might also consider ... A: 3M recommends that if it is a structural repair it should be welded in certain areas. I personally ... | |
| base coat clear coat | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: i was wondering how long you should wait between base coat and clear coat painting. thanks jon ... A: The code JKM is not the correct code for your truck. The paint stores most likely are using the KM ... | |
| Auto Body Repair | 12/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2008 Honda civic and a basketball net fell down and made a large dent by the edge where ... A: Depends on how bad it is. Sometimes it may be cheaper to buy a new hood and re-paint than it would ... | |
| Lead seam | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1969 Camaro Coupe. I am replacing the full rear quarter. On the sale panel there is a ... A: You can grind the lead seam off. I would use 3M's roloc grinding discs ... | |
| 1993 jeep cherokee floor rust repair | 12/25/2008 |
| Q: thanks A: If it's not a structural repair that should be fine. You might also consider gluing the panels in. ... | |
| car paint | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: somebody scratched my car pretty bad in the parking lot, the paint on the front, the passenger side, ... A: It's no bother. The people who told you to use a compound is right. You can buy it in most discount ... | |
| car paint | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: somebody scratched my car pretty bad in the parking lot, the paint on the front, the passenger side, ... A: First of all you need to know that spray painting over scratches is not a good idea. It will always ... | |
| Hazy and Yellow Headlights | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a Chevy Pickup and the headlights are yellow and hazy. I have read a couple of places online ... A: I'm very sorry! I'm not sure if it's due to age or stress. Could be both. Anyways here is the link ... | |
| car painting | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: My car was in for repairs. When I went to pick it up it was very easy to see that my car was two ... A: It is customary for a body shop to blend onto adjacent panels to achieve a color match. Normally, ... | |
| Hazy and Yellow Headlights | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a Chevy Pickup and the headlights are yellow and hazy. I have read a couple of places online ... A: I would not use oven cleaner on my headlights under any circumstances. 3M makes a Headlight Lens ... | |
| bondo thining | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: How do I thin out bondo to do a pin hole? Can I mix it with a small amount of reducer? This is a ... A: You can use polyester resin to thin out "bondo". Or better yet you can use a glaze putty to fill the ... | |
| laquer paint | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: am not a pro. What is sanding with D and A?.I have fiberglass motorhome and want to repaint part of ... A: DA stands for Dual Action. Which means you need to sand the surface with a dual action sander. A ... | |
| Fiber Glass to Metal issues | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: I have a set of fiberglass fender flares attached to metal rear quarter panels (Auto). The flares ... A: Unfortunately, nothing you do will stop the cracking. Most likely, the cracking is due to expansion ... | |
| rust | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1987 firebird but there is rust on the driver side doors about one foot from the side ... A: The correct way would be to cut out the rust and weld in new sheet metal. Many people don't have ... | |
| Clear Coat Scratches | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I asked my local body shop to buff out clear coat scratches on 2006 f150 black in color. They buffed ... A: You need to check out 3M's Perfect-It buffing system. It does a great job on black cars. Use 3M ... | |
| PPG application | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I just recently started painting using PPG paint. I haven't had a problem until it comes to ... A: Talk to your PPG salesman about PPG's One Choice Plastic Repair System. Part numbers are: SU4901 ... | |
| painting topper | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I finally was able to spray my topper w Rhino/bed liner as you suggested. I mixed 3oz tint as ... A: I have sprayed base-coat/clear-coat over Hippo Bed liner with good results. I did it the following ... | |
| basecoat clearcoat run | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: I just got finished clearcoating and noticed a run on the quarter panel its about 2 inches long i ... A: Unless it's just excessively bad you should be able to wet sand the clear with 1500 grit sandpaper ... | |
| Car Door | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1993 Cherokee Jeep and the driver door happens to be broken. The door when it is open ... A: I assume you mean that the door drops down once it is opened and when you try to shut it you have to ... | |
| removing spray paint | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: My question is my car was spray painted on the driver side door and window. what is the best ... A: There are several ways you can do it. Option 1, use a slow grade urethane reducer. You should be ... | |
| Motorcycle tank | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: Regards Fred Hall A: The following response I am assuming that since you say replica it will be a dummy tank with no fuel ... | |
| removal | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: I removed a magnetic sign from my truck (silver ) it left a white cloudy shadow under most of the ... A: You might try wet sanding it with 1500 grit sand paper. Here is a link where you can buy a small ... | |
| re-painting 1998 F150 Grill | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: The Grill on my 98 F150 has faded badly. It is very expensive to replace or have a body shop ... A: I would use the aerosol paint made by SEM Co. Their products are very good when used correctly. They ... | |
| Vinyl top | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1997 Cadillac Deville and the vinyl top is starting to crack. How can I repair or stop it ... A: Once vinyl begins to crack there is no way that I am aware of to reverse the process or repair it. ... | |
| Dent repair | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1990 ford f150 that was hit in a hit and run, got alot of front damage but also got hit in ... A: Quite honestly you may have more time and material invested than if you just bought a new bedside. ... | |
| Questions regarding epoxy primer over roughed up paint | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I'm replacing the U bolts that hold the rear leaf springs to the axle housing of my Chevy pickup. ... A: Anywhere the epoxy gets to bare metal it will give corrosion protection. Alternatively, where the ... | |
| Dent repair | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1990 ford f150 that was hit in a hit and run, got alot of front damage but also got hit in ... A: I would assume they are talking about a truck (18 wheeler) inner tube. I have never tried it before ... | |
| painting a 2-tone color car | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: I'm gona paint my car into a 2 tone color but i want one of the color to faded into the other color ... A: Paint your main color first and then paint your second color over the first without masking. The ... | |
| car assement. | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: How can i tell if a car is straight.(not bent). as i am thing about buying a second hand car. ... A: Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. A good eye. Look for any differences in color match. Even ... | |
| Lesser of 2 evils? | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: Mr. forester shot down my recent Idea of painting with aerosol. In my defense I may be on a budget ... A: In my opinion, I would use Maaco, but I do have strong reservations against using them. What I have ... | |
| Clear coat | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: I painted my car with base coat and cleared it with clear and had a lot of orange peel, so I would ... A: I assume you mean how long must you wait before you can reapply the base? If you have already sanded ... | |
| fiberglass | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a Model A Roaster (Fiberglass body) The center of the dash is raised in a triangle where the ... A: The way I would proceed would be put a fiberglass patch in. It's best to approach it from the ... | |
| painting topper | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I would like to paint the topper but dont want to paint it the same color as i think it would be ... A: It might be a bit too much of the same color blue. What you could do is either two tone it with a ... | |
| Repainting a fibreglass truck hood. | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a Ford Louieville tandem truck here and the hood on it is made of fibreglass and the paint is ... A: If you have painted on metal before you can paint on fiberglass with no problems most likely. ... | |
| painting topper | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I would like to paint the topper but dont want to paint it the same color as i think it would be ... A: There are a several ways you can go for the black bed-liner look you're after. You can take it and ... | |
| Molding | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a '97 F-150 and the molding that is on the door was loose so I pulled it off. What is the ... A: You'll need to use a single edge razor blade and some adhesive remover to get the old tape off. You ... | |
| urethane answer | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: You said: ...must have a chemical additive to complete the curing process. You typically can't find ... A: SprayMax has a specially designed can that actually has a separate chamber inside the can that holds ... | |
| Bumper Repair | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: Recently, while I was at college in class, someone backed into my car and didn't leave a note or ... A: It depends on the color and how well you want it to match. Usually a body shop need the entire car ... | |
| Rusted top | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977 Olds Cutlass with a solid motor and body all except the roof... The roof was full ... A: Sorry, I don't give quotes because there are too many variables and each shop will most likely ... | |
| Repair Clear Coat | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: This past Sunday I sprayed Clear Coat on my freshly panted 67 mustang. Though Saturday was perfect, ... A: Depending on how bad it is you may be able to just wet sand with 1500 grit and then polish with a ... | |
| 2002 dark grey toyota camry Got Keyed | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: My car has gotten keyed both on the hood and the side doors....I am considering getting a new car ... A: If you can feel the scratches with a fingernail then it will need to be either painted or have ... | |
| Paint types - urethane | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: Gary, Thanks for taking the time to volunteer to be an "Expert" here. Your knowledge and ... A: Sorry for the delay in response. Dupont doesn't have the market cornered on quality finishes. As ... | |
| 71 Super Vert top | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I am considering painting my convertible top from white to black.Can this be done? A: Yes, that should work. First you need to find a good quality vinyl paint. I would recommend using ... | |
| interior panel protection | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a '75 triumph - the goal is a solid driver, not show material at all. I'm wondering ... A: 3M makes a very good rust inhibitor that can be sprayed through a 36" wand that attaches to a schutz ... | |
| buffing | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: 2006 BMW X3 had bumps on front and rear bumper. Took it to body shop recommended by BMW dealership. ... A: It sounds like to me he's afraid that he has buffed the clear too thin and is worried that it may ... | |
| patching of holes from side molding removal | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: my son has a 1997 honda accord that he has removed the side rubber molding strips. he wants to patch ... A: I would recommend using some type of backing to help hold the filler in place. The correct procedure ... | |
| paint job | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Say you buy a new car. How long should the paint last before is starts to oxidize or fade? A: It depends on how it's cared for and the color. It should last around 5-7 years without oxidizing. ... | |
| interior Dye | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: i was wondering, i bought some interior Dye from a local part store. the dye dried just fine to the ... A: I imagine what happened was the quality of the dye you used was poor. If I had to guess what caused ... | |
| fiberglass repair | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a fiberglass street rod. There are a few small fracture cracks on the hood what is the best ... A: The best way is grind into the cracks with a die grinder or dremel tool and then use something like ... | |
| headlights | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Someone wiped something onto my headlights that caused a white haze to form on them. They are ... A: Some chemicals will cause clear plastic to discolor or haze. You can try to use a mild rubbing ... | |
| 350z body repair | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: i am going to get my car repaired and ive gotten a few quotes and some body shop here in az have ... A: Personally, I would rather have a blend of the two methods that were suggested to you. I would want ... | |
| rust on new (ish) Honda CRV | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I'm in England and have a 2007 Honda CRV - today I noticed two stone sized 'dents' on the bumper. My ... A: If I'm not mistaken the bumpers on a CRV are a type of plastic. It may be the color of the plastic ... | |
| 1973 trans/am endura bumper repair | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: can an endura bumber be repaired? mine is in great shape it just has a lot of cracks. There are no ... A: It sounds like it may be beginning to deteriorate. From what I remember about the endura bumper they ... | |
| jeep paint | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 97 jeep cherokee and it's the factory dark blue. i had scratches on my door and i bought a ... A: Yes, you can try using fingernail polish remover. If fingernail polish remover doesn't work you can ... | |
| paint chip on fibreglass truck roof | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: I own a class 8 highway tractor and a huge chip of paint, about1 inch by 1 and 1/2 inches appeared ... A: Black should be fairly easy to repair. First of all you will need to fill the chip with something. I ... | |
| How should I finish a silver metallic touch up paint job? | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: Someone keyed the side of my car so I sanded down the lip with 340 grit sand paper, used putty to ... A: If you can't see the overspray line that's great. I wouldn't sand on the metallic if you can help it ... | |
| body shop repairs | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: I took my truck to a body shop for repair. The insurance paid for a portion. I asked the owner for ... A: Body shops typically charge more for painting inside of a bed because of the amount of prep work ... | |
| motorcycle painting industry standards? | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: I've painted a few bikes and am thinking of offering work to the public. Is there anywhere I can get ... A: I would recommend researching the internet and local body shops and customizing shops. Or it may be ... | |
| Clear coat darkening paint | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: I've done a small touch up paint job (about same size as a dime) on a Toyota 2004 with a small spot ... A: Yes it may be worth trying. I have tested several clear-coats for clarity. The clearest one I have ... | |
| acrylic enamel spot repairs | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: my buddy wants me touch up a few chips and blisters on his daily drver 55 chevy. It's two tone red ... A: Base/Clear over enamel isn't a good idea because the base/clear won't fade like the original enamel ... | |
| 2003 Mustang Mach 1 Azure Blue | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: My Mach 1 was invloved in an accident. They need to replace the Driver rear qtr panel and bumper. I ... A: Unfortunately in this day and age there is no such thing as a perfect color match. If you go to ... | |
| Clear coat darkening paint | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I've done a small touch up paint job (about same size as a dime) on a Toyota 2004 with a small spot ... A: Unfortunately, At this point there is no fix without sanding and reapplying base. Often times ... | |
| clear coat problems | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: what are the causes for the clear coat to fish eye with me even when the car has been wipe down A: It could be several things that could cause fish eyes. I can quickly name a few: 1) Airborne ... | |
| clear coat problems | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: i used the ppg global paint on the truck we painted. the problem came up when the clear was shot, ... A: It could be that the hardener was bad or old. How long had the hardener been opened before it was ... | |
| paint crack on the hood | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I just purchased a restored 1969 Camaro Z28 from a classic car dealer here in Maryland. Upon ... A: To fix it correctly so that you would be happy with it you might as well have it repainted. ... | |
| Removing wheel paint from body | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I recently sprayed my car with some wheel paint. I don't know what I was thinking. I wrote on the ... A: If it was from a spraycan it should come off rather easily with acetone. I don't believe I would use ... | |
| Vinyl top removal-84 Cadillac Coupe Deville | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: So I decided to remove the vinyl top off my 84 Coupe. What do you recommend to remove the adhesive ... A: You can use an adhesive remover for removing the left over residue. As far as a estimate for the ... | |
| 2007 honda civic hail damage | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: every body part is being replace, even cutting the roof off I am worried since this a unibody car ... A: If the repairs are done by a reputable body shop it should not affect the structural integrity of ... | |
| Repair or replace? | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: Recently my sport side truck was rear ended (ouch) I was told both fiberglass side panels would have ... A: Often body shops will opt to repair panels instead of replace at the insistence of the insurance ... | |
| fibreglass bodykit repair | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking into repairing a fibreglass VRX bodykit for my Mitsubishi Magna, the sideskirts have low ... A: Take a look at this website for the "How To" on fiberglass repair: ... | |
| Damaged auto door hinges | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible to damage the hinges on a vehicle door by slamming the door shut, hard, one time? Is ... A: I would have no idea how to help you with that. You might see if you can get a technician that works ... | |
| Damaged auto door hinges | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible to damage the hinges on a vehicle door by slamming the door shut, hard, one time? Is ... A: In normal circumstances I would say no that slamming a vehicle door one time should not cause that ... | |
| wrecked outer door panel | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: I just wrecked the passenger door or my 2005 Chevy Equinox. The door shell it not damaged (just the ... A: This is not really my area of expertise but I think I might be able to answer your question. I do ... | |
| dent | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: how do i repair with bondo what is the best kind on the market A: You will need to pull out the worst of the damage with a dent puller. Afterward you will need to ... | |
| 1995 Chevy S-10, Hail, Paint, Suspension? | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm not sure where else to post the latter part, if it's not your cup of tea don't hesitate to say ... A: I ran across this website sometime ago that I thought was interesting. ... | |
| base color not matching as expected | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a question on a fender/wheel flare I've painted. It is Black BC/CC from a 2007 Tahoe. The ... A: I recommend always blending base-coat no matter what color it is. You may get away 10% of the time ... | |
| Goop on my bumper | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2008 Honda Accord. I backed into a stone wall recently and got some white goop (blobs) of ... A: First of all you need to see what this "goop" is. Go back to the wall and inspect it and see if you ... | |
| Auto body repair | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: My 2007 Lexus IS 250 AWD was smashed in the rear with the major impact pushing the bumper within 12" ... A: The question is would you buy a car that you knew had previous damage and give the same price as one ... | |
| Ford Paint | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: I own a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria painted Charcoal grey with a pinstripe. Can the factory applied ... A: The question I believe you're really asking is can it be removed without harming the paint ... | |
| base color not matching as expected | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a question on a fender/wheel flare I've painted. It is Black BC/CC from a 2007 Tahoe. The ... A: 2 things could be the problem. 1) Basecoat is not meant to be sanded on. You must clear-coat it ... | |
| 2002 eclipse gt front bumper cracked | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: Very small crack of front bumper very low in front of drivers front wheel on 2002 mitsubishi eclipse ... A: Most likely it's some type of plastic. You might try some type of super glue on it. There is a ... | |
| faded out paint | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: GARY,I have a 91 chevy astro van that the entire hood and top has lost its clear coat and faded,the ... A: First of all you will need to have all the appropriate tools to do the job. You will need such tools ... | |
| airbrushing | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I do some custom work on cars for a few nfl guys. I recently am just finishing up on a car and when ... A: What is happening is the metallics in the silver is laying differently around the edges because of ... | |
| auto paint | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: Can I apply more coats of acrylic enamel paint over a recent paint job (two weeks old) if I scuff ... A: Acrylic Enamel has a recoat sensitivity window of 3 hours up to 4 days later. In between that time ... | |
| body repairs | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I am thinking about purchasing a vehicule that is an 2008 model. The price is excellent, but I fear ... A: If the dealer done a good job you probably won't be able to tell. Usually, inside the doors if you ... | |
| 2-step repaint advice | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: accurate advice. I have an '88 BMW 5 -series with most of the mechanicals restored. NOW, the clear ... A: The question here is going to be is the vehicle going to be worth fixing? You say the car is worth ... | |
| wet sanding and polishing clear coat | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I painted some panels on a truck and clearcoat had orange peel from clear coat (thick). Wet sanded ... A: It sounds like you may have sanded through the clear-coat into the base-coat color. This would make ... | |
| glue for fixing a bumper | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2004 Mazda Protege in which I recently ran into a post, which ripped the bumper. The only ... A: Yes there are glues that can be used for this type of procedure but they are pretty expensive since ... | |
| Fender replacement on 2007 Chrysler Town & Country | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: I recently had damage to the front right fender of my 2007 Chrysler Town & Country and had van ... A: If the gaps don't match up you either have a problem with the actual part or the mounting holes are ... | |
| clearcoat | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: What's the max # of clearcoats can be put on a car. I'm being told that it takes 20 coats of clear ... A: If the car is being cleared with Acrylic Lacquer then it will need about 20 coats. If it's being ... | |
| clear coat repair | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a 1988 jaguar xjr and it had a stream of what i believe to been water. when i washed ... A: If the clear-coat has come off it will need to be repainted completely for it to look right. I guess ... | |
| Fiberglass | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a white fiberglass trailer. It has streaks on the finish. I washed it, but did not remove all ... A: The fiberglass should have a gel-coat finish applied over the fiberglass. However, I have seen some ... | |
| auto refinishing | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: I have questions about the clear coat blending/melting agents that are avaialable on the market from ... A: Clear-Coat blender is a product that is a product that is not recommended or guaranteed as you have ... | |
| spot refinish and clearing entire panel | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: I have an 07 Black Tahoe. The drivers side fender wheel flare got some small damage from an ... A: Sounds like a great plan of attack. I would would mention a couple of things: 1) I would use ... | |
| Clausen Gorilla Hair reinforced filler | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I was reading a forum on body repair and they mentioned "Clausen Gorilla Hair - Long Haired ... A: I know of the product but I am not all that familiar with it. I know of Clausen Co. and I have used ... | |
| PPG Paints | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I had a shopping cart damage on my black BMW X3 tailgate. I took it to a bodyshop at my place. The ... A: PPG Industries formally known as Ditzler Color Co. has been in the automotive paint business for ... | |
| clear coat on acyrlic | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: I recently painted a camaro and was woundering if I can spray clear on it .I used dupont nason ... A: If you used a Hardener in the paint then, Yes. If not then, No. Since Acrylic Enamel will typically ... | |
| 1984 eldorado | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1984 eldorado biarritz convertible. I would like to find out how to refinish the stainless ... A: I ran across this website: http://www.moparstyle.net/technical/trimrepair.htm. You might try and ... | |
| Earl Scheib Paint Question | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: Gary, I own a car that has an Earl Scheib Platinum paint job on it; the paint is advertised as ... A: If it's a true urethane then it must have catalyst in it. If not, it would have never dried. So with ... | |
| color sanding new paint | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: what happens if you color sand and buff a car the day after you paint it? I was told to wait three ... A: It really depends on the grade of paint you use. Typically I recommend Lacquers and Enamels to sit ... | |
| repairing clearcoat | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: I am painting my first car - using PPG paints. The primer and color basecoat were okay but I had ... A: Yes you would want to sand out the defect with 1000 or 1200 grit wet sand paper. Anywhere you break ... | |
| clear coat | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: Gary, thanks again about the blend ease info. I have another question. Since I painted my 67 Mustang ... A: Yes, you can clearcoat over Acrylic Enamel if you used activator (activator, hardener and catalyst ... | |
| frame repair | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: my car was hit from behind in auto accident - frame was bent. repair shop claim they are certified. ... A: To my knowledge there is no enforcement by the government or anyone else that demands that a person ... | |
| color blending metallics | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I had to make a repair on a recent acrylic enamel paint job(2 months old) I did on my Mustang The ... A: Blending clear is for use with basecoat/clearcoat paint finishes. unfortunately it won't work for ... | |
| primer overspray | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I Have a red mustang that had some minor work done, thanks to my wife. When I received the car back ... A: It does sound like it may be primer overspray. It could be that the painter may have had your car in ... | |
| floor pans | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: starting to make a lead sled out of a 50 buick.the body glass ect are great the floor pans are dust ... A: I'm not quite sure of the question but I think what you're asking is how to repair the floor pans. ... | |
| Sign Residue | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: Call me Dave. We live in NC and it has been relatively hot the past few weeks.I own my own business ... A: I would try a good quality adhesive remover. Try 3M Adhesive Remover. Adhesive remover shouldn't ... | |
| Painting 96 Dodge Neon bumper covers | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: .. My son has a 96 Dodge Neon that I am going to paint complete. I believe it has the bumper covers ... A: Yes, they can be refinished. You will need to use an adhesion promoter. I personally like using ... | |
| My 2008 Subaru Impreza - damage to rear door | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: I eas reversing on the drive way towards the main road.. and hit my front right side on the car that ... A: The best advice I can give you is to take it to a local body shop and get an estimate. Most body ... | |
| scratch repair 2008 Yukon XL | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: 10 inch vertical scratch on rear hatch & Bumper (white showing), 4 inch (more superficial) ... A: That figure, even though it sounds high, is probably a very close estimate to fix your vehicle ... | |
| Chevrolet truck clear stone guard | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to repaint my grandpa's 1981 Chevrolet C-10 pickup. I need to remove the clear stone ... A: You can use a product made by Kleanstrip call Aircraft Paint Remover. It is designed for removing ... | |
| Buick Reatta tail lights | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a '90 Reatta and the tail lights are hazy. Is there anything that can be done to ... A: 3M has just come out with a headlight lens repair kit in recent weeks. The part # is 3M 02516. I ... | |
| Where to buy PPG auto paint | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: Gary: I have a 2002 Toyota Camry with 3Q3 (Red) paint. According to the charts available on-line ... A: If it is peeled to bare plastic then you will need some type of adhesion promoter to promote ... | |
| Where to buy PPG auto paint | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: Gary: I have a 2002 Toyota Camry with 3Q3 (Red) paint. According to the charts available on-line ... A: I'm not sure that you can buy it online because PPG is very strict concerning online sales of their ... | |
| car side mirror cracked | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: MY HUSBAND JUST ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE SIDE OF OUR GARAGE WALL WHILE BACKING OUT, AND DAMAGED THE ... A: If it's a clean break you can use a high powered super glue. Something like SEM's Insta-Bond ... | |
| Aluminum Restoration | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I own a 68 cadillac that has two alum panels in the center of the rear bumber. One is near perfect ... A: It depends on how badly dented the part is. You might check with this company and see what they can ... | |
| 1996 Cougar XR7 | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: I know you don't do estimates, all I need is a guesstimate. Here's why, my roof was recently ... A: It will vary depending on where you get an estimate and what type of material they use. It would ... | |
| 1958 Berkeley roadster | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: Can I clearcoat the paint stripped body, let it dry for a couple of days, and then paint the car ... A: Are you trying to paint over bare fiberglass or does it have a gel-coat finish? Bare fiberglass is ... | |
| runs and orange peel in acrylic enamel | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: I am restoring my 54 chevy and i just painted it with acrylic enamel, reducer and the slow hardener. ... A: If it's a solid color then yes you should be able to do as you have mentioned. If it's a metallic or ... | |
| Repairing ripped vinyl on a door panel | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: this is my first time on this website and my first time ever asking for any help/advice. I'm not too ... A: You might consider taking it to a automotive upholstery shop instead of an auto body shop. Most ... | |
| 1972 GP restoration | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: I am restoring a 1972 Grand Prix. I have completed the mechanical restoration and now am ready to ... A: I recommend using a DA sander. Use the best quality filler you can find. Such as Rage Gold, Rage ... | |
| Mercedes auto paint refinishing | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: I own a black 2001 C class Merceds. I used an abrasive wax on the finish to remove very stubborn ... A: You might be able to check with someone that does professional car detail work. They typically deal ... | |
| rust on truck | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I have small rust pinholes all over my white truck. They will come off, but with some force. What ... A: If it's a new vehicle it could be what is known as Rail Dust. The cause of it is steel or iron dust ... | |
| CRACKING ON NEWLY PAINTED CAR | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem! I recently got my car painted and two weeks later the hood started cracking(like ... A: It sounds like a classic example of a lacquer primer. "Lacquer" is older technology finish. It sands ... | |
| plastic moulding paint | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2004 v70r and want to paint the black plastic panels below the doors and bumpers to match ... A: The only type of plastic that I am aware of that cannot be painted with modern automotive paints is ... | |
| smart repairs | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I want to start smart paint repairs for chips and dents. The kits are not available here in Brazil. ... A: With good airflow and temperature you can clear-coat DBC base-coat in 15 minutes. DC3000 can be ... | |
| smart repairs | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I want to start smart paint repairs for chips and dents. The kits are not available here in Brazil. ... A: I have several customers that are doing what you are wanting to do. I sell them PPG products. They ... | |
| 1999 Chevy Silverado rust repair | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado that has rust on both rear wheel wells and undter the driver side ... A: The best way for rust repair is to cut out all areas of rust and weld in new metal. The cost of ... | |
| Paint chipping away on dash boards of most Yukons / Suburbans | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me if there is a product of paint that will wark (and obviously ... A: A company called SEM Coatings has product that does very good at repairing and repainting interior ... | |
| Clear coat estimates | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: My car paint is peeling very bad on the hood of my car and beginning to everywhere else as well. I ... A: All the parts that are peeling will need to be repainted because as soon as the clear peels the ... | |
| orange peal on paint | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: I painted the hood of my car using a PPG one step paint. I mixed it in the ratios recommended by the ... A: Several things could cause it. 1) Spray-Gun Setup PPG typically recommends a 1.4 to 1.6 mm ... | |
| flatten agent in clear coat | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: after googling how to flatten clear coat, i read your answer to Ricky. i am restoring a 1959 ... A: To be quite honest, I'm not certain what gloss level those bikes were from factory. My best guess ... | |
| spot paint prep | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: I have an '86 Toyota pickup with a few rust spots on the bed. I want to spot (design)paint different ... A: You will need to sand the area to be painted for the paint to stick. Usually custom painters will ... | |
| Question on Light Surface Rust | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1970 Dodge that I've been storing in my garage for the past 8 or 9 years. The car has ... A: Yes you can use a wire wheel brush on your drill to repair those rust areas. However, if it's pretty ... | |
| Car Door Rust | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: Hey, i have a rust hole in my car door the size of an apple. I was wondering what the best method ... A: The best way to repair the area would be cut it out and put in new sheet metal or a patch panel. ... | |
| 87 ford bronco | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: (i have attached a picture) i just bought a 1987 ford bronco, its in fairly good condition. there is ... A: For the rust to be fixed correctly it will need to be cut out and patch panels will need to be ... | |
| Paint touch up | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: My kid Painted his 64 mustang @ 2 years ago DBC BC/CC. The car was broken into, they tagged the door ... A: PPG makes a fantastic product for blending called DX840 Blendease. It can be used to aid in blending ... | |
| car repair | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I own a 2005 camry with a dark grey paint. I was backing up and lightly hit a rigid concrete ... A: If the bumper is a base-coat/clear-coat finish then you shouldn't have to paint the whole bumper. ... | |
| Cost of painting and replacing car door | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: Its a 2001 Nissan Altima GXE (White). Thanks!! A: Your code can be found under the hood on the fire wall or in the driver's door. It should be on a ... | |
| Cost of painting and replacing car door | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: The driver's side front door of my car is dented beyond paintless dent removal can fix. I'm trying ... A: It's going to depend on what type of paint you use and it will also depend on the paint code on the ... | |
| flatten agent in clear-coat | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: I'm trying to use ppg's 3000 clear with the dx685 flattening agent. What ratio do I need to use ... A: The correct ratio according to PPG will be 32 oz of pure DC3000 to 19 oz of DX685 flattening agent ... | |
| rubber bumper cover repair - faded black paint | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a 98 Honda Civic with a dent in the rubber bumper cover. It must have been backed into ... A: Quite honestly you may have used the wrong color black to paint it. Honda offered two black solids ... | |
| Clear coat nightmare!!! | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: with great success. However the current bike has gone pear shaped on the two pack clear coat. This ... A: This sounds like quite a pickle. It sounds like you may be having a reaction from whats underneath. ... | |
| rubber bumper cover repair | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a 98 Honda Civic with a dent in the rubber bumper cover. It must have been backed into ... A: Definitely, Heat and press is going to be the very best way to proceed. Unless the paint is already ... | |
| small holes in plastic bumper repair | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: 3 holes were drilled into my used car plastic bumper to mount a front license frame. Now I am in a ... A: 3M makes a product designed for plastic repair, Part # 05895. You can go to this site ... | |
| roof hail damage | 4/28/2008 |
| Q: Hey! I have a 2006 Mazda 3 that was attacked by hail that was bigger than a quarter, but smaller ... A: They have a procedure that is called paintless dent repair that when done by a skilled professional ... | |
| A clear question | 4/21/2008 |
| Q: I am not a painter, but have painted several cars over the years with better and better results. My ... A: It's hard to say how many "coats" because everyone's "coats" is different. PPG measures the film ... | |
| Waterspots and auto polishing | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 questions. What is the best and easiest way to remove hard water spots on paintwork? I ... A: You have a couple of things you can do for hard water spots. You can get a buffing compound that has ... | |
| paint code FJ 40 LANDCRUISER | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: Gary, Hope you can help I am looking for the paint code for a FJ 40 Landcriser 1980 model. I believe ... A: Check out this link: http://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1980-toyota-pg01.jpg Toward the ... | |
| fading rubber bumper | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: I have an '02 vehicle with a black bumper. This has faded over the years. Is there a black dye ... A: It may be a polyethelene plastic which is kind of like an oily looking plastic that can't be ... | |
| car paint | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: can you use ordinary paint to paint cars A: It depends on what you mean by "ordinary paint". If you mean paint that you find at your local home ... | |
| fading rubber bumper | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: I have an '02 vehicle with a black bumper. This has faded over the years. Is there a black dye ... A: It depends on how far gone it is. You can use a rubber or vinyl dressing to bring it back for a ... | |
| for a class report | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: what edu. do you need? where can you get the edu.?what does it pay? do you need special training or ... A: Most of my training has come through the company that I work for. I have attended many different ... | |
| Clear Coat Peeling | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a '92 Buick and the clear coat has started peeling off of the roof this winter. I understand ... A: Yes, it should stop the peeling. However, It's going to make the color look bad and you will be able ... | |
| Tiny scratches in paint | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: Gary: A few small pieces of gravel (from a gravel truck traveling in front of us) bounced out and ... A: I would definitely take it to a body shop to have it fixed. For it to look right and have corrosion ... | |
| Removing striping | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: How do I remove striping from my motorhome's fibre glas body. The old stuff is chipping. It's an 87 ... A: To remove aged striping is a very hard feat as I'm sure you are already aware. 3M makes a couple of ... | |
| clay baths | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: 2years ago I had my 1997 Honda CRV (black) in for waranty rust repair. The body shop that did the ... A: It sounds like the clear-coat is what the professionals call die back. It can be caused by many ... | |
| Ford Explorer | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: My 2000 Explorer still looks real good except for the faded wheel well covers and bumpers. Is there ... A: I assume you're talking about the fender flares and the impact strip on the bumper which are ... | |
| blending | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: hey I'm a new painter and i don't know how to blend paint. at the shop we use rm paint line the old ... A: It depends more on the grade of paint than the brand. Is it base-coat/clear-coat or Acrylic Enamel? ... | |
| Silverado Plastic Fender repair | 4/6/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2001 1-ton, dual rear wheel, 2-wheel drive Chevy Silverado with a diesel engine. I ... A: If I gave you an answer it would be a total guess. However, 3M makes 2 different universal plastic ... | |
| 88 toyota Camry | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: now I have no experience in auto body, so, could you explain to me how to go about fixing the wide ... A: To fix it correctly you will need to cut out all the rusty metal and find a patch panel to fit back ... | |
| How to paint a new hood | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: I bought a new hood for my car.The hood is black with primer.Do I need sand it before I paint it? Do ... A: The black primer that comes on new panels is called e-coat. You will need to sand it with a 400 grit ... | |
| Clear coat | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: i am about to get my 2006 honda civic'c hood repainted due to chips caused by idiots on the highway ... A: Too much clear-coat can actually cause a problem as well. High film builds can peel off in large ... | |
| 2004 ford expedition front bumper | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: I backed in to a ford expedition 2004, My toyota 2004 camry has no damage. This lady claims that I ... A: It does sound as if she may be trying to pull a fast one. My advice is call your insurance company. ... | |
| ppg base clear spot repair | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: About 2 years ago I finished up a 5+ year project... rodding a '36 Chevy coupe. I selected PPG ... A: Yes, you can spot repair the base color no problem. Basically, just feather out the area to be ... | |
| how much paint | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: Gary I have a 67 chevelle that I am restoring and painting this week. I have primed with k38 and ... A: Each painter paints a little differently and can use more or less depending on technique. My best ... | |
| clearcoat degradation | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a classic case of clearcoat flaking off of the hood of my 97 chevy truck. I love this truck ... A: You'll need to wet sand it with 1000 grit sand paper. Soak your wet-or-dry paper for 20 minutes ... | |
| Chemical Smell | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a similar problem as the person who posted "Solvent Smell" on 6/27/2006. I was recently ... A: 1) As to what is causing the smell I'm not certain. It is probably from the paint material that was ... | |
| clearcoat degradation | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a classic case of clearcoat flaking off of the hood of my 97 chevy truck. I love this truck ... A: You won't have to strip it to metal but you will need to feather out the existing finish and you ... | |
| Armrest Restoration | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: I own a 1999 BMW 323I E46 My armrest is fading out. The leather is getting rough and changing ... A: SEM Company now makes a Leather Dye that you can get in a aerosol spray-can. You can check out this ... | |
| Van Flooring | 3/19/2008 |
| Q: Gary, I'm a singer songwriter from NJ and I have a 2004 15-passenger GMC Savanna van I bought for ... A: Metal screws for sure. Get some that have good corrosion resistance. You may even get the type that ... | |
| Van Flooring | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: Gary, I'm a singer songwriter from NJ and I have a 2004 15-passenger GMC Savanna van I bought for ... A: I would keep the screw length as short as possible but yet long enough to grab and hold. As far as ... | |
| 93 explorer sunroof seal | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a 93 explorer, the seal around the sunroof is bad, I have looked everywhere for this ... A: You might try to contact this site: ... | |
| Light rust | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a silver Neon. On the front part of the hood, right on the edge,its starting to get light ... A: Paint by itself will not rust. To have rust you have to have metal, moisture, and oxygen present. If ... | |
| Clear coat peeling | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: I had my car repainted almost 3 years ago, and the clear coat is peeling off mainly on the front ... A: If you have a written warranty and the damage is found to be a application error of the paint shop ... | |
| Clear coat peeling | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: I had my car repainted almost 3 years ago, and the clear coat is peeling off mainly on the front ... A: I would request that they have the Paint Manufacturer's representative to come and look at the the ... | |
| ding repair | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: My ding is slightly dented and the clear coat is chipped. I have been told that I should have the ... A: Spot blending the color is totally different than spot blending the clear. Spot blending the paint ... | |
| repairing paint dings | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2007 Toyota Matrix and recently some jerk hit my door hard enough to leave a small dent and ... A: Sorry to hear about your car. This is the way I would repair it. Clean the surface good with a ... | |
| Repairing scrapes on plastic body parts | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 05 Jaguar S-type. I pulled over a high curb and resulted in about 6 deep scrapes at the ... A: You will need to sand your bumper with a fairly fine grit. I would use 320 grit to feather out the ... | |
| Repairing scrapes on plastic body parts | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 05 Jaguar S-type. I pulled over a high curb and resulted in about 6 deep scrapes at the ... A: Bumpers hardly ever match perfectly. Even vehicles straight off the showroom floor still in many ... | |
| Button Paint Chipping | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I own a 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue and the seek/skip and preset buttons on my radio have the black ... A: You can buy a black touch up paint that you would use for touching up the exterior of your car. This ... | |
| Paint Off from BMW | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: My wife yesterday bumped into a BMW series (green) parked right next to our parking space and ... A: Unfortunately, I can't tell you what it will cost to repaint it. There are alot of factors that will ... | |
| How to remove spray paint | 2/23/2008 |
| Q: My truck recently got a few spray paint marks on it, and I was wondering if there is anything ... A: There are a couple of things you can try. Try using a fingernail polish remover that has acetone in ... | |
| FRONT END | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: This morning I backed into my sons' 96 Riviera, I slightly smashed the left, front, end, the light ... A: I'm not sure exactly about how much it will cost but I can tell you for sure it will be more than ... | |
| repainting a bumper | 2/21/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a used Volvo S60R with 7200 miles on it. After driving it for a few days, I noticed ... A: Sorry about the delay in answering. We had an ice storm that forced me to leave work early thursday ... | |
| Front end conversion | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: I just got a front end conversion kit for my 91 Chevy pickup, it converts it to a 99-00 Cadillac ... A: The primer that is on the parts is E-Coat. For maximum durability you need to scuff sand and prime ... | |
| Paint Removal | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2005 Lexus 470L. I park in an underground garage and yesterday I brushed a white painted ... A: Yes, it will work on plastic as well as metal surfaces. I'm sure that the mobile over-spray removal ... | |
| Paint Removal | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2005 Lexus 470L. I park in an underground garage and yesterday I brushed a white painted ... A: There are a couple of things you can try. Try using a fingernail polish remover that has acetone in ... | |
| repainting a bumper | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a used Volvo S60R with 7200 miles on it. After driving it for a few days, I noticed ... A: If your technician does a good job it should not lower the value of the car. Actually to leave the ... | |
| Repairing a fiberglass trunklid crack | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: Someone with plow mount on the front of a Jeep rolled into the fiberglass trunk lid of my 99 Sebring ... A: It depends on the actual damage. Fiberglass in itself is not all that hard to work with. You can ... | |
| Unibody Damage | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a leased 2006 Honda CRV that was hit in the rear while parked causing extensive damage to the ... A: Unfortunately you will need to really put some pressure on your insurance agent. Give the agent a ... | |
| Tremclad on a small rust spot on passenger door? | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I just noticed a teeny rust spot on the lower corner of my passenger door. It is about the size of a ... A: What you will probably notice if you remove the paint is that the rust will be more extensive than ... | |
| 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e Collision Repair | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: I was struck on the driver's side of my 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e by a large SUV. Both driver's side ... A: Blair, Unless you can find someone who has the ability to rebuild the car for themselves and is ... | |
| 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e Collision Repair | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: I was struck on the driver's side of my 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e by a large SUV. Both driver's side ... A: Let's say you'll have $3000 in the repair after you're finished. Which sound very realistic. If it ... | |
| Paint | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: I have paint on my door from another car. It looks as if the paint is on top of the clear coat. what ... A: There are a couple of things you can try. Try using a fingernail polish remover that has acetone in ... | |
| civic | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: where are the screws located at to remove the door panel A: Your vehicle probably uses plastic panel retainers as opposed to screws. You will need to get a Trim ... | |
| Auto Paint | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: I took my car into a local body shop ASE and reccommended by the insurance company of the woman who ... A: The smell should subside after just a couple of days. I would do exactly as you are by airing out ... | |
| 2007 nissan altima driver side rear door | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: I hit a pole backing out of a parking space in a parking garage. The door is dented in but not very ... A: It's hard to say without physically seeing the door. However if the door isn't dented very bad it ... | |
| 2000 Isuzu Rodeo 4wd LS 6cy rear door lock mechanism | 2/16/2008 |
| Q: Sir, we have purchased a used Rodeo and can not open the rear door. We were told to insert the key, ... A: You can remove the inner door panel. However when you do you will probably break the plastic ... | |
| 2001 Malibu | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: I tried putting the window down- it would not work- I tried a bit harder- the window still wouldn't ... A: You would probably have to take off the door panel to access the inside of the door which can be a ... | |
| Clear Coat over headlights | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a factory purchased 1995 Mitsubishi 300 gt vr4 - the Clear coat over the Headlights has ... A: You can try and re-clear the lens. Depending on how bad they are will determine the final results. I ... | |
| replacing quarter panels on 72 mustang | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: ok im going to replace the quarter panels on my 72 mustang,i got the quarter skins not the full ... A: You might check out this link. This guy goes into detail about how to replace a quarter panel. ... | |
| Rear View Mirror | 2/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a '98 Nissan Altima and the rear view mirrow is very difficult to attach on the windshield. ... A: I would try and clean the windshield with some type of solvent based cleaner. It sounds like there ... | |
| I had a quick question regarding touch painting. | 2/14/2008 |
| Q: I have an 2007 Black Tahoe. A week or two ago, a rock hit the front of my SUV right above the grill. ... A: Primer in this situation is not of great importance. If you got a coating on the bare metal that ... | |
| I had a quick question regarding touch painting. | 2/14/2008 |
| Q: I have an 2007 Black Tahoe. A week or two ago, a rock hit the front of my SUV right above the grill. ... A: You might think about using a good quality masking tape around the chip. This should prevent sanding ... | |
| minor body repair | 2/14/2008 |
| Q: I think my question is a pretty easy one. My wife brushed up against a metal gate with our car. ... A: So if I understand correctly there was paint from the metal gate that transferred onto the car. If ... | |
| I had a quick question regarding touch painting. | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: I have an 2007 Black Tahoe. A week or two ago, a rock hit the front of my SUV right above the grill. ... A: You might try going ahead and filling the chip up high than the original paint around the area and ... | |
| 1997 honda civic side mirror | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: My drivers side mirror seems to be loose. The dealership says I have to replace the whole thing, but ... A: It sounds to me like the double-sided tape is coming loose. You can buy double-sided tape to replace ... | |
| replacing rear quarter panel | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: I purchased a 2000 ford eddy bower edition explorer that had rear end damage. the damage consisted ... A: 1st: Take a look at this website: http://www.autobodystore.com/home.shtml. They sell several ... | |
| Honda Civic Rear Ended | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: We have a 2001 Honda Civic and we just got rear ended to the point where there isn't much of a ... A: To be honest I would just flat out tell them that I don't want the car back unless it's going to be ... | |
| Honda Civic Rear Ended | 2/11/2008 |
| Q: We have a 2001 Honda Civic and we just got rear ended to the point where there isn't much of a ... A: If it is bowed as you say it is I doubt that it will be fixed. They typically look at the true value ... | |
| ABS plastic scoops | 2/11/2008 |
| Q: another project I was considering was taking 2 hood scoops made out of ABS plastic and molding them ... A: I doubt that polyester fiberglass resin will stick very well to the ABS without doing something to ... | |
| big dent | 2/10/2008 |
| Q: Hey i have a 2000 gmc sierra just recently a van hit and ran my truck and the dent is about the size ... A: I wouldn't try doing anything to the dent. Typically the biggest cost in repairing is the paint ... | |
| Removing glued on autobody trim | 2/9/2008 |
| Q: What is the proper way to remove glued on (adhesive backed) stainless steel rocker panel that was ... A: You will need to use a solvent based adhesive remover. 3M makes a great one which can be found here: ... | |
| auto body prep | 2/9/2008 |
| Q: my car needs paint, has several deep scuffs, and some minor dents. I want to prep the bad areas and ... A: You will need to sand with probably 180-220 grit wet or dry sand paper. Then the surface will need ... | |
| Chipped bumper and body | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: Recently I was reversing my 1998 Honda Logo and misjudged the distance between the rear of my car ... A: I would go to your local auto parts store or automotive paint supply house and buy the correct color ... | |
| Honda Plastic Bumper | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: 1. What kind of adhesive/filler should I use to fill in the holes (about 0.25 inch diameter) for the ... A: 3M makes a product designed for plastic repair, Part # 05895. You can go to this site ... | |
| rubber bumper trim | 2/6/2008 |
| Q: on a 91 S-10 Blazer is there a product to renew..or should it be painted. It has weathered or ... A: It depends on how far gone it is. You can use a rubber or vinyl dressing to bring it back for a ... | |
| side view mirror replacement | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: I have to replace the driver side view mirror, and just bought a new one but I can't figure out how ... A: I found this link to Auto Zone's website that gives you step by step instructions for replacement. ... | |
| side view mirror replacement | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: I have to replace the driver side view mirror, and just bought a new one but I can't figure out how ... A: Most vehicles will disassembly in different ways. To be quiet honest I'm not sure how yours will ... | |
| Corvette fiberglass | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: I have an 86 vette and there is an area of about 2" X 4" on the front fender that is missing the ... A: You will need to replace with fiberglass to repair it correctly. A filler alone will crack and fall ... | |
Auto body repair & detailing
Answers by Expert:
Gary
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer most questions on auto refinishing materials. Especially PPG products. I have knowledge in the latest repair materials and techniques. When it comes to automotive paint I have a solid understanding of how things work.
Experience
I have worked in a PPG paint retail/wholesale business for the last 15 years. I have dealt with many issues regarding paint and repair materials on a daily basis over the years. I don't know that I have all the answers but I would be willing to try.
Education/Credentials
PPG Trained and Certified. Training with 3M products and Meguair's products.
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