Fixing MAACO Mistake-Os.

[JR_Charger]

In all fairness to MAACO, the previous owner probably got what he paid for and more, because most of the paint is still on the car 30 years later. I'm hoping a lot of cutting and buffing and retouching will save most of it. Naturally MAACO masked off all the trim and things like this side marker lamp instead of removing them. I've sanded down the edge of their paint BUT I've tried this before and the edge of the MAACO paint job shows through my touch-up paint, no matter how much I try to blend it. Is there a way to make that edge disappear (short of media blasting the whole panel down to bare metal and starting over from scratch)?

 

[69L48Z27]

Is that down to the metal? Hit the area with epoxy and then primer surfacer. Block sand it as flat as possible. The transition you have looks abrupt, that’s why it shows through.

 

[YY1]

Paint the patch area really thick and then sand it all back down level?

 

[zyzzyx]

When that car was painted by MAACO they probably used Acrylic Enamel. It will lift at the edges
if you put anything "Hotter" over it. You can try a little epoxy primer over it because it's catalyzed
and hopefully will seal it off. Let it dry for a couple of days and then wet sand it with 600.

 

[sam dupont]

I know in Earl Scheib ads it said: no ups, no downs and I think that meant: we don't remove the marker lights unless you pay for it.

 

[JR_Charger]

Is that down to the metal? Hit the area with epoxy and then primer surfacer. Block sand it as flat as possible. The transition you have looks abrupt, that’s why it shows through.

The paint was originally gunmetal, that's what you're seeing.

From what I've seen the original paint was still good. I wouldn't have repainted it, but the situation is what it is.

I'll see if I can manage a better transition. I thought that was pretty good but apparently not good enough!

When that car was painted by MAACO they probably used Acrylic Enamel. It will lift at the edges
if you put anything "Hotter" over it. You can try a little epoxy primer over it because it's catalyzed
and hopefully will seal it off. Let it dry for a couple of days and then wet sand it with 600.

FWIW, O'Reilly's gloss black lacquer blends with it perfectly.

 

[1967coronet]

Your paint edge is way to sharp, needs feathered out 4 to 6 inchs more from the edge you now have with 320/400.

Primed and sanded 400 again , sealed , color blend into 800 grit finish on the surrounding area.

 

[Llamaback]

If you are wanting to keep your repair area small and/or take the lazy way out, a finishing glaze (USC Icing) would give you some more build than putting thick primer on that area. The glaze will adhere well to a properly sanded surface and would easily build up to the level of the existing paint, then spot prime with epoxy and paint.

 

[JR_Charger]

Time is an issue too. It'll soon be too cold for paint, unless I point an infrared light at my work area. Unless there's an issue with infrared lights. I don't think there is but unpleasant surprises have a way of showing up.

 

[zyzzyx]

You may not know this, but Evercoat makes some products that are sprayable polyester similar to
Bondo but much thinner that will seal anything under it! Featherfill G2, Superbuild 4:1, Slick Sand.
It's great for blocking, and will seal whatever you put it over. Read each products directions.

 

[JR_Charger]

If you are wanting to keep your repair area small and/or take the lazy way out, a finishing glaze (USC Icing) would give you some more build than putting thick primer on that area. The glaze will adhere well to a properly sanded surface and would easily build up to the level of the existing paint, then spot prime with epoxy and paint.

I've got some Upol Gold Glaze from last year. Probably still good?

I've been looking at various sanding products. I've got a DA and I see guys using that, but then there's also sanding blocks and Eastwood has a dustless sanding block that attaches to a shop vac.

Of course we all want to "do it right," but that would mean building a paint booth with lots of light and buying bunches of tools and materials. I can almost see doing that, if I can make it into a career. I kind of like sitting out in the garage sanding away with no one to bother me. But, for right now I'm trying to save as much of the original paint as I can and get this car back on the road. I've got other cars needing my time too.

 

[JR_Charger]

How does this piece of trim come off? I've felt around behind it, but nothing's jumping out at me.

 

[JR_Charger]

Most of the door buffed out surprisingly well. It's not show quality paint, and there are a few door dings and other minor scrapes, but it will do.

I'm having trouble removing the pinstriping. I'm trying to take them off with Goo Gone, but so far I've only taken off the color layer of the pin stripes. I was able to sand them off on the front fender, and I'll sand the rest off if I have to, but it would be nice if they'd just peel off. I've still got Goo Gone working on them.

 

[T2R9]

View attachment 1543486

How does this piece of trim come off? I've felt around behind it, but nothing's jumping out at me.

It's press fit. Use the handle of a dead blow to gently tap it to the rear. It will come right off.

 

[1967coronet]

View attachment 1544100


Most of the door buffed out surprisingly well. It's not show quality paint, and there are a few door dings and other minor scrapes, but it will do.

I'm having trouble removing the pinstriping. I'm trying to take them off with Goo Gone, but so far I've only taken off the color layer of the pin stripes. I was able to sand them off on the front fender, and I'll sand the rest off if I have to, but it would be nice if they'd just peel off. I've still got Goo Gone working on them.

If its a tape strip a 3M eraser wheel works very well.

 

[moparedtn]

I know in Earl Scheib ads it said: no ups, no downs and I think that meant: we don't remove the marker lights unless you pay for it.

"No ups, no extras" - Earl Scheib

In all fairness to MAACO

"Ut oh, better get MAACO!"

 

[JR_Charger]

"No ups, no extras" - Earl Scheib


"Ut oh, better get MAACO!"

I may have to blame current owner for being ignorant of buffing in his youth, but he came up when useful skills were no longer taught.

MAACO's paint job is still pretty bad in places, but it's not as bad as I thought.

 

[chargervert]

This is how I fix those generic 72 and up marker light areas. The factory marker lights look like they belong on a trailer from Harbor Freight!

 

[sam dupont]

I may have to blame current owner for being ignorant of buffing in his youth, but he came up when useful skills were no longer taught.

MAACO's paint job is still pretty bad in places, but it's not as bad as I thought.

but a great value depending on the previous owner's needs. The paint job on your car cost $179, 30 years ago.

 

[sam dupont]

I was going to paint a citation for a girlfriend at that time. Out of curiosity, I went to a well-known local paint shop. They quoted me $1300. Went to Maaco, and it was $179 just to spray. It was $10 to fix a scratch, $25 to fix a door dent, etc., etc. Blemish by blemish brought the Maaco price to $1300, same as the local shop, but the local shop was using better paint. That's how Maaco makes their money: up selling blemish by blemish and offering optional services. One could get a paint job for $179, and they looked good from the street as I drove by on the way to work every day, but there was paint on trim from very fast masking. The scuffers and maskers moved out. Those guys must have burned 5,000 calories a shift. They said I could do the bodywork to my satisfaction and they would spray my paint if I wanted better material, but it was still $179.