Last fall I bought some factory touch up paint for my Chili Red MCS. After using some paint, and letting it dry, then putting on the clear coat and letting it dry, the touch up paint is noticably darker than the original paint, and it right above the hood scoop, where it very noticable.

What can I do to fix this?

Thanks

 

Solid red paints, over time, are one of the most difficult colors to touch up. You really have to have the paint matched at the time of the touchup as all metal oxide based reds (yes, most red paints actually use iron oxide for the pigment) will fade/oxidize over time.

I always color test before touching up any paint. Take the touchup apply it to some primered sheet metal and then see if it matches the original. Make adjustments as needed. Works for me, but I use an air brush for touchups.

 

What do you do, mask of the area around the chip?

 

I sand the area where the chip is, keeping it as small as possible, making sure to overlap the paint a bit. Then prime, sand again, then paint,then sand, then paint, then sand then cut the masking back about 6 inches more from the area, then light sand and clear coat, then wet sand to feather it all in.

Depending on the damage, I might have to do a couple of clear coats to get the blend to the original coat feathered to my liking. The goal is to make it like there was never any damage to begin with.

If the panel is small, I am apt to remove it from the car, then paint the entire thing. I guess I really do not do what could be considered touch-ups.

 

I guess more specifically, what is the best way to remove the touch up paint I've already applied to my hood. A few of the spots are raised.

Can I just use a clay bar and slowly work it down, or should I try to wet sand it, very, very carefully?

 

Bump....................anyone? Beuller?

 

A bit of lacquer thinner on a rag should do the trick. Shouldn't hurt the cured paint at all. (it will strip your wax, however).
Sanding will just make the boo-boo bigger.

 

I was out of town over the weekend. If your touch-up paint is rough, then mask off the area around it and leave about some good paint around it exposed.

You will want to use wet 2500 grit (if you can get it, 2000 grit is more readily available and can be used). Put running water over the are to be sanded (just a small amout is needed, a trickle), then lightly sand the area until the touch-up is smooth to the touch.

If you do this correctly, you should have minimum surface scratches to remove afterwards and those will be in the area surrounding the touched-up place.

There is a lot more detail I would go into, but quite frankly, this is not something you should just decide to do. The potential for doing more damage than good is high.

If you have never wet-sanded paint before, then you should practice it first. Go to Home Depot and pick up some sheet aluminum. Take it to a paint and body shop and have them paint it. Let it cure. Then scratch it, and/or chip it and practice fixing it before you try it on your car.

 

Thsnks guys, the lacquer thinner did the trick. Didn't use much of it. Dabbed it on a micro fiber towel and gently rubbed accross the bulged clear coat surface. It came off within a few wipes. Then a little detailers spray and voila!.

Now, to find some touch up that actually matches.............