Troops,

I am in need of some advise.

My "Steed" got scratched on the front right fender just above the driver side turn signal light. It wouldn't have been noticable if I just left well enough alone. But with the persuit of ultimate perfection for my "Steed" I decided to try to buff it out. Well along and behold buffing not only made it more noticable but the once hiarline scratch is now a dime sized blemish. It appears I have buffed through the clear coat.
Please help fix. Thanks in advance for your assitance.

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"Silver Steed"
'00 XL flareside sprcab, 5 spd, 4.2 V6, 3.55 grs, factory cab steps ("nerf bars"), graphite cloth 60/40 split bench seats, 255/70/16s, K&N air filter, Mobil1 05-W30 tri-synth.
More upgrades soon (pay-check permitting)
Email: ferdi_n@f150driver.com

 

What's the question?

In general, I'd say you need a 'spot' job, just as you figured. The clear coat has been burned, and from now on it will 'whiten' as time progresses. The color will dull out quickly, too. There is no good news. If you're lucky, the painter will be good enough to butt-match the two panels.

 

Please,

I there anyone out there who knows anything about paint finishes for a do-it yourselfer?
Any advise to posted problem above is appreciated.

 

I was an auto-painter for 12 years. Second-placed in the '86(?) Oakland Roadster Show. I'm not up on the most current paint technology, the HVOC's, but I think I can help, if you have a question.

 

Slvrsteed says:
I there anyone out there who knows anything about paint finishes for a do-it yourselfer?
Any advise to posted problem above is appreciated.
____________________________________
Dang Steed!! Look at the mess you made last time you tried to "do-it-yourself!!!" <G>

Get a pro!

 

These guys are right Slvrsteed. Save some time and aggravation and have a pro fix it, otherwise you will never be happy with it.

 

Slvrsteed,

Don't mean to sound insulting...I agree a 100% with their advice. Took me 2.5 years of full-time work as an apprentice, before I was good enough to do a spot job without on-site help from a journeyman. I have 3 test questions you must pass before you can consider your knowledge enough to tackle this project as a do-it-yourself task:

1. Take a piece of metal, (2 feet by 2 feet) like a disposable aluminum cookie pan and hang it at fender height and spray paint it with a can of orange so it is completely orange. When that's done, use another can of spray paint, this time red. Spray one edge completely so it is red, and blend the color in so the panel fades from red to orange evenly, without any band lines where you've overlapped, and so the color fades from red to orange evenly. Clear coat it. If you have no runs, try and polish it when you're done by hand so it shines and stands out like a diamond in a goat's a@@. If you're successful, you might try it.

2. For the above task, I charged that you paint the panel orange first, and then red. Do you know why? I don't know what the color of your truck is, but if it is indeed silver, you should know how colors react to light, spray techniques and influences before you tackle this.

3. Two different painters can make the same can of silver look two different shades of silver, without tinting the color. How?

If you're not comfortable with your answers, pay a pro. We haven't even talked about matching the color. You just threw 30G's at this truck. Pay somebody (if you have doubts) to keep yourself pleased with the truck.

This message came out sounding a little 'scratchy'; I didn't mean it to, but I don't know how else to express myself. No offense meant.



[This message has been edited by gofish (edited 08-01-2000).]

 

Gentlemen,

I do thank each one of you for your answers and comments with regard to my dilemma. Your points have been well taken. As far as being insulted, well non-taken. I know you all have nothing but good intentions for my Steed and myself. Sometimes I just need someone to give a little kick on the behind to realize things. Once again…Thanks.

Ferdi

 

30G's? A little too much exaggeration there gofish. I am curious as to what others paid for their Y2K XL's though. I, err, my mom spent 13.5K on my beaut'.

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2000 F150 XL Wedgewood Blue. Eclipse flip down CD player, Eclipse point source door speakers. Rockford Fosgate 8' truck box speakers. Fosgate 160x4 punch AMP. Power and appearance mods to come.

 

Did you get one hell of a deal or am I way off the mark? I've got an XLT, I didn't know there was that much difference for a "T". I thought my listed ~30G's new. (I got it used)Guess I'll cruise the Ford site or somesuch.

 

I feel like I did get a great deal, I bargained with the guy for a week and a half. I had the guy down to 14.9k on an XLT, but my mom wouldn't pay that much seeing as how I didn't have very good grades at UT this year. That was for a regular cab standard XLT. The MSRP on that truck was 19.6k. The MSRP on mine was 16.6K and I got him down to 13.5K. I'm pretty happy with that.

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2000 F150 XL Wedgewood Blue. Eclipse flip down CD player, Eclipse point source door speakers. Rockford Fosgate 8' truck box speakers. Fosgate 160x4 punch AMP. Power and appearance mods to come.

 

Just been to the Ford site. I didn't know they could strip a truck like that. I work among a BUNCH of status concious BMW/MBZ yuppies, and every truck I've seen is fully dressed-- I'd come to believe that the old stripped-down, window-cranking, lever-moving seats, no-tach, power-less interiors were unavailable as 'standard' anymore. I guess the one I bought was all dressed up, too. I just figured they all came like that. Of everything I saw as an option at the Ford site, the only thing I guess the previous owner didn't get was leather and the keyless. Actually looks like I bought on the blind and came out smelling like a rose.

 

Yup, some of us out here aren't living in luxury. But we are hauling some a**. This standard 4.2L is pretty darn quick! I would love to have the power options, but in a truck it's really not bad. My other 4.2 XL buddies will vouch for me.

 

Yeah, I could do without the power options, but the door locks is a nice convenience. Wish I'd had that one in my van.

 

I have a 98 XLT and I paid 21 for it after
the ext. warranty and a spray in bedliner.
Has a 4.6 and everything but power seats
and leather,seemed like a really good deal
to me and still does. I did buy it used with
24000 miles from the previuos owner. The guy
didn't believe in floor mats and was an oil
worker. Any ideas how to get oil stains out
of a vinyl heel pad?