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  Mustangsandmore Forum Archive
  '05 to Present -- The S197 Mustang
  Clearcoat

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Author Topic:   Clearcoat
Harley
Gearhead

Posts: 204
From:
Registered: Jul 99

posted 08-16-2006 04:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Harley        Reply w/Quote
What is everyone's opinion on having clearcoat added to a new Mustang?

A friend had his T-bird clearcoated when he bought it new a few years ago and it shines like a mirror (of course, it's a black car). He also says stuff like birdxxxx, tree sap, etc., come off much easier.

Would it be worth the thousand or so it costs to do it? Or is a good wax job doing just the same?

SteveLaRiviere
Administrator

Posts: 48752
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99

posted 08-16-2006 06:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SteveLaRiviere        Reply w/Quote
They already come with clearcoat on them, adding more will result in too thick a coating, increasing your chances of cracking and delamination. Your buddy may be kicking himself later.

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'70 Mustang Mach 1 - '70 Mustang Convertible - '72 Mustang Sprint - '94 F-150 XL

IIGood
Moderator

Posts: 3919
From: Arnold, MD, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-21-2006 10:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for IIGood        Reply w/Quote
What Steve said.

Just keep it polished regularly, and it'll produce the same results.

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Frank S.----MCA Member 40390
'03 Mustang GT coupe
'77 Ghia--"II Good"

AKBOSSMAN
Gearhead

Posts: 2993
From: WASILLA , AK USA M&M #743 MCA #40857
Registered: Oct 2000

posted 08-22-2006 05:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AKBOSSMAN        Reply w/Quote
My freind ownes a third generation body shop . When I aproched him about painting stripes on my 05 he recomended clear coating all of the car because the factory finish is so thin. An expert shouldn't put it on "too thick" My 2
cents for free!

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WAYNE CURTIS
2005 Mustang GT "Legend"
Satin Silver,Premium,Interior upgrade,Charcoal leather,cast wheels,

Sold my70 GRABBER GREEN BOSS 302

My old '71Torino GT

"If your under control then your going too slow!" Parnelli Jones
"When it's on it's top and burning,you've gone fast enough." unknown

SteveLaRiviere
Administrator

Posts: 48752
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99

posted 08-22-2006 06:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SteveLaRiviere        Reply w/Quote
He is right, because you should clearcoat over stripes, but they already come with 2-3 mm of clear, and paint manufacturers recommend a maximum of 3 mm, so I guess you can draw your own conclusion I suppose.

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'70 Mustang Mach 1 - '70 Mustang Convertible - '72 Mustang Sprint - '94 F-150 XL

kenseth17
Journeyman

Posts: 71
From: Green Bay, WI
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 09-19-2006 09:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kenseth17        Reply w/Quote
I wouldn't necessarily say a factory paint job has 2-3 coats of clear or plenty of clear on them. Now I don't know about mustangs, but some factory jobs are real thin on clearcoat, they want to save costs. But clear needs to be a certain mill thickness to protect the basecoat against uv and prevent delimination. You could always have someone do a mil reading on it, but seriously doubt if adding more paint or clearcoat will make for too much paint thickness. Its done everyday in body shops that are repainted and having one factory paint job shouldn't make for a too much paint thickness. And when that car is damaged, base will be sprayed on the damaged primered area, and blended into the sanded clear and the whole panel cleared with 2 to 3 coats. The whole panel won't normally get base, so some will be clear over the factory sanded clear. That being said have you checked into having it detailed/ buffed? They could knock out any orange peel and make it look a lot better then it left the factory. Someone with experience doing that car before could tell you if the factory clearcoat leaves them enough room for buffing without worry about going through. Probably wouldn't end up removing more then 1/2 a coat of clear or so wetsanding, but edges should probably be avoided. An experienced detailer should know what to do.

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http://victorylap.50webs.com
auto body repair at reasonable prices

[This message has been edited by kenseth17 (edited 09-19-2006).]

68 Coop
Gearhead

Posts: 5847
From: Mesquite, NV. 89027
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 09-20-2006 11:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for 68 Coop        Reply w/Quote
That blows the old myth I grew up hearing, 10/12 coats of clear to give it that deep looking affect. Live and learn.

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William
M&M# 4256
MCA# 64831

68 Coupe
289
C4
3:55's/Trac-Lok

prostreeter
Gearhead

Posts: 437
From: littleton,co
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 09-20-2006 06:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for prostreeter        Reply w/Quote
I love it when I hear people say,yup it's got 12 layers of clear coat.Well if that's the case the CC is thicker than the credit card in your wallet!
Be sure not to lean on the paint because it will crack and fall off the panel.

kenseth17
Journeyman

Posts: 71
From: Green Bay, WI
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 09-22-2006 06:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kenseth17        Reply w/Quote
That was lacquer clear which is a lot thinner then the high solids urethanes of today. Lacquer had to be buffed to get gloss, urethane it is done mainly to knock out any imperfections or orange peel, urethane peel. No real reason to put on more then 2 to 3 coats of urethane clear, your just adding paint thickness which is not needed. I hear people say I want 10 coats of clear also, and kinda giggle at that. Many painters will spray on a few coats of clear over there base. Wetsand that and reclear with a maybe 2 more coats on special jobs (flow coat(, and custom guys often have to put on quite a bit of coats just to get over all their graphics.

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