[Vwdiesel] Anniversaries

[lbaird119 at aol.com]

James makes some (naturally) good points.  What I've been told is that if the original paint is solid then #400 it and go up from there.  If it's peeling, checked or so pitted that there's nothing left after feathering all the chips, then you go to, or pretty much go to bare metal. 
  If it was professionally done then the repaints should have hardener and shouldn't lift on you.  Air tools are the nice way to go but with just one panel, hard to invest in a large enough compressor as well as a good sander.  I think this is the one I have:  http://www.tooltopia.com/astro-pneumatic-325p.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=paid_search_google_pla&scid=scplp6808527&sc_intid=AST325P&gclid=CJu29LDkstACFdQ7gQodWjAMrA

It comes in 3/32 or 3/16 stroke and is REALLY easy on air usage!

You can always just wrap a third of a sheet of wet 240-320 grit around a paint stir stick (rare straight one), use a squirt bottle (flip up spout, not squeeze trigger) and dribble water from the bottle as you wet sand the old paint down. Goes really fast, not much to buy, no heat, no chemicals...  Finish off with 400 grit.  Wet the hood down as you get close to finishing and you can achieve a really flat hood reflection!  (did that on my Rabbit but I was a bit more finicky on that then you will likely be on the Jetta)  Thank you someone for sitting or pushing down hard on the front of the hood so now it has a "roll" to the front rather than beautiful like it was.  :-P

  Matching paint is the hard part, clear coats aren't what they used to be even if you stick with solvent based (maybe you can get some paint with lead still in it from Mexico?)  The industrial stuff James mentioned is really good.  Painted part of the backhoe a few years ago and it still shines!  Harder to get a custom match or automotive color mixed though.  Most of it doesn't seem to have a cross for other paint codes.
     Loren

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Shalyn Shourds <tippedcows.spiltmilk at gmail.com>
To: vwdiesel <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Fri, Nov 18, 2016 6:24 am
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Anniversaries

I expect that next week, my 00 Jetta will make 400,000 miles.I'm doing a little work on it as an anniversary gift (and so I don't getstranded somewhere.)  Glow plug harness, p/s pump, valve cover, etc.  Onething I've thought about is a little paint.  Due to a couple incidents, thefront of the car, particularly the hood, has been painted twice and is nowclear coat free.  I don't know whether it's low quality paint,incompatibility with previous paint, or just the fact that factory paint issimply better (the trunk lid is fine with original paint).Could I just sand a little and paint/clear coat or do I have to go to baremetal to get a decent job?Never worried what cars looked like before, just did barely enough to getme where I was going.-Shalyn_______________________________________________Vwdiesel mailing listVwdiesel at vwfans.comhttp://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel