clear coat peeling

[hoghollow]

How to remove clear coat off of car hood so I can reapply? Car hood started peeling about 6 months ago and is about 90% peeled off. Hood was repainted about 7-8 years ago after minor accident Any suggestions ? Every body shop wants 700 to 1000 to do the hood.

 

[Stephen Newell]

You can't remove the clear coat. You would pretty much need to sand it down to metal and start over. Once you start sanding you can tell if there is still clear or not but if you sand most of the color off you know you got it. The new clear would bond better to a fresh base coat anyway.

 

[glennster]

we use compressed air and a blowgun to get all the loose stuff off. for the rest, use a good quality duct tape, apply it to the clear and then pull the tape.

 

[Duner Wi]

I have used a single edge razor blade . Do dull the corners to prevent/ reduce gouging. Practice on something else first. Tape trick sounds very interesting.

 

[showcrop]

A few years back at the autobody shop down the road they were peeling it with razor blades in holders.

 

[hoghollow]

I will give it a try with blow gun and duct tape thanks for the idea

we use compressed air and a blowgun to get all the loose stuff off. for the rest, use a good quality duct tape, apply it to the clear and then pull the tape.

compressed air worked good on loose stuff will pick up good duct tape for other thank you for the suggestion

 

[JD Dave]

You can't just "remove the clearcoat". It is part the paint job and if the paint job fails, you have to remove ALL of the old paint and start over.
This was a common problem with aftermarket paint jobs years ago when paint people didn't follow instructions and jobs failed left and right.

 

[SamV]

I would have to disagree with some that all the paint has to be removed. I have had very good luck wet sanding with 400 grit and then just re-clearing if the original base is good shape

 

[Duner Wi]

I would have to disagree with some that all the paint has to be removed. I have had very good luck wet sanding with 400 grit and then just re-clearing if the original base is good shape

SamV, Sanding high metallic with large metallic particles ,does that change appearance at all? Do you remove clear by what means? Thanks

 

[woodman1928]

I 100% agree with sam. Fet off loose stuff and wetsand you domt even need to get all the clear off just get it really thin and fade i where its flay done this tones of times flipping older cars.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I think if a clear coat is failing in spots the rest is soon to follow. If you patch spots when the rest of the clear comes off it will take off the new clear coat you put over the top. The only real fix is to take it all off and start over.

 

[SamV]

SamV, Sanding high metallic with large metallic particles ,does that change appearance at all? Do you remove clear by what means? Thanks

Yes if the paint has metallic it can change the look some. I have only done clear that is wore thru from too much buffing/age. If the clear is pealing it is a shooting match. It could continue to peal under the old after you re-do but it might not.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I will give it a try with blow gun and duct tape thanks for the idea

compressed air worked good on loose stuff will pick up good duct tape for other thank you for the suggestion

Gorilla tape is way stickier than normal duct tape... not sure if that's desirable in this application, but maybe something to consider?

 

[Hemmjo]

You can't just "remove the clearcoat". It is part the paint job and if the paint job fails, you have to remove ALL of the old paint and start over.
This was a common problem with aftermarket paint jobs years ago when paint people didn't follow instructions and jobs failed left and right.

So many shop still do not follow proper procedure. They will spray color. Then go home and spray clear the next day. The clear won’t bond to the color if you let the color sit too long before shooting the clear.