How to properly touch up paintwork?

Makhaira

Makhaira

Makhaira

Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2007
Posts
4,994
Location
Lancashire, UK
Evening all!

I'm hopefully going to be moving on my trusty Mondeo before too long (no, don't fret, it's being replaced by another Mondeo!). To this end I obviously want the old girl looking as near mint as I can, and at present there are two abrasions on the paintwork on the rear arches. This is from trying to park too snugly next to a breezeblock wall. These are not deep, or pitted, but have stripped back the paint to the white primer.

I was intending to just get a little touch up pot from my local Ford dealer, wash the area off, rinse it, and then give it a quick alcohol wipe, before applying the paint. Is there anything else I should know/do to achieve a good result? I should add that it's a metallic red, "Pepper red" is the Ford colour.

Thanks for any and all advice.
 
I used a halfords kit to touch up some stone chips and a small scratch and it worked pretty well and was a good paint match (hard on a black car)

Its very easy to use just follow the instructions on it and don't rush it. Make sure to leave it enough time to dry each time and it will change colour a bit as it sets so don't panic if it doesnt match exactly then give the car a good wax and polish once its hardened

I think you would need this kit
 
Thanks for the thread ajstan, I'm nearly done now and very pleased with how it's going, but with one big query outstanding.

I cleaned the area off, applied a couple of coats of paint, and then sanded the area back with 1500 grit so that all I was left with was the original layer of paint, and my touchup in the grooves. All well and good, washed the area off thoroughly, dried, and have now applied lacquer.

I'm not sure I've ever known something as unfriendly to apply as the Ford touchup lacquer, whilst in terms of colour the result now looks spot on, the lacquer itself is so viscous that there is a great deal of variance in the thickness, and brush strokes are clearly visible. I'm wondering how best to sort out this final stage.

Shall I use some Wet and Dry 1500 on a flat block to smooth it, and then polish it up? Or shall I just t-cut and then polish it?

This is an old Mondeo, so I'm hardly going to wreck my resale value if I don't get this right, but I'm using it as much as a learning exercise as anything else, so I'm keen to do as good a job as I can.

My intention once I've sorted the touchup areas out is to let it all harden up for a week or so, and then give the whole car a meticulous wash, polish, and wax.

Any advice on smoothing out that nightmare lacquer would be hugely appreciated!

Cheers.
 
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