Strike Through! 1931 Auburn

[TMQ]

A separate thread to discuss and share an event on this project:

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/112064-1931-auburn-5.html

On to story. This happened on the fourth day and approximately around 20th hour of a 22 hour paint correction.

I was close to perfection! Flying high and all is well with the world! Got to the rear end of car and was getting ready to attack the rear lower red panels between the boat tail and rear fenders.

Check the surface and it looks bright, shiny and decided to start the red panel with a fresh UHS gray pads. Proceeded with fresh product and to "warm up" the gray pad and spread product around at
speed setting at 2...Less than 15 seconds---It happened! The unmistakable out line of clear coat strike through as I was spreading product around. I must have jumped 5 feet into the air and snapped
the polisher off immediately. (And of course a few choice high quality cuss words). I slowly turned and checked the pads---sure enough, slight pinkish color on the pad.

Stared at the "spot" trying my best to make it disappear---and a really sick feeling creeping in the pit my stomach. "I burned through the clear coat" I must have stared at the spot for few minutes. Even worst---just found 4 more spots for total of 5 spots!!! What in the heck happened!!! Something didn't feel right. So stopped all machine polishing for entire lower rear panel on both side of car.

I proceeded finishing the panels by hand very carefully. No real correction here. There were tons of Scratches and swirls everywhere on the entire rear panel on both sides of boat tail including rear panel extending to rear bumper.

And of course with a sick feeling in stomach, I finished out the project couple hours later. Loaded my equipment in car and before leaving the shop---I sat down and send the dreaded text message to the shop owner who contacted me to do this detail. The worst feeling in the world!

Will continue this in few minutes---Cats are hungry and they are driving me nuts! Be back in few minutes---

Tom

[lawrenceSA]

Ouch - sorry to hear Tom.

[mbkite]

Some times it's just really sticky polish and it looks like a strike through try some apc on a micro fiber to see if it rub off.

[TMQ]

Sorry for the interruption to my post above. I did not want to lose what I wrote if I left computer open and away---

Onto the rest of story;

After the text to the owner of shop---he was very supportive. He said the car looks great. After couple texts back and forth---I apologized for the strike through and left for home. At the end he said, it was not my fault. I really appreciated his efforts to bolster my spirits.

I kept playing this over and over in my mind. Something isn't right. I got bit and I did not like being caught off guard like that. Stewed on the whole episode for rest of day onto evening.

1. Buffer was not turned on to buffing speed. Just spread product around only.
2. Scratches were visible on base coat. Hummm---interesting.
3. There were solvent damage around gas cap near by the panel where I stuck through. Clues...to past history.

Anyway---had to report to shop owner and own up to the damage.

Couldn't sleep that night so around midnight, feeling really down and crappy---I went through my Auburn photos to help lift up my spirits.

And I'll be damned...right before my eyes, (I have a series of photos documenting all pre-exisiting problems found on the car) just off to the left of a picture I took of the rear fender was
a unmistakeable outline of a clear coat strike through!!! Two days before I even touched the panel!!! I could also see the other very, very slight spots as well. I won't lie to you but I was just thrilled to no end to discover that I DID NOT damage the panel!

Send a text to shop owner the following morning letting him know that the damage was done by someone else and I have documented picture proving this.

Moral of story?

Pictures, pictures and more pictures. I have tons, and that one bitty crappy picture not worth a damn was the one that just saved my arse!

Tom

[TMQ]

There is something about a camera taken at a certain angle that will pick up certain things that a naked eye won't see.

This was a case where camera caught the damage---not my eye.

Tom

[TMQ]

Conclusion:

1. The area of strike through was nearby the gas cap that had very heavy solvent damage. Someone before me did some cleaning up to reduce the damage and its clear that he also went up to next panel and buffed it out to within an inch of paint's life.

2. The tell tale of normal scratches and marring on the spots (clear coat strike through) were already present from normal cleaning.

3. And that bitty picture caught the strike through days before polishing.

4. As it stands---It still looks great, shiny and clean. You'll be hard pressed to find it but it is still there.

5. Plus wrote a 2 page report documenting all pre-existing problems before, during and after including thin to non-existing clear coat of the panel I discussed above.

6. I spent 2 days chasing all of these details and taking notes. And tons of pictures as well. Well worth the time!

Thanks for listening...

For really high dollar cars---take your time, take as many pictures as you can (never know if one will save you) and take notes, notes and a few more.

Tom

[Mike Phillips]

Conclusion:

1. The area of strike through was nearby the gas cap that had very heavy solvent damage. Someone before me did some cleaning up to reduce the damage and its clear that he also went up to next panel and buffed it out to within an inch of paint's life.

2. The tell tale of normal scratches and marring on the spots (clear coat strike through) were already present from normal cleaning.

3. And that bitty picture caught the strike through days before polishing.

4. As it stands---It still looks great, shiny and clean. You'll be hard pressed to find it but it is still there.

5. Plus wrote a 2 page report documenting all pre-existing problems before, during and after including thin to non-existing clear coat of the panel I discussed above.

6. I spent 2 days chasing all of these details and taking notes. And tons of pictures as well. Well worth the time!

Thanks for listening...

For really high dollar cars---take your time, take as many pictures as you can (never know if one will save you) and take notes, notes and a few more.

Tom

Thanks for sharing the importance of documenting pre-existing damage Tom.

:dblthumb2:

[TMQ]

Thanks Mike...

More importantly---Thanks to you for drilling this whole process in my mind during the competition ready class! That saved my bacon!! Grin...

Tom

[TMQ]

Ouch - sorry to hear Tom.


Thanks...see rest of story! It ended well!

Tom

[TMQ]

Some times it's just really sticky polish and it looks like a strike through try some apc on a micro fiber to see if it rub off.

Thanks for chiming in. It was a strike through. By someone else. Unmistakable red, pinkish color on my pads. I was able to pull it off in time...

Tom

[Paul A.]

Ok, I finally just exhaled!!! That is GREAT to hear that you didn't do it, Tom. Not that burn through is anything good to hear about but I'm happy it wasn't your doing and it was documented in the before photos.

What I am sorry about is the sick feeling you felt before realizing it wasn't you. And certainly the fact someone burned through on that paint.

But it WASN'T YOUR WORK, my friend. I am glad for you on that. It's also good to hear the owner isn't too freaked about it either.

[TMQ]

Ok, I finally just exhaled!!! That is GREAT to hear that you didn't do it, Tom. Not that burn through is anything good to hear about but I'm happy it wasn't your doing and it was documented in the before photos.

What I am sorry about is the sick feeling you felt before realizing it wasn't you. And certainly the fact someone burned through on that paint.

But it WASN'T YOUR WORK, my friend. I am glad for you on that. It's also good to hear the owner isn't too freaked about it either.

Thanks for sharing...Yeah---high, low and then high. Kinda hard on the psyche man!! Grin

Biggest worry that I had was not the $$$ for repaint but my reputation and most of all---confidence.

The good thing out of this---the confidence is still intact but my goodness---the experience and so much wiser now!!! No matter what---be on guard at all times!

Tom

[Paul A.]

Absolutely! I've had 2 burn throughs in my career thus far. Both were on my previous car and they happened when I first started out with a rotary. They were invaluable learning experiences but both gut and mind wrenching.

[2pennies]

I must say, although the end result sucks for the owner having to deal with the strike-through, the story is absolutely amazing! It reads like a bestseller short story and captures all of the feelings one must feel when they have "gone through the clear" (nice book title!!).

Thank you for sharing. Great advice to us rookies.

[Aaryn NZ]

Hey Tom,

Nice work with your camera, & absolutely agree - pictures are priceless. I know it sucks still & you don't want to have to say - "theres damage here & here & here but I didn't do it & I have proof" but its peace of mind to know you have documented the before condition.

Nice job Tom, & stunning work on this beauty too buddy! :dblthumb2:

Aaryn NZ. :xyxthumbs: