New freshly painted hood installed, what precautions to take???

[Ramzilla]

I just got my Mustang back from getting a new fiberglass Ram Air Hood installed. The hood came unpainted so the body shop prepped it, painted it and clearcoated it. What precautions do I need to take with it? How long should I wait to wash it? Wax it? Use a DA on it? Etc.

I just want to make sure I don't mess up the finish, if it needs any kind of curing time or something.

Here's the hood.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i168/ramzilla_daoc/Hood.jpg

[wildjyoung]

Hello,

Beautiful car!

I would wait a minimum of 60 days before doing any kind of sealant. Some say you can wax after 30-days but I do not feel comfortable with that short of time.

You can use something like 3M Imperial Hand Glaze for gloss right now but it does not provide much protection nor does is last very long.

[Ramzilla]

Thanks for the compliment. :)

Would I be ok washing and using something like Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax on it?

[aerogt01]

Would I be ok washing and using something like Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax on it?

I would avoid using anything with advertised protective properties, as these will seal the paint and not allow it to out-gas.

For fresh paint, M80 Speed Glaze and M07 Show Car Glaze have very slight protective properties that are approved for fresh paint.

[Ramzilla]

Thanks for the replies!

[forrest@mothers]

Ask the painter for his recommendations. He knows for certain.

[slickooz]

Usually 30 days is enough for the paint to oxidized? You can wash the car but don't put any sealant or wax over the freshly painted hood. I remember the shop where I had to fix a dent, they said you can use glaze if you want.

[David Fermani]

It can be sanded and polished immediately. You can use certain products (like Optimum Car Wax) immediately as well w/o any negative issues.

[Ramzilla]

Ask the painter for his recommendations. He knows for certain.

I think the shop is sick of me, I had to have them correct a few things before I'd accept it and they probably weren't happy about me pointing out things they should have done right to begin with.

Thanks for all the replies, I think to be on the safe side I will wait 60 days before doing anything other than my standard hand wash treatment.

[Mike Phillips]

Forrest's advice is dead-on... take the advice of your painter especially if there's some kind of warranty with his work. Just in case there's a problem down the road you want to be able to find a remedy with him in an honest way and that would include following his recommendations.


I've never seen any problems with fresh paint that's been sealed with some type of wax, paint sealant or even Consumer oriented spray detailer but from research by friend and engineer, Paul aka the other pc did years ago, he found no paint manufacture that recommended sealing the paint before at a minimum 30 days air-cure time passed.

That said, some will argue it's safe to use products that seal paint on fresh paint and you can follow their advice if you like.

Here's a few articles I've written on the topic and I have a new one in the works...

Don't wax your car for at least 30 days! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/26967-don-t-wax-your-car-least-30-days.html)

Fresh Paint - But you can touch it... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/28717-fresh-paint-but-you-can-touch.html)

Body Shop Safe Glaze on Fresh Paint - #7 Show Car Glaze (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/28659-body-shop-safe-glaze-fresh-paint-7-show-car-glaze.html)


Then there's a classic thread on Meguiar's Online I wrote in 2004 that know one has ever challenged or provided their own theory that counters mine...


Paint Needs to Breathe (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3704)


Here's an excerpt...




Words mean things, just ask any Lawyer. Floating around on the Internet, and discussed for decades among car enthusiasts is the myth that paint needs to breathe.

Or is it a myth?

It depends on how literal you read into the words. If you apply the common definition used for the word breath, then "No", paint does not need to breathe. If however you take a moment to understand the idea that is being expressed with this word, then I think you'll understand why the word breathe is used when someone says, or posts to the Internet that "Paint needs to breathe".




One other comment...

Most people that are involved in a discussion like this are dealing with a car that is special to them, often times it's not their only car to drive.

When you do all the work it takes to get the car to the painter and then get it back, seriously... unless you have to put the car back into service as a daily driver immedieatly... what's the hurry to seal the surface with something that coats over, deposits itself and protects the paint.

Modern clear coat paints are pretty stout as it is and anything that lands on or comes into contact with the paint that's aggressive enough or corrosive enough to harm the paint is likely going to go right through a micron, or even sub-micron layer of something you scooped out of a can or poured out of a bottle.

Just saying...


For those reading this that would like more information on clear coat paints this article touches on the topic...

The practical differences between single stage paints and a clear coat paints (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/21924-practical-differences-between-single-stage-paints-clear-coat-paints.html)



:)

[Ramzilla]

Thanks for the very detailed reply!

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks for the very detailed reply!


No problemo...

:D

[David Fermani]

That said, some will argue it's safe to use products that seal paint on fresh paint and you can follow their advice if you like.

Here's a few articles I've written on the topic and I have a new one in the works...


Great to know that you’ll be updating your understanding of the subject enough to create another thread about it. :dblthumb2: Hopefully your research will include discussing this with subject with Dr. G and maybe even some of his contacts in the paint refinish industry about how some products can now be used on fresh paint w/o affecting its curing. Can’t wait to see how this goes…

[C. Charles Hahn]

I think the shop is sick of me, I had to have them correct a few things before I'd accept it and they probably weren't happy about me pointing out things they should have done right to begin with.

That's no reason not to approach them to ask about the paint system they're using or how long it should take to out-gas. You paid them to do a job right, it's their responsibility and obligation to provide you what you paid for even if it means they have to re-work and fix mistakes. Customer service is just as much a part of the job as the work itself.

If they get mad about having to provide what they're in business to provide, they can get over it.

:props:

[93fox]

I just got my Mustang back from getting a new fiberglass Ram Air Hood installed. The hood came unpainted so the body shop prepped it, painted it and clearcoated it. What precautions do I need to take with it? How long should I wait to wash it? Wax it? Use a DA on it? Etc.

I just want to make sure I don't mess up the finish, if it needs any kind of curing time or something.

Here's the hood.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i168/ramzilla_daoc/Hood.jpg

Heres something else you want to take into consideration... If the hood was baked AFTER it was done being painted and cleared then you can go ahead and wet sand it and buff it! If it wassent baked you have to wait at least a month! If its not baked the clear is still soft believe it or not!