Edge touchup

[llangston1]

I noticed after polishing my '87 911 Carrera that some of the sharp body panel edges are losing their color and primer is showing through. Specifically the edges of the gas filler door, the rear engine deck lid, and the roof rain rails need some touch up. I have some Dr. Color Chip for rock chips. Will it work on panel edges? Is there a easy way to touch up the edges of panels.

[tuscarora dave]

Welcome to the site.

The paint is pretty thin on those edges and I cut through a few while learning to run a rotary polisher. Depending on the color it can be possible to make the repair somewhat unnoticeable. Are you dealing with factory single stage paint or is it a repaint with clear coat? I have found good matched touchup paint through expresspaint.com and applied it in several coats to the edges then sanded the edge smooth with 3000 grit paper then hand polished it. The key here is to tape off as close to the edge as possible to prevent from sanding anything but the edge. If you have to use your polisher to remove sanding marks it will be real easy to remove the touchup from the edges again.

I've never used Dr. Colorchip so I can't comment on whether that would work or not. Check back frequently because quite a few members here do use it and there are a lot of helpful folks here.

[ShaunD]

The key for touching up edges, especially with Dr.CC, is to apply it in one moderately heavy application and let it cure. If you try to use the Dr.CC blending solution on a touchup spot that is feathered/blended with the paint around it you will most likely wipe the touchup off the spot. Try to apply the paint with a bristled brush that you can feather the edges where the touchup meets cured paint with the least amount of strokes. Then go back can apply more paint to the center of the paint/edge to thicken up the edge and blend any low spots with the feathered edges you made. You need to let the touchup cure for at least 7 days before polishing it, and I would wait 2 weeks before sanding(if it even needs it). I would try and make it look as good as possible without having to compound/sand later, or even have to use the Dr.CC blending solution. They would probably recommend the same, as they do with filling larger scratches. If you do try to use the blending solution, wait the recommended 2 hours if not a little longer depending on humidity/temps. I would not try to blend the touchup on the edges to save from more headache of possible removing more paint from the area, and leave as much paint on/around the edges to protect from future situations. Take your time and work in small section so you can learn. That's what I like about Dr.CC, you can wipe it off easily if you mess-up. :)

[ScubaCougr]

. . . If you try to use the Dr.CC blending solution on a touchup spot that is feathered/blended with the paint around it you will most likely wipe the touchup off the spot. . . . I would not try to blend the touchup on the edges to save from more headache of possible removing more paint from the area, and leave as much paint on/around the edges to protect from future situations.

Great tips, Shaun, exactly my experience as I'm struggling right now to fill a foot long scratch across both doors of my truck.

[weavers]

Learn to live with it or repaint the whole thing. The paint of a car that old will fade in the sun over time. Its not the original manufacturer color. Its going to be really hard to match especially if its metallic. If its a white, silver or black it will be easier. But other shade of grey, or off white is gonna be very hard. Even a body shop that mixes paint won't get the exact shade. your touch up paint may be able to remove 50% of the defect and the other 50% will look twice as bad. edges are almost impossible to fix cause you can't really wet sand.

[llangston1]

My car is a '87 911 with single stage guards red paint. It must be thin on those edges. I was removing some excess adhesive used on my door sills with 3M adhesive remover on a rag and that removed the reed paint off the door sills as well. This is not a show car so I guess i will try to touch it up or just live with it.