self inflicted defect in basecoat (seen after clear coat, of course) what to do??

[Reamer]

Hi All
I painted the steel top of my '76 bronco in factory color Whimbelton white.
I used PPG DBC series Deltron 2000 base,, and PPG Concept DCU 2021 clear.

While doing the base coat, an insect wanted a closer look and landed on the side panel 2" from the drivers door (right in the "eye spot you see every day)
I should have let the paint dry and scuffed it out, but I panicked and wiped the bug off while wet.
The area looked O.K. and I applied another coat of white to "smoothen"
Let dry, still looked O.K. and cleared.

Yesterday, taking the top out into the sun, Wham! hits ya right in the face.
that area looked like the surface of a golf ball, (and about the size of one too)
Roll it back in the garage.

So this is what a did and how should a procede?
I took the clear off with 230 grit, then sanded the base coat lightly with 320 grit.
I actually got the base coat smooth with outcutting into the 2K. I used PPG acrily-clean on the area and it does look smooth and the white is still strong, (no primer peeking through).

I know in Len's DVD spraypainting 101, I have to scuff the clear on the whole panel and re-clear the whole panel. Len used a "cleaner" and gray scotchbirite.
I have "Bon Ami" clenser in the kitchen, will the be O.K. or use something else??? and green scotchbrite, that O.K. too????

Should I scuff the base coat and then clear, or should I scuff the base then, shoot some white, then reclear the panel????
Thanks
Reamer

[Steve g]

You need to sand the exposed base and the surrounding area with 400 then the entire top with 800. Reshoot your base blending off into the surrounding area then reshoot your clear. Hopefully you've used a catylized base as you can experience lifting problems.

For future reference, you shouldn't have sanded the clear off to get to your error. The clear makes a good barrier to prevent the new base from lifting or wrinkling the old base. Also, if you picture the theoretical film thickness, you are going to have a low spot where you removed the clear. The clear builds much more than the base. So when you shoot your repair that area will have 2 coats of clear plus an extra layer of base (which builds very little) where as the rest of the roof will now have 4 coats of clear. It may not be a problem in the area you describe, on the side, but if you did that in the middle of the roof it would stand out like a pig in a parlor.

What you should have done is just blocked that area flat with 400 and sand the rest with 800. Blow a little base over your problem area blending it out and reclear.
Steve g

[mmooney84]

steve is right

You should have left the clear and flattened the whole hood with 800 then resprayed. The only way to make it look right now in my opinion is to either strip the whole hood or feather out your damaged spot then spray two or three coats of a good urethane high builder primer. Then sand the whole hood with 600 grit spray a light coat of sealer over the whole thing and start over with your paint.