Auto, Body and paint question on my car

[XJ6]

I have a question for somebody to help me on why water is getting under my clear coat on my '88 jaguar 

This is spreading like wild fire ? So my question is what can, or should I do to keep this from spreading, for I have no idea how to stop this 

so I come here for some help for this had me upset 

my car was painted by the previous owner, the paint is beautiful but now it looks terrible on the trunk the paint is twelve years old if that helps 

[JTalmage]

It's not actually water, unless of course it rained or you washed it... but the issue you are having is called "de-lamination" And is quite common in paint jobs of certain periods. It's also common of lower quality brand clear coat.

Could have been caused by a number of factors even if a good clear was used. Such as bad prep, or waiting too long to clear coat the car.

What happens is the clearcoat loses its adhesion ability and then lifts off in flakes. 

[High octane]

It's not actually water, unless of course it rained or you washed it... but the issue you are having is called "de-lamination" And is quite common in paint jobs of certain periods. It's also common of lower quality brand clear coat.

Could have been caused by a number of factors even if a good clear was used. Such as bad prep, or waiting too long to clear coat the car.

What happens is the clearcoat loses its adhesion ability and then lifts off in flakes. 

Yes, years ago I was talkin' to Dave Dodge of MCW and he suggested that I spray the clear on my bodies within' 24 hours of the color coats.

[XJ6]

It's not actually water, unless of course it rained or you washed it... but the issue you are having is called "de-lamination" And is quite common in paint jobs of certain periods. It's also common of lower quality brand clear coat.

Could have been caused by a number of factors even if a good clear was used. Such as bad prep, or waiting too long to clear coat the car.

What happens is the clearcoat loses its adhesion ability and then lifts off in flakes. 

yes I should have noted that this did happen after I washed the car ( I do not drive this car in the rain) I would press down on the problem area and see the water under the clear coat little bubbles ?

[JTalmage]

Yep, I'd expect to start seeing that condition spread. It's about to look like a snake shedding it's skin very soon.

[High octane]

Yep, I'd expect to start seeing that condition spread. It's about to look like a snake shedding it's skin very soon.

Uh Oh, time to call MAACO

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's not actually water, unless of course it rained or you washed it... but the issue you are having is called "de-lamination" And is quite common in paint jobs of certain periods. It's also common of lower quality brand clear coat.

Could have been caused by a number of factors even if a good clear was used. Such as bad prep, or waiting too long to clear coat the car.

What happens is the clearcoat loses its adhesion ability and then lifts off in flakes. 

Exactly. I've been in the biz for over 40 years, and that's exactly what's going on.

There is NO way to stop it, and if you paint over it without stripping, it will just break up and come off quite soon.

Only cure is to strip it and repaint correctly. Sorry, but there just is no easy way out of this one.

 

[XJ6]

Exactly. I've been in the biz for over 40 years, and that's exactly what's going on.

There is NO way to stop it, and if you paint over it without stripping, it will just break up and come off quite soon.

Only cure is to strip it and repaint correctly. Sorry, but there just is no easy way out of this one.

 

thanks for responding... This is what I was afraid of nothing but repainted will fix this problem

Ace Garage guy any chance of perhaps sanding the area and apply a primer? 

But then again maybe a bumber sticker and hide it ?? just kidding of course 

[blunc]

I have heard that the metallic elements in the paint can cause this to happen also (it happens quicker in Arizona).

Bill is correct (of course), the only cure is a proper strip and repaint.

[peteski]

I used to see a lot of this in the 80s and 90s on American-made cars (in Northeast USA), but it is probably not region-specific. The story I've heard was that then the car manufacturers started using the environmentally-friendly paints and clears, they weren't thoroughly tested and developed the adhesion problem.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I used to see a lot of this in the 80s and 90s on American-made cars (in Northeast USA), but it is probably not region-specific. The story I've heard was that then the car manufacturers started using the environmentally-friendly paints and clears, they weren't thoroughly tested and developed the adhesion problem.

There's a lot of truth in that. Some of GM's colors are notorious self-strippers...the white on my '89 GMC truck being one of them.

When the urethanes hit the aftermarket and collision repair industry, and began to displace the acrylic enamels and lacquers, they adhered phenomenally well. I painted some test panels with intentionally poor prep, and they refused to come unstuck for 20 years in the UV and weather.

The materials have proliferated and many got cheapened and dumbed down, like everything else, and I honestly am beginning to believe they're now actually engineered to only last as long as they need to in order to get the repair shop or refinisher past the guarantee-window.

[JTalmage]

Seems like all the American manufacturers had issues w/ their solid whites in the 90's. I can't tell you how many SN95 Mustangs I saw that the white had literally fallen off of, along w/ Dodge Neons, and the Caravans. And as you said, GM trucks.