Hey all, I've seen a few references to bad paint jobs and 'Orange Peel' ... but I really have no idea what that is ... can someone point me in the direction of some sample pictures?

Thanks!

Joe

 

it is when the paint is not smooth and has a textured surface like an orange peel would have.. most of the z's have this

 

not just Zs. all cars have it to some extent.

look at your paint, youll notice the reflection is there, but its not quite like a mirror... it has bumps in it, little dimples and hills. distorts the reflection. yet if you run your finger over it, you will not feel anything.

you have to look at a reflection in the paint, not the paint itself.

ALL cars have it since the last few years. just some say the Z has more than average, I would have to agree.

 

i posted a picture of it a long time... i can't seem to find it on my comp. if you do a search.. i'm sure you'll find an example

 

Anybody know of a way to get rid of orange peel? Wetsanding?

 

yes wetsanding is the only real way, short of repainting that is.

some say a good waxing can help, I disagree.

 

actually... a good waxing makes it even worse

 

Orange peel is just uneven or excess clear coat, the vast majority of factory painted cars have plenty of orange peel. Factory painted cars do not receive layers and layers and layers of clear coat like custom painted show cars would, there is a reason both are prepared the way they are.

Factory painted cars probably only get one to two coats (if that) of clear coat, and if the painting machine operates properly there should not be that much of laying of hands on the paint after it is dry, meaning the car is shot and rolled out the door. If the car's paint is inspected and someone sees trash or runs in the paint, the car is usually pulled off the line and a body man will sand, cut, and buff the problem areas. If the problem is realy bad it will be repainted in the problem areas. But if a car passes paint inspection, the car will leave the factory with orange peeled clear coat surface. It is nearly impossible for robots or humans to lay on clear coat and get a flat non-orange peel finish right out of the paint gun.

Now, this is how it works with custom painted and show cars.... The car is painted its base coat and several layers of clear are applied, could be 7,8, or 9 or however much the owner of the car is wanting to apply and spend for the labor to put them on. Now, the painter has no intention to let the car leave the shop with that many layers of clear on the car, several layers of clear coat will be wet sanded off leaving a flat clear coat surface with no orange peel. Of course after the car is wet sanded there will have to be lots of compound buffing using several stages working down and down to a final finish buff. The next time you are at a car show and see a custom show car, you can be assured that there is probably 10 to 20 times more labor hours in the paint job than on the car you bought off the car lot from the factory.

 

Thank you Everyone!!!