DaveInLA said:
..........It as if there are tons of tiny cracks in the paint if I look closely. What can I do about this, short of stripping off the paint and doing it all over again? Will a polish do the job? Thanks.
Look at the paint very carefully, maybe even use a magnifying glass to determine if there are actual cracks in the base coat (in this case the Testors paint) or in the clear coat.
Iâ€â„¢m assuming that the Testors was a hobby paint, but what about the clear coat? Was it a rattle can of automotive clear?
If the surface is not cracked, but just dulled for some reason, then a polish would be the first step Iâ€â„¢d take.
If there actually are very fine cracks as you describe, then Iâ€â„¢d suspect one of the following as causes:
The clear coat has reacted with the Testors and one or the other is cracking because of a chemical incompatibility between the two. Usually such an incompatibility will show up as soon as one is sprayed over the other, but I suppose it could be delayed over time depending on the exact formulation of each paint.
The other thought is that the Testors paint is simply not compatible with the use you are intending it for. For example, there are paint specific formulations for the plastic bumbers on cars, and Iâ€â„¢ve seen a lot of repaired/repainted bumpers that have peeling/cracked paint because of (most likely) either poor surface prep or the incorrect paint was used. Also a hobby paint such as the Testors may not be able to withstand the temperature/weather extremes that a car goes through.
If you do have to remove the paint be very careful with what you use. You may want to check with a body shop or an automotive paint supply store for suggestions. The same advice goes if you decide to repaint them, try to find a paint that is made for the use intended. HTH
