So, the technical section has a bit today ton removing wax from paint cracks and that's what set me off here. I'm a new 308 owner and all but no sooner than the wife lays eyes on it she declares "we must get it painted." Now, I've seen the 7k paint jobs and marveled at them, noting their brilliance and also the lines where the original '78 or '79 colors meet the new paint along the door jams. To my amateur eye I believe I have an unpainted original car and while not shiny in some spots to me it's still looking fine given its age. I regret the idea of giving up on this paint. When does one give in? Seamus
If you're going to do it, do it all the way. Otherwise, live with it. You will recoup a lot of the investment from a really great paint job, but it's still a huge investment. So decide how long you're keeping the car and what you want to do with it. FWIW, my 328 looks like a new car except from some seat bolster wear, and I plan to get the seats done soon.
one way to keep some cost down, when doing the full monty. remove all the interior panels and exterior lights, as you can yourself. the more you 'prep' the less time they spend. now this is provided you feel comfortable doing that. i had an old M535 repainted, i removed everything down to the subframe and sent the chassis over on a flat bed. they had casters and wheeled it around that way. still cost me 10k and that was 6yrs ago. to do it right requires removing everything but the body panels needing paint. after it was all done and said i was afraid to drive anywhere. i ended up selling it to a collector 1yr later.
No, but it's not the same car, not the original car. It's like plastic surgery in a way. It's a different car. Seamus
Seamus, Congratulations on your new 308. Drive it in good health. Regarding the paint on your car, these older 308s were painted with a single stage lacquer. The hazing you see is typical and is just a few microns of dead, oxidized paint. A fine restoration shop can remove that layer and reveal what you would consider a stunning finish. Checking is normal with these older cars. The really fine checks can be removed. Barry
One trick you might try, Seamus, is using a bit of Blue Magic® on a dull area. It's a metal polish, but it works wonders on oxidized lacquer paint. If you like what you see, do the whole car by hand. It'll take a few hours, but you'll be pleased with the result. Follow that by a light coat of wax. A tube of Blue Magic will run you about $5.00.
