2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Different form of paint question

[46mech]

Many of us have had the problems with bad paint, but I've got a question of a different sort. I have the two-tone red over black; the red on the cab and hood have been repainted courtesy of a shared expense with DC. I want to have the bottom half, black, repainted. The DRW fenderwells are a PVC of some sort right? The tops of the fenderwells are badly faded and I think I've only aggravated the discoloration thru the years by various attempts to "bring back the black. "



Because the fenderwells are flexible, is there a certain type of paint that I should ask about when I'm getting estimates?



Thanks in advance.

 

[parcher]

Any body shop worth a damn will use a flex additive with the paint when they spray plastic parts, the bumpers on just about every car on the road toaday are urethane or some other flexible plastic. Just remind the shop that the fenders are plastic.

 

[46mech]

So with the flex additive I'll be able to wax it without enhancing the fading? Thanks

 

[parcher]

You don't regularly see faded body parts on newcars do you? Look at a Saturn, the whole freakin' body is plastic, as was GM's APV minivan.

 

[1 ALC]

Flex add is an additive which slows the curing (not drying) of the paint. Its design is aavoid splintering of the paint on flexible parts when handled, such as reinstalling a bumper on the car after its painted. It will also help to avoid paint cracking when the bumper hits something else.

After about a year the flex add will not have any effect on the paint.

I learned this years ago at a PPG paint clinic.

Paint quality and thickness will help avoid failure. The modern urethanes used in Base Coat, Clear Coat hold up well.

Most factory applied paint will start to break down after about 6 years, paint applied by good body shops may last a few more years.

 

[Matt42]

Originally posted by parcher

You don't regularly see faded body parts on newcars do you? Look at a Saturn, the whole freakin' body is plastic, as was GM's APV minivan.

I have two 1993 Saturn SW2 wagons and a D/C. All of the body, except the hood is, in fact, plastic. (The hoods are sheet steel, probably for collision impact purposes. ) But it's not the same plastic as on bumpers. Even our Saturns have problems with paint retention on the urethane bumpers.



For what it's worth, the plastic on Saturn bodies is semi-rigid and not easily flexible. The paint on the body acts more like painted ABS than painted urethane.



They've been OK, but I wish that they came with diesels.