more micro scratches

[cw50]

For the life of me I can't figure this one out. My car is a '95 black mustang and I had some heavy water damage on the rt. front fender and part of the hood. I clayed, then ran (new formula) #2, then #9 (could not get 80/83 in time), then ran some left over Eagle nanowax (no #26, doh!!!!). That process got rid of the spots on the fender (and yes, fender looks fantastic), but the hood is another story. The water spots are gone on the hood, BUT now I'm left with hundreds of very tiny white scratches on the front half of the hood. The scratches are random in pattern (not swirls), and you cannot feel them with your finder nail, but I am able to feel them with a steel blade/knife. So it's likely they are scratches and likely nanowax dried in them... Scratches are about <1mm length and are in random directions--makes the paint look awful from 3 feet away to up close.

I rewashed, then tried reclaying, tried quik detailer + Qtip and even re-tried cleaner wax with no luck. Any ideas to removing this dried stuff? I tried taking a picture to post, but can't get a good shot...

[benhui86]

Re: more micro scratches

sounds a bit like the dreaded clear coat failure from the way you discribe the small scratchs....

cracks in the clear coat that would eventually spread out and eventually the clear coat layer would then flake off.... there is no stopping this and only solution would be a repaint....

fortunately you drive a mustang in black meaning you can source a matching hood very very easily at a reasonable cost

hopefully i am wrong about the clear coat but thats what it sounds like...

[PorscheGuy997]

Re: more micro scratches

Unfortunately, it does sound like a form of clear coat failure.

Do the cracks have a three pointed shape?

Here is a macro pic of this form of failure:

[cw50]

Re: more micro scratches

nope, no 3-point stars. Just tiny lines in random patterns (imagine above with the lines not connecting at the center point, and lines spaced out 3-4mm on average).

I have a feeling it's the start of failure, but was hoping to at least get some of the wax off and hold on a bit longer before I repaint/new hood. This car has been driven in the desert a couple of times and does not have a hoodliner, but has hood vents (it used to be a 550HP HPDE/track car).

[captaincog]

Re: more micro scratches

Sounds like clearcoat failure. The heat probably help in the demise of the clearcoat. I know that HPDE cars take lots of stress and abuse (in a good way since it is really fun to drive in those events) and since there is a lot of heat from the powertrain I am thinking that is what you are seeing. My turbocharged rides are really hard on the paint on the hood.
Sorry to hear about it. Think of it this way....time for some planning for any changes or improvements that you want to make!