3 replies to this topic

[Ichbineinmini]

Have a mini city paint code JNJ (Search engine provided this additional code BLVC471 that company who made up a spray can found more useful.) it comes up as Zircon Blue which to my eyes is metallic .

Search results are saying metallic paints would have had a lacquer or clear coat after the colour base coat. Is that correct?

If answer is yes and I want to do a patch repair (not a concourse car) what do I key up with? 80 grit or just a red scotch pad.

Is a 2k clear coat going to look very different next to original

Once I’ve done the colour base coat should it be flattened or straight on with clear?

Did a test patch against original paint yesterday, surprised at how close old and new are. I like the colour, wonder if the factory workers thought it was a pig with lipstick on at the time. IE poverty spec mini city e with metallic paint

Edited by Ichbineinmini, 20 April 2026 - 04:25 AM.

[Rubbershorts]

I found it really difficult to patch spray the lacquer. I always ended up with a hard edge. I find it's best to flatten the full panel, do your metallic patch area repair then lacquer the whole panel. You don't flatten your metallic coats as the lacquer will go on top within the time frame that allows all coats to bond together. This means if you rubbed the colour within that time, it would be too soft. You can do small localized rubbing, with something very fine, if you get something like a hicky and need to remove it, but your final metallic coat, and all subsequent lacquer coats aren't rubbed. Once everything is hardened, this can take weeks if just regular 1 pack spray cans, then you carry out the flattening process if you need to. That would be going through the wet and dry grades from say 900 grit up until 3000. Then you start with the compounds to take out the minor scratches (think T Cut etc). There's actually quite a lot of work involved doing it yourself with cans, but obviously money to be saved. Satisfying when you get it right, but does take some practice I found. Daz.

[Ichbineinmini]

I found it really difficult to patch spray the lacquer. I always ended up with a hard edge. I find it's best to flatten the full panel, do your metallic patch area repair then lacquer the whole panel. You don't flatten your metallic coats as the lacquer will go on top within the time frame that allows all coats to bond together. This means if you rubbed the colour within that time, it would be too soft. You can do small localized rubbing, with something very fine, if you get something like a hicky and need to remove it, but your final metallic coat, and all subsequent lacquer coats aren't rubbed. Once everything is hardened, this can take weeks if just regular 1 pack spray cans, then you carry out the flattening process if you need to. That would be going through the wet and dry grades from say 900 grit up until 3000. Then you start with the compounds to take out the minor scratches (think T Cut etc). There's actually quite a lot of work involved doing it yourself with cans, but obviously money to be saved. Satisfying when you get it right, but does take some practice I found. Daz.

 

Thank you, nicely summarised. I'm using standard base coat spray and 2k clear coat

 

I will be doing full panels, wings/A panels and probably rear. Bottom of the doors have some surface rust so am going to see how I can fudge that in. 

The wings were patched up, so until a time where they are replaced (front end) I don't think it's worth a pro's time. I will be driving it to a couple of places I know to see what they can do. 

 

Given that there is bare filler on the car atm any hint of colour is going to be an improvement. 

[Rubbershorts]

 

I found it really difficult to patch spray the lacquer. I always ended up with a hard edge. I find it's best to flatten the full panel, do your metallic patch area repair then lacquer the whole panel. You don't flatten your metallic coats as the lacquer will go on top within the time frame that allows all coats to bond together. This means if you rubbed the colour within that time, it would be too soft. You can do small localized rubbing, with something very fine, if you get something like a hicky and need to remove it, but your final metallic coat, and all subsequent lacquer coats aren't rubbed. Once everything is hardened, this can take weeks if just regular 1 pack spray cans, then you carry out the flattening process if you need to. That would be going through the wet and dry grades from say 900 grit up until 3000. Then you start with the compounds to take out the minor scratches (think T Cut etc). There's actually quite a lot of work involved doing it yourself with cans, but obviously money to be saved. Satisfying when you get it right, but does take some practice I found. Daz.

 

Thank you, nicely summarised. I'm using standard base coat spray and 2k clear coat

 

I will be doing full panels, wings/A panels and probably rear. Bottom of the doors have some surface rust so am going to see how I can fudge that in. 

The wings were patched up, so until a time where they are replaced (front end) I don't think it's worth a pro's time. I will be driving it to a couple of places I know to see what they can do. 

 

Given that there is bare filler on the car atm any hint of colour is going to be an improvement. 

 

Starting on an A panel would be good idea. Get your eye in!