scrhamblin

My freedom panel had a gouge in it. From resting the two panels against each other the wrong way, the hinge from one scratched a small gouge into the other.

It sat in my garage, staring at me, that way for a little while. I was bringing some spray paint in from a different project when I saw it, and hastily thought I could just spray over it the scratch and no big deal.

So now I still have a scratch, but I also have a single streak of black spray paint as well.

I've read a few write ups on how to touch up the scratches and what not. Dont buy mopar. Do use a sharpie. or Do get the color match touch up paint. But now that I've already painted over it and it Doesnt match... How can I fix it short of repainting the whole top?

can I remove the spray paint somehow? Or could I try a better matching spray paint and just keep making it worse? hah..

scrhamblin

I'm going to try, in order,

Nail polish remover
Goo-Gone
More paint
paint thinner
sandpaper
repaint everything


hopefully one of the first two does the trick...

Corcor79

Just paint the whole thing with the same spray and let the weather do the rest

scrhamblin

If I paint the whole panel. Then I'll need to paint both panels. And if I paint both panels I'll need to paint the top. And if I give a mouse a cookie...

I guess that's true of all jeep projects so far. Once I start tinkering with one thing, it turns into a dozen other things

scrhamblin

Acetone (fingernail polish remover) did the trick!

completely stripped the spray paint with no (further) damage to the top.

now to cover up the scratch.... sharpie didnt work at all

hmmmm....

Twinkydog

A couple of coats with the Mopar touchup brush worked good for me. I didn't have a scratch, just a couple of places where the factory paint flaked off.

jsears

Bedline it. Mine is starting to look like more like a white hardtop than a black one. Bedlining it is top on my list.....now, if I only had a secondary top to run while I had that done.

scrhamblin

The only reason I care at all is that im considering selling it.

Moving from Alaska (where the hardtop came in handy) down to Arizona (where I dont need it).

I took it off to clean it out real good inside and out and was all ready to paint the interior black. When I realized that I didnt even need it.. and could sell it and get a soft top instead.

So instead of bedlining the exterior, tinting the windows, and painting the cooler-white inside, I can touch up the scratches and sell it.



Otherwise, a little scratch on the TOP of the jeep wouldn't bother me a bit. I've already got the 'colorado pinstripes' along the doors..

ormandj

I'm surprised the acetone didn't 'melt' the plastic. I've had bad experiences with acetone in the past. Awesome that it worked for you. Good info for those of us (me) who have (or will have) hardtops who encounter scratches.

DeucesALLin

I gotta do a patch and bedline the whole top... tint first.