Conference vmsnet::car$note:carbuffs

    
    I picked up a new car on Saturday and drove it about 34 miles home
    over wet and salty roads (storm Friday).  At home I noticed that the
    black underbody paint in the wheel arches had all but disappeared from
    one wheel arch, down to the actual green color of the car.
    
    This black coating is so thin and delaminated that I can just rub
    it off with my fingertip.  I checked the other car, and see that
    this has a thick coat (7 years old) of black.
    
    It seems like the original coat is defective, but should it also
    be that thin?  My experience has been that if a wheel well is unlined,
    they usually slap a thick coat of mastic in there to prevent stone
    chips.  This thin coating isn't going to last a couple of years before
    rust sets in.
     
    BTW It's a Jeep GC Laredo.
    
    Colin
    

    
    	Geez, Colin, you can't expect the stuff to last forever.
    

    Sounds like it was just some undercoating as opposed to paint.  Not
    too familari with GC's, but with the Jimmy I had there were plastic
    splash panels under the front wheelwells, and in the rear there
    was sprayed undercoating that lasted thru the first 33K miles with
    no wearing, etc.
    
    If it was undercoating and it wore right off - it sounds like it was
    sprayed on and now allowed to cure.  If it was "paint" then it never
    took.  My first "step" would be to cruise by a dealership with
    new GC's and see what they have in the same area as you're describing.
    If heavier undercoating, then you have a problem.  If the same thin
    stuff that would wear right off, then maybe the nature of the beast.
    
    andy
    

I'm getting ready to do some painting and need some advice.  Does anyone know 
of a body shop supply place in the Nashua area?  I need to have some paint
custom mixed.  The second question is I will be doing some geometric trim
shapes on the newly painted surface (after dry of course).  I was going to
produce a 1:1 paper template of these areas, mask using body masking tape, and 
hand brush the cream colored trim areas.  Does this sound doable or is there
a better way?  Finally, I have a double pinstripe to do.  Should I purchase
or rent a pinstriping tool to do this?

Thanks,
Jim

    Pine St autobody supply has always given me excellent service and
    advice on paint products.
    
    Ross

    I will second Pine Street!
    

Also try the auto parts place (Towers?) just off exit 5 of Rt3...

Thanks for all the replies so far.  How does my plan sound?  Should I ask
the shop my questions?

Jim