Hello,
I am considering purchasing this vehicle, a 1980 450 SEL. I am having a pre-purchase inspection and then viewing the car in-person. From these pictures does this car look like it can be successfully paint-corrected, or is the paint too far gone?
Thanks!
Looks to me like the clearcoat on the hood is gone, the only paint correction that can fix that is new paint. But the rest looks decent. The upper left trim of the front windshield is gone though.
Yup that's a respray. A nice paint job might exceed the value of the car :'(
Likely trunk/boot and top are deteriorated too. But any decent body shop can match the color of the side panels to perfection. That shouldn't cost high $s because the labor of disassembling + masking is kept to a minimum. The chrome trim can be found, no problem. Providing the condition of the car is good mechanically, no rust, rightly priced, etc etc etc I'd buy it in a heartbeat because the paint issue provides you with a golden (no pun intended to the body color) opportunity to negotiate the price down.
Of course, that's the point of view coming from an optimist. The actual inspection of the car will present you with the realistic view...
Good luck
Hood and roof can be repainted. Close inspection will tell about the rest of the paint.
Thanks, guys! It turns out the fenders had badly deteriorated paint as well. The pre-purchase inspection revealed need for a complete respray. The asking price is $5000 last time I checked.
I thought these cars had 1 stage paint, meaning no clear coat? Mine is showing some heavy oxide and I am hoping I buff it out to a decent shine.
The metallic colors all had clear coat.
You may want to consider a color change and use a single stage marine polyurethane. Clear coat burn-off will no longer be an issue and the paint is extremely durable. I did mine with a paint brush, roller. total material cost $250. Plus some serious elbow grease.
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