HELP needed from paint experts.

[Stephen]

As I was installing my new KMS diffuser stays today, I discovered two areas on the rear clam, about the size of a quarter, that have cracks in the paint. It does not look at all like someone hit me, no nicks or scuffs. It looks more like someone used their hands to push the car from the rear clam (I think my Dad or friend did this once, but I just noticed it today). I have some pics for you to see. It really is not that bad, you have to look for it to nitice it, but I am worried that it could spread, or start to chip off. Any advice on what I should do; is it something that can be touched-up and clear coated and wet sanded?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Stephen

[Stephen]

Here is the approximate area of the damage. Remember, these are about the size of a quarter.

[TTP]

It may spread if it was pressed again, etc. I have one of those under the star shield in the rear. I hardly notice it and it hasn't spread (maybe due to the star shield). Depending in the talent of the paint person this can be sanded down and resprayed. Some will recommend you do the whole area or the whole clam. Some can do just a section of the area and blend it in with any natural cut or transition lines of the car.

IMO, I'd wait and see if it spreads and chips. If it gets to be the size of a tennis ball I'd repaint. As it is now it seems barely noticable.

Edit:

You know what that looks like? Various people leaning up against the car to reach into the trunk or engine bay and their knees pressing in the clam. Or it could have been loose stuff in the trunk and speeding off it slid back and popped the inside wall. TTP CSI.

[choi0706]

Originally Posted by TTP

TTP CSI.

trying to pick up another title?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by TTP

It may spread if it was pressed again, etc. I have one of those under the star shield in the rear. I hardly notice it and it hasn't spread (maybe due to the star shield). Depending in the talent of the paint person this can be sanded down and resprayed. Some will recommend you do the whole area or the whole clam. Some can do just a section of the area and blend it in with any natural cut or transition lines of the car.

IMO, I'd wait and see if it spreads and chips. If it gets to be the size of a tennis ball I'd repaint. As it is now it seems barely noticable.

Edit:

You know what that looks like? Various people leaning up against the car to reach into the trunk or engine bay and their knees pressing in the clam. Or it could have been loose stuff in the trunk and speeding off it slid back and popped the inside wall. TTP CSI.

Thanks, I will keep an eye on it. You could be right about knees pressing against the clam. I lean over it when I dry it off to get to the back window and engine lid; it was probably me, dag nab it!

[mikelr]

Originally Posted by 05EliseNM

Thanks, I will keep an eye on it. You could be right about knees pressing against the clam. I lean over it when I dry it off to get to the back window and engine lid; it was probably me, dag nab it!

Welcome to the world of fiberglass car ownership
I don't think that they will get any bigger as long as you don't keep pressing your knees against the areas
The only way to truely fix this type of damage is to sand the cracks completly out down thu the damaged gel coat and then repair the gel coat and respray the clam. Any other type of repair will eventually show thru.
But like I said I don't think they will spread and they aren't really that noticable.

[TTP]

When I find little things like this I say to myself. "eh it gets tracked part of the character"

[swistun]

That's a pretty sweet looking rear end...

[fishguy]

stephen, you might think I am joking, but i am being seroius. I do carpentry, and when something like this happens, a good solution is molding.
what if you had a lotus sticker or something else made that covers this area, and should also stop the speading. I think it looks to me like something hitting the trunk from the inside on an accelaration.

[andykeck]

Originally Posted by mikelr

The only way to truely fix this type of damage is to sand the cracks completly out down thu the damaged gel coat and then repair the gel coat and respray the clam. Any other type of repair will eventually show thru.
But like I said I don't think they will spread and they aren't really that noticable.

Don't know if it makes it easier or more difficult, but the Elise panels do not have a gel coat. The surface smoothness is a product of the polished finish of the insides of the high-pressure molds used.

[dakotan50sw]

It may be just crack's in the clear coat. Take it to a good body shop that work's on glass. They may be able to polish it out with some 4000, then 6000 paper. If it's to the base it would be simple to shoot it with clear. From the pictures it appears more superficial. eg clearcoat. These car's are injected molded at the factory therefore doubtful that represent'sglass damage as it would appear deeper. Car is too nice to put a decal over it or just observe for growth.

[TimMullen]

Chances are that those "dings" are not from someone pushing or hitting the car. They look like the dings that you get when something in the boot slides around and hits the inside of the body (quite possibly the top).

Do not lot things slide around in the boot - the Sector111 "booty" is a good thing to have (I need to get me one some day soon).

[Stephen]

Thanks for all your help guys. I will check if the top is causing this, although I doubt it. The way I roll it, the hard part of it is on the inside, and because of the material of the top, it really does not slide around. The cracks don't bother me very much as long as they do not get worse. I will take it to a body shop that I trust and see what they say. I have plenty of chips on the front of the car, as mentioned this just adds character. I drive this car every day, so it gets used.

[wrh3]

I have the Sector 111 bootie ordered but found in the meantime, tying a piece of the rough velcro around the soft top bag (once the top is stowed) prevents it from sliding around- easy R&R. The Velcro sticks to the trunk carpet and seems to work fine for my day-to-day "spirited" driving YMMV....

FWIW, my car has some of these same marks up front which I attribute to rocks, definitely adds to the character and although I am pretty AR about my cars, I buy them to drive them.......and this kind of thing comes with that.

[Stephen]

I just figured out what may have caused it. I had the Nitron quick ratio steering rack installed by the dealer not too long ago. When I brought my car there I had the new rack in the trunk; this definetely could have caused it. But I do lean over the rear quite often to clean the decklid and rear window; could be my pointy little knees!

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by swistun

That's a pretty sweet looking rear end...

Thanks, I like it too. I just added the new KMS diffuser stays; they are adjustable and attach a little different than the ones from Sector 111, they are kind of cool.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by fishguyAZ

stephen, you might think I am joking, but i am being seroius. I do carpentry, and when something like this happens, a good solution is molding.
what if you had a lotus sticker or something else made that covers this area, and should also stop the speading. I think it looks to me like something hitting the trunk from the inside on an accelaration.

How about an NRA sticker over one and a "save the whales" over the other?