Howdy,
My 84 XJS has cracked paint everywhere, (not surprising or offensive to me) but the right rear quarter panel has barely any paint left and is a huge contrast to the rest of the car. My question here is, can I repaint just the panel or should I consider something else?
With cracks overall, you’d be best served by a complete strip to metal, then repair/repaint.
Jettsjag,
We have had three of our older Jaguars stripped to bare metal and repainted. The paint on all three (1957 MK VIII, 1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas, 1990 XJ-S convertible) was in bad shape and there was rust, door dings, and other problems that detracted from their original beauty. I spent hundreds of hours stripping each of the cars before the repaints and reassembling parts after the repaints. All three of them look like new cars again. I enjoy just looking at them now, and we get lots of wonderful comments from admirers when we take them to car shows or just out in town.
I am very glad that I got these bare metal repaints and I know that I would not have been happy with a partial touch up repaints on these cars.
Paul
Attached is a picture of my wife’s Signal Red 1990 XJ-S convertible stripped to bare metal at the shop prior to a professional repaint and another after the repaint when a friend and I installed a new convertible top. I also installed the bumpers after I had them rechromed and I put the NOS OEM gold pinstripes on.
Paul
Now that’s a Helluva paint job!
Okay I have been convinced and now just need to find a good paint shop and get it back to bare metal
Jettsjag,
Thanks. I wish that I had a “before” picture handy so that you could see the amazing transformation. The clearcoat was blistered and peeling all over the car, there were lots of door dings, someone had “keyed” the left side of the car, the pinstripes were missing in some sections, the chrome was scratched and discolored, and convertible top was fraying particularly around the rear window. It took a lot of work, but we are very happy with how it looks now.
Paul
You can save herself a boatload of money, by removing trim, and doing the stripping yourself.
That would assume your find a good body shop, and that you can get the car you said shop, once stripped.
if the car is a solid color, it isnt too difficult to strip the paint off the worst afflicted area, make any needed repairs, and respray that, blending it in
If the paint is clear over base, its more difficult, but still possible
So I wouldn’t need a Chemical Stripper or Sander?
I’ve heard grit blasting is also effective
I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve looked into it…
The paint on the last clip must be so badly oxidised it’s not funny.
the 1st thing to evaluate is the bare metal got any rust, even specks, if so it must be fully dealt with…ie blasting etc
if the primer is still intact, with no rust, the top coat can be sanded back (basically to bare metal), and paint repairs done, blended in properly the car will just look better
I have conducted a few repairs like this over the years, of a meant to be temporary nature, years later they still are hard to spot
a professional painter or car guy will notice, but I am amazed how poor most people are at spotting paint “issues” …I am at a complete loss as to how many people comment on my “black” car, but it is in fact Jaguar Dark Blue…they say, no, its black 
you do need tools sander, air compressor, spray guns etc
