What exactly is orange peel? I've heard TMSers talk about it before in reguards to their paint. I'm worried my new 07 might be getting a case of it, and want to disprove my theories.

I'm a hypocondriac when it comes to my 07.

 

The paint looks like the skin of an orange instead of smooth like it should be.

 

Hmmmm...any pictures? I've got what appears to be peeling paint or clearcoat or something in certain spots. It has me very worried.

 

War don’t worry about it all Mustangs 05, 06, 07 have orange peel that’s how most cars come from the factory. When quality body shops repaint cars they wet sand them which gets rid of the orange peel before buffing and that’s why they look good smooth surface no orange peel.


Tip here
When ever you take your car in for repair for damage some body shops with less experience will wet sand the repaired area to much and it won’t match orange peel wise the rest of the car. The repaired area will look better (smoother no orange peel/custom paint quality) so when ever you take your car in for repair tell the body shop you want the repair area to match the rest of the car orange peel wise so little to no wet sanding is in order.

 

From the PPG web site:

 

Just look at a body panel on your car at an angle in the rigth dirrection and lighting and you will see the orange peel.

 

Enamel paint jobs all have orange peel to some extent. It is not something your car can develop over time, so you don't have to worry about that The Mustang paint jobs are pretty good, there's not a lot of orange peel. Lacquer paint jobs do not have orange peel, they are glassy smooth. But they are also a lot more expensive, so you tend only to see them on more expensive production cars (like vettes).

 

I have to disagree Tres Lacquer when spayed on does have orange peel the difference from enamel is lacquer can be wet sanded per custom painter/ and or body shop first ( not done from the car factory) which removes the orange peel and then buffed which these two steps gives it that glass smooth finish. Cars a least most even painted in lacquer from the factory are not wet sanded and do have orange peel. Enamel on the other hand can not be wet sanded and will always have more orange peel in most cases more than lacquer cars from the factory which are not wet sanded.


Your saying the Mustangs are painted in enamel, I thought the Mustangs were still done in lacquer still w/clear coat not enamel (not wet sanded at the factory) if they are enamel now I didn't know if true this is news to me. It use to be trucks were done in enamel and cars were lacquer from the factory.

Last Vette I had was a 95 and it had orange peel I will have to take a look at the new Vettes.

 

The touch-up paint from the dealer (Motorcraft brand) is lacquer, FWIW.

 

06 Vettes definatley have orange peel. When I bought my wifes Tahoe both vettes in the show room had it and a lot more than my Mustang.

 

acrylic polyurethane used on Ford Mustang

 

Uber beat me to it but all cars today are sprayed in urethane.

Lacquer is all but outlawed nowadays because of enviromental laws.
All paints,enamel,urethane,lacquer,and the new water based paints can ALL have orange peel and can ALL be wetsanded to remove this. The difference is doe`s the manufacturer want to spend the money to do this. Uh,NO. Wetsanding and polishing a paintjob is time consuming,on my streetrods I`ve spent 40+ hours finishing a paintjob. And thats not at UAW wages. The reasons for orange peel are many,from how fine the paint spray was to how fast it dried to even the weather on the day the car was sprayed. The cost of the car has nothing to do with this,it`s how much the factory is allowed and wants to do before the car goes out the door.

 

traints 1115 & uber

Thanks for posting great info thats what these forums are for, I am up to date. : )

 

I always figured when I get THE mustang in the future I would take it from the dealer to a paint shop and have 2 more coats of clear shot on the car and wetsanded.

 

Try four,your going to take two back off.