De-chroming issues - Halo effect

[djmatio]

Hello,

Do anyone of you have a de-chromed car (holes filled) with a paint job over 3 years old? I'm looking for information on the halo effect that filled holes seem to display after a period of time. Anyone have pictures or what a great paint job will look like in 5 years?

My understanding is that the halo effect is quite common with filled holes (welded up) and there is nothing I can do. If i want to de-chrome my car I wil have to live with this fact. I'm interested in seeing a vw that has ben de-chromed and has an older paint job so I can see for myself what the effects are.

For those of you that don't know, the halo effect is because the metal around the hole has been molecularly changed by the heat of welding, and over time (years) the expanding and contracting of the paint and metal (due to weather/sun) will cause all welded holes to become noticeable with a line around the circumference. Almost like it has sunken in somewhat.

thanks

[AggieDave]

My paintjob is 10 years old. No "halo" effect. In the end you get what you pay for when you get a paintjob or body work. If the car was properly prepped, primered and sanded correctly, there's no reason why any sort of welding or other body work will show through a paintjob until the paintjob is old enough to be done again. Then again if the high school kid at the paintshop used too much heat when filling the holes, it'll pull the metal and distort everything. That can be salvaged with some good block work, but block work still doesn't replace proper metal work.

http://picasaweb.google.com/DirtBagS...WorkInProgress

There's some pictures of my car as I'm rebuilding it *again*.

[aircooled4ever]

what you have to do is to thin media blast the area where there are weld fills and then paint with ppg epoxy primer.Follow by dupont primer filler ,e.t.c.e.t.c,you can rest be assure they will be be no pop ups in the future.

[Kafer_Mike]

Ditto to AggieDave. My paint is almost 2 years with no signs of "halo" on any of the holes I filled.

From this:


To this:

[djmatio]

Cool, thanks guys. My sources told me this affect usually appears after 3-5 years, if it appears at all. I will prep normaly and hope for the best. I have seen the effect with my own eyes on a porsche who's sideview mirrors were replaced and the holes filled in.

I didn't notice it until i looked hard up close. nice paint job on that blue bug. Very cool!