One day I'll see the funny side of this

[shaunw]

Ever had one of those 'I can't believe I've just done that' moments?

I bought some chipex touch up paint to fill in a couple small chips one of which was on the windscreen pillar. I touched in the chip expertly and with the small paint pot still in my hand leant forward to admire my handywork.

What I didnt realise was that i had tipped the paint pot forward too. Stepping back (sort of in slow motion) I saw paint, lots of paint, running down the front fly window, the front door and onto the magnolia leather through the open window. I think I stood there for a few seconds, in denial that I could have been so stupid. Then I sprang into action with the supplied thinners.

After about an hour of frantic wiping with thinners, polishing and crying I almost got away with it. The interior is marked where the thinners has gone through the leather colour and for some reason the touch up paint seems to have left a permanent mark on the body strip but apart from that I managed to get it all off. I can't believe so much paint came out of such a small pot!

Gutted and angry with myself at the moment.

Shaun

[KevW]

Sounds like a bit of a nightmare Shaun. I bet the air in the garage was as blue as the paint !

[barker_001]

Nightmare! I hope you manage to sort it out, Shaun.

Maybe something like the Woolies leather restoration kit would help to repair the marks on the leather?

[tonypoll]

Shaun,
I used the Gliptone leather colouring kit a few years ago.
Let me know if you want to discuss etc.,
Or meet up again...must almost be time for the 'regular' get togeher at the Deer Hut
Tony

[Hawaiis0]

Shaun

I have an unused Magnolia leather repair kit from the Leather Factory (IIRC) which I picked up at the NEC but replaced the seats instead. Let me know if you are interested. Should cover 2 front seats.

[shaunw]

Thanks for the replies and the offers of help guys, really cheered me up.

I've been looking at leather colouring options and it looks like, unless I want to re-do the whole interior, a kit which has a tinting option will be my best hope of an invisible repair colour wise. (Stu, is that you are talking about? If so, Yes I'm definitely interested.) It would be good to hear how you got on with the Gliptone product as well Tony.

I've got to get the car MOT'd next week so maybe us Southerners could arrange a meet up either later in April or sometime in May? I'll start a thread in the appropriate section.

It's a shame someone wasn't there with a camcorder, 'cause it would have been a dead cert for £250 from You've Been Framed. I felt such a fool!

Shaun

[marky]

Don't worry Shaun - I am sure most of us have had one of those moments at some time or other! It all seems familiar - a feeling of utter disbelief at what I had just done!
I am glad that you got almost all of it off OK.

The Deers Hut is on 19th June this year. Unfortunately I will not be around as it clashes with my holiday.

If you are thinking of arranging a local meet in the next few weeks I would definitely be interested.

Mark.

[Hawaiis0]

.....

It's a shame someone wasn't there with a camcorder, 'cause it would have been a dead cert for £250 from You've Been Framed. I felt such a fool!

Shaun

We were howling with laughter. Your neighbours CCTV got it all. Wasn't worth £250 though

[tonypoll]

Shaun,
The Gliptone kit was very easy to use.
Simply send them a small sample of the coloured leather, say from under the seat, and they will supply a matching colour kit. This came with everything you need: leather cleaning stuff, prep stuff, the actual colouring stuff, and sealant stuff.
If I remember correctly (it was about 5 years ago...) I only recoloured the front seats. When we next meet you'll be able to see that you can't tell the difference between those seats I recoloured and the original door panels & back seats etc I didn't touch.
You need a small air compressor and paint spray gun - you can borrow mine if you need them.
Tony

[shaunw]

Thanks for the offer to borrow nthe spray gun Tony, that would be great. I'll take a look at Gliptones site.

Shaun

[MalcolmH]

We've all done something similar I think, Shaun. Except yours does sound particularly well orchestrated!!

Glad you're on the right side of it anyway. And sounds like something positive will come from it.

Must admit, I love applying touch-up paint, and each new stone chip is an opportunity for further pleasure. Recently I got some silver touch-up for my Alfa 166, and the little plastic bottle was elliptical-shaped (is that the word?) rather than round. I thought 'That looks nice - a bit different'.

Anyway, being so absorbed in sorting a number of chips on the nosecone with the first brushful and - as you say - stepping back to admire my handiwork, it took a while for me to notice the wide torrent of silver paint flowing gracefully down my slightly-sloping drive and all over my shoes! Yep, although I'd carefully placed the lovely little designer bottle up against and slightly behind the tyre, the gentlest waft of breeze had been enough to blow it over! Result - about 5 tiny chips filled-in, and the whole tenner's worth of touch-up ruined my driveway and favourite loafers!