Well I cranked the car up today and pulled it out! Purred like a kitten.

But when I got it outside, I saw the awful bondo work we did on the right driver side quarter panel. It's pretty wavy... there had been some major work done there before we stripped the car, and being our first time, I guess we just didn't have the skill needed to fix it back perfectly.

So, I'm hoping that wetsanding/buffing will help it just a little?

Huck, can you post some pics?

After wetsanding and buffing you usually see the flaws a whole lot better.

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Springfield, Ohio

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Wetsanding and buffing only removes very light scratches and orange peel.It can't fix wavy panels.

Huck, I would drive it for a while like this.. see if there are any other areas that require "Tweaking".. then once your ready, finish those areas and reshoot.. it will be easy to match the color since it's fresh paint, and you will know where the low spots are..

listen i know how ya feel. tought all the waves were out till i primered it and made sure i lokked as it went on.best way to check for waves is run water hose over i9t and look at angle.you,ll see them then.when your ready just cover the area of the waves with filler and take lond board and sand down area till it level. trust me took 3 coats of it fopr me to get what i think are non wavt panels. but time will tell shooting it in 6 days.agggh good luck from another rookie

So do I have to strip the whole panel first, or just featheredge the paint around the areas needing repair? I plan on driving it for a while before hand to see if I get used to it... But just to know what to expect..

If you only have minor waves and need to refinish the panel, stripping it will just double your work. My advice would be to block the panel out with 180 or 220 wet, then lightly prime with a couple of coats. I say lightly because heavy primer over a fresh topcoat can wrinkle and you have to start over. Let the primer dry, guide coat and block again until you are satisfied it`s straight. One of the secrets to avoiding shrinking is giving your subcoats ample time to cure. At least a couple of days. Then go ahead and top coat again. If you went with a base/clear application, seal the panel before you shoot your base, as this can wrinkle a previously fresh topcoat as well. Good luck.