I repainted my tailgate on my 95 dak' on Saturday and it looked pretty good. On sunday I wiped the tailgate down to remove any dust and sprayed on the clear coat. Now the tailgate looks blotchy like its camouflaged.

Can I polish it out or did I eff it up.

 

It depends on how much clear coat you put on. Did you do multiple SMOOTH passes? Are you sure you got the correct clear coat for the paint you got?

 

I went over it smoothly, just followed the directions on the can. There were enamel and laquer clear coats, the guy at Autozone said either would work and enamel would be the better option.

 

Sounds like you heated up (chemically) the coat beneath it. Is it hazing? Enamel paint is a finished paint. That is why farm engines and stuff are painted with it, because it NEVER cures (at least not in the forseable future). Acrylic paints also require a dry period before you clear them. I would not expect professional results with a can of clear.

EDIT: reread what you said. If your showing "blotchy areas" then your frying your paint. You have to heat up your paint (ie bake) to speed up the curing. Most paints will dry/cure in 3-5 days, and then get cleared with a matching type.

 

So I should have waited more than a day to apply the clear coat. Sounds like I would have to remove the clear coat, retouch-up the paint below, wait longer, then apply the coat again.

 

You did not answer my question, but based on a yes, you would sand it down to the paint without breaking through (400 grit wet, 600 grit wet stop, dry, and repeat if necessary), wait 2-3 days then reapply a acrylic clear. If no, then you can take a pic to acertain what it looks like.

On a side note, suppliers are salesmen, and are there to help you buy something. They do not care once you have left the register and your money. To confirm this, ask for a 350 chevy distributor cap (one of the most produced parts in the world), to which they will ask "What vehicle is this for?". That's when you know they really do not know.

How much overlay are you making on your passes? Did you heat the can prior to starting (warm water bath)? Humid days WILL CAUSE hazing. These are factors that affect the quality of your work.