Yes, after sanding you could see the scratches but the scratches are necessary because it gives the clear coat something to bond to. It wont bond to a smooth, polished surface. I dont have any before or during pictures but I grabbed an after picture.
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Here is a closer picture and as you can see, no scratches are visible and I didnt polish them after sanding. If you spray the clear without runs or dry spraying then you will get a perfect finish and polishing will not be required. Make sure the old clear coat has been sanded off, there will be shiny spots on the light where old clear coat is still there.
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