Questions about weird paint? (with pictures)

Hey guys, hopefully you can give me some insight as to what might be going on here - take a look at the pictures and I'll explain.

First off:

It looks like the clear coat dripped down somewhat when this bedside was last painted - it's hard to tell in the picture, but right below the crease where the bedsides bulge out (it's a stepside) you can sort of see how the clear coat or something else dripped down a little and settled there. Supposedly my truck has never been in an accident, and the carfax is clean, but - does this mean that the bedside has probably been repainted at some point?

Also:
Check out this weird looking stuff - it's on both sides of the truck, and only right here. You can't feel it, but I think it's under the clear coat. I have no idea what it is, or what might have caused it.


Here is where it's located on the truck, on both sides:

You can sort of see it on the skinny vertical piece where the stepside bed meets with the cab - all of those gray specks look like the above picture up close.

Final question:
What the heck is this stuff, and why might it be there?

You can see where it's located in the above picture. It's soft and almost rubbery to the touch, sort of like a super soft bedliner (although I'm sure that's not what it is).

Here it is in more detail - it has tons of tiny little air pockets up at the top, almost like a sponge. Down low, it's bubbled up quite a bit, but it's much less noticeable in person and I don't think the bubbling has gotten any worse in the past 9 months since I've owned the truck.


Any insight, opinions, possible concerns, etc. are very appreciated! It's all small stuff that doesn't bother me, but I'm just curious about all of this and trying to learn everything I can about my truck.

 

I'm willing to bet there's rot hiding under that rubbery crap.

 

I thought so too at first, and it may still be the case - although if I take off the plastic step piece right below it, normal paint is showing and not that rubbery crap, and there's no rust there at all

 

Also - I should mention, the bubbles can be pushed in easily - it's not like the paint underneath is bubbling, just the rubber over the paint. It's still entirely possible that it could be hiding something though.

 

Bed side has prolly been repainted causing run in clearcoat. White stuff is clearcoat giving up. It was either thin there or low quality clear coat. Very common in AZ. UV rays will kill clear coat over time. Rubber stuff is for scuff profection when that area is used for step.

 

That would make sense. The truck was originally from Canada, so not super intense sunlight, but I believe it spent at least part of its life outside (not garaged) and in sunlight.

 

The rubber stuff is so you won't scuff paint when using the bed, my stepside Tacoma dosent have that, I do want to have my truck painted after I finish the AC but I really want to keep the lunar mist matalic color

 

You can carefully wet sand the area of clear that has drips with 2000 grit paper on a hand block sander. Then polish out with a polishing wheel and a quality car wax. The weird spots look like the clear is breaking down.

 

Interesting, good to know! I'll probably leave it for now since it's not obvious and doesn't bother me much, but I may look into repairing it in the future.