Practice car question - low gloss

[pdsterns]

Okay, I have a beeter that I can practice on. It is a 88 Chevy Nova (it's all Toyota). It is called gray by the dealer but I think if you imagine gunmetal gray you would get the idea. It was my Dad's and never got much attention. Anyway I started working on the trunk lid, it is flat and only about 1.5 ft by 4 ft. It is dull but there is no visible damage ie bird etching etc. I washed it and clayed it and then hit it with PC 7424 and Megs #80 with Sonus orange pad, not much change, then I tried some 3M medium cut and it got a little duller. Used some Megs glaze on it ( #1 level of abrasive) and I got back to about where I started, added some Megs #26 wax for good luck. I don't think it has clear on it as the pads got pretty gray. The lid does not look horrible now but it does not have much gloss. When you look at it with the sun on it at a shallow angle you can see halo's (circular lines) around the sun that have not changed very much either. Is this paint just over the hill? I have other sections of the car where the paint is glossier, ie. sides and roof but have not touched them yet. This is just practice and I am not loosing sleep over it, just trying to learn.

[Burlyq]

I like menzerna line, especially the FPII for finish polish. Also, try klasse AIO as a paint cleaner. Can't tell if paint is over the hill w/o pics. I used to think paint could always be polished if there was no primer showing but my opinions have changed since I tried to polish a 67 blue mustang with original paint. There was nothing I could do with that.

[the other pc]

The finish may well be dead, at least on that portion of the car. Horizontal surfaces do tend to take more of a beating.

If you're truly willing to practice on it and aren't concerned if you grind all the way through to the primer you could just keep stepping up in aggressiveness till it either starts working or grinds through.

From the sound of it you might need to go with a heavy cut compound or wet-sanding. most cutting compounds are meant to be used with a rotary buffer.


PC.

[Accumulator]

Another idea is that you need to use a *milder* compound since you're just working with the PC and it can't break products down too well. The harshest 3M stuff I'd use by PC is PI-III RC (05933) which is pretty mild compared to the medium cut. I'd try that with a wool pad, then a cutting pad, then a polishing pad and *then* go to the #80.

If you *really* want to use harsh stuff by PC, look into the Hi-Temp line at TOL or consider 1Z's Ultra/Extra Polish. But I'd leave the 3M Medium Cut for rotary use.