PC, rotary or wetsanding for swirls on this red vette?

gmblack3a · 03-06-06, 08:26

2001 vette

With all due respect if you have never delt with vette clear, it is really hard. I have polished a few of them in this condition. 3-4 passes with IP and a orange excel pad with the PC at 6 and the vette clear just laughs at me.

The car also has some water spots. The owner of the car wants the swirls and water spots gone. He talked to a local body shop and the expert there ran a rotary over an area on the rear. The owner said is was a good improvement, but he can still see swirls from the flo lights in the garage. So the guy at the body shop suggested wet sanding the entire car.

I'm thinking some PG and a rotary should make short work of these swirls.

Comments?

theshinning · 03-06-06, 09:26

Cmon now, You have some talent I have seen your work. Those are little bitty swirls, maybe try something like ZPC that can be worked for a long time. If I was you I would go back and try it again, I can't believe it didn't make a dent with IP. If it doesn't work the second time then yeah try PG or something similar. I love IP but can't stand PG, but whatever you use do NOT wetsand that car bud. try menz cerimaclear polishes if you can find them in stock.

themightytimmah · 03-07-06, 05:36

I'd stay away from wetsanding - if a few little swirls are that hard to remove, think about how bad a car full of sanding marks is gonna be. A good heavy compound like Menzerna PG or Optimum Hyper should work, follow it up with PO106FF or less optimally (ironically), Optimum polish. I'd HIGHLY reccomend a rotary, but it is possible to do this via PC, if you've got a spare week or two. It's not going to be easy, getting a car perfect under flourescents is a real job, even on soft clear. Last time I got my car flourescent perfect it took two passes with PowerGloss and 2 with PO85RD, using light wool, orange foam, green pad, blue pad.

Accumulator · 03-07-06, 05:45

Yeah, don't wetsand it. Red is problematic enough over the long haul and thinning the clear too much isn't something I'd want to do. If you can't fix it with a rotary the owner had better live with it and you wouldn't want to get blamed for the need for a repaint.

Smart-aleck thought: the guy at the body shop wouldn't mind if the car needed painted after a few years in the sun with thinned clear

Heh heh, if he thinks it looks bad under fluorescents, just wait til he sees it under industrial lights at night some time

gmblack3a · 03-07-06, 06:09

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Will talk it over with the owner of the vette.

wannafbody · 03-07-06, 06:22

I completely understand-under lights scratches and waterspots will show that aren't visible under daylight.

ZaneO · 03-08-06, 08:35

I've dealt with much worse swirls on black Vettes armed with IP and a light cutting pad (via PC)...with slow, heavy strokes and a couple of passes...it will take care of it.

cenwesi · 03-09-06, 05:52

I have a black vette and yes it is hard.... Infact i just spent 5hrs yesterday after work detailing the vette. Here is what you need and i have it pretty much all the detailing stuff you can think off..... Get the Menzerna Intensive Polish (IP) and Menzerna Final Polish (FP). Use a PC and go at it starting with the IP and maybe a yellow/orange pad. Finish it up with FP and a white pad. Zaino and you are set. I wish i had my camera handy yesterday to take pic of my car.

PS: You can also get the 3M stuff but be prepared to spend alot of time.

gmblack3a · 03-09-06, 06:16

Thanks Zane and cenwesi.

I have used the IP w/ a PC and orange excel pad on a few vettes in the past. The ones with the heavy swirls I could not even reduce much at all. I followed with FPII and zaino and they always look great. I will try to slow down the passes with IP and apply more pressure.

cenwesi · 03-09-06, 06:19

Yep, definitely slow it down. I even tried the ZPC and it worked but i wasn't about to spend my entire night in the garage detailing.

gmblack3a · 03-09-06, 06:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by cenwesi

Yep, definitely slow it down. I even tried the ZPC and it worked but i wasn't about to spend my entire night in the garage detailing.

To me it seems that ZPC is about the same cut as FPII with a PC.

DSVWGLI · 03-09-06, 07:25

I detailed a blue 2002 Vette with much worse marks with great success. I would use SSR 3 or an equivelent with a cutting pad to get ride of those marks then polish it up.