Can I remove these scratches??? Pics inside!

[Bajones9181]

I just got a PC 7424 and i'm trying to bring back the paint on my 91 mustang. The car is maroon and it seems like no matter how much I clean and polish that I still get a ton of paint on my pads. Is this normal? Look at the steps I have taken below. After all this I still have scratches that I can't get out. The scratches aren't that deep - most of them my fingernail won't even catch on. I don't know if I expected too much from the PC or my technique is wrong. I also tried to get some pictures of the scratches I'm talking about but it was hard to get a good shot: view my pics here. I would appreciate any pointers you guys can give me. FYI - I used Megs softbuff pads. Thanks!

Wash
Clay
Megs Paint Cleaner
Polish pad with SSR2.5 x 2 (4.5 speed)
Polish pad with SSR1 x 2 (4.5 speed)

Didn't remove hardly any scratches so then I went with the cutting pad

Cutting pad with SSR2.5 x 2 (5 speed)
Polish pad with SSR2.5 x 1 (5 speed)
Polish pad with SSR1 x 1 (4.5 speed)
Polish pad with Poorboys Prof. Polish (3.5 speed)
Finishing pad with EX-P Sealant (3.5 speed)

[Bajones9181]

Can't believe I haven't had one response? Anyone have any input? Need more info?

[ScubaStevo]

Try some SSR 3 on a polishing pad. If that doesn't take it out, then you're not doing it right. Work SLOWLY. I mean barely move the PC at all.

[yankees1]

Originally Posted by Bajones9181

Can't believe I haven't had one response? Anyone have any input? Need more info?

Be patient, someone will help you! I'm new and a beginner so I can't offer any assistance yet! I'm also from central Illinois, thirty miles South of Springfield!

[usdm]

Originally Posted by Bajones9181

I just got a PC 7424 and i'm trying to bring back the paint on my 91 mustang. The car is maroon and it seems like no matter how much I clean and polish that I still get a ton of paint on my pads. Is this normal? .......

If you are finding the color paint on your pads, you have what is known as
a "single stage" paint. This paint provides it's own shine, and has no clearcoat.
Even with a PC, you'll still want to be careful as to how aggressive or how
often you polish the paint with abrasive polishes. Another thing to consider
is that you are probably looking at the paint from the most unforgiving light
possible. I am almost willing to bet that even if you think you didnt make
a dent in the marring, when you take that badboy out in the sun, you won't
be able to find as nearly as much marring in the paint.

Somethng else to keep in mind is this: as much as we all like to see
perfectly clear and mar-free finishes, keeping up with them is an ongoing
process. If the car is a daily driver, they will pop back up again. I know my
line of thinking may not be very popular with "autopians" here, but I find
that a glaze or a good heavy paste wax works very well in hiding these
defects. True, they will resurface after a while, but the paint thickness remains
intact. For me the rule of thumb is: do a good polish once-twice a year, and then
glaze the paint in between the polishings. That combined with good carwashing/
drying techniques and regular application of your fave paint protection (wax or
sealant), will help to keep the marring down to a minimum. And even if it
does come back some, I'm betting your car will still out-shine the other cars
on the block.

Exterior paint care and maintanance takes time, but the rewards are worth it.
Just don't overthink the process, take your time, and your car will stay looking
real good for a long time to come.

[truzoom]

Originally Posted by usdm

Somethng else to keep in mind is this: as much as we all like to see
perfectly clear and mar-free finishes, keeping up with them is an ongoing
process. If the car is a daily driver, they will pop back up again. I know my
line of thinking may not be very popular with "autopians" here, but I find
that a glaze or a good heavy paste wax works very well in hiding these
defects. True, they will resurface after a while, but the paint thickness remains
intact. For me the rule of thumb is: do a good polish once-twice a year, and then
glaze the paint in between the polishings. That combined with good carwashing/
drying techniques and regular application of your fave paint protection (wax or
sealant), will help to keep the marring down to a minimum. And even if it
does come back some, I'm betting your car will still out-shine the other cars
on the block. .

Spot on my friend!

[Bajones9181]

Thanks for the replies guys. What exactly is single stage paint? Does that mean that the clearcoat is mixed with the paint and shot at the same time or is there no clearcoat at all? I figured a 1991 would have a clearcoat. I thought this was just heavy oxidation. Are there any special procedures I need to follow for single stage paints?

[usdm]

Originally Posted by Bajones9181

Thanks for the replies guys. What exactly is single stage paint? Does that mean that the clearcoat is mixed with the paint and shot at the same time or is there no clearcoat at all? I figured a 1991 would have a clearcoat. I thought this was just heavy oxidation. Are there any special procedures I need to follow for single stage paints?

This basically answers the question.. albeit there are some errors, but you'll
get the idea

There are basically two main types of paint: Single stage and Two-stage. Single stage paints have the glossy clear actually mixed into the paint and can be applied with "color and gloss", if you will, in one stage. Single stage paints include "Acrylic Enamel (most common), Acrylic Lacquer, and Synthetic Enamel". These types of paint were most commonly used in automotive purposes up until the early '80's until the release of two stage paints. Two stage paints are commonly referred to as "base-coat / clearcoat". Naturally, your first-stage is to spray a flat color coat, then spray your gloss on as the second stage.

Single stage paints have existed well into the mid 90's, however they are
often hard to find. Single stage paints are also prone to oxidation; moreso than
clearcoated paints, with reds often being the most victimized of all single stage
colors.

As for special procedures, it is important to remember that there is no
indicator to tell you how far you can go. With clearcoats, you'll know
you've gone too far when the finish begins to get dull; once the clearcoat
is polished off, you now face the flat basecoat, and the that basecoat cannot
be made to shine. With single stage paints, once you've gone too far, you're
either looking at the primer, or in worse case situations, the bare metal.

This is not meant to spook you off doing any polish work, just be judicial
with the abrasive polishes. And it does not hurt either to keep a mental
or written note as to how often you've polished the paint with abrasive
polishes. Stick with non abrasive polishes and glazes for paint upkeep
in between abrasive polishings.

[papi_jay]

I suggest you wash everything off of that scratch(s) with Dawn and start from scratch .
Get a good aerosol degreaser such as Transtar and get your self a paint pen from PaintScratch.com or Expresspaint.com . They do factory color matching and the pens are easiest to work with for long lines and scratches such as yours .
Let teh paint sit for a few days , wet sand VERY lightly over it with 2000 unigrit , then follow those areas up with Perfect-It III rubbing compound or 3m Dark Car Swirl Mark remover , I think it's 39009 .
Then follow with a final glaze and sealant .
Scratches wont come out if the paint is removed down to primer ( color is gone )

[mgm121499]

It's always hard to tell from a picture....... but I'll take a stab at this.

Make sure you are using a DRY pad. SSR's don't like damp pads, QD or water mist, etc... Keeping it DRY is key.

Use an orange power pad on something like this with SSR2.5. SSR3 is VERY abrasive. I would not break this out unless it was a last resort. Start off a 4.5, and bump it up to 5.5 and work in the SSR2.5 until it starts to disappear. This will take some time via a PC. Keep the pad moving, but move it SLOWWWWWW. Take both vertical and horizontal passes. You might have to apply SSR2.5 a few times to work out the scratch.