Those who have detailed F-bodies... Need some help ASAP

[Todd@RUPES]

I`m working on a black 02 WS-6 and having a hell of a time!



How have you, in general found the paint? Hard/soft ect...



The car I am working on has severe hologramming, water etchings, swirls, ect.. Its freaking hammered.



It took 4 passes with Menzerna PG on a Sheleg twisted wool pad to remove 60 percent of the deeper defects.. :angry, at 2300 rpm. Yet none of the defects could be felt my touch, so that leads me to believe that the paint is hard. Then I follow with a polishing wool pad and SIP, and finish down with 106ff. The paint looks much better, though not perfect. When I was wiping the 106ff off, I noticed that the cloth (clean microfiber) was leaving light marring behind. So now I am thinking the paint is soft...



Any suggestions from experience would be welcome as I am planning an allnighter. I need some of that famous Autopian love guys, help me out. I`ll post pictures in this thread as I work through the night!

[imported_GregCavi]

Todd,



If the paint is super soft, which I honestly have no clue if it is or not, try menzerna po85rd via finishing pad @ 1500. Also, if you have any synthetic wool pads, give them a swing and see what the results yield. Sorry I am not of more help.



Greg

[01bluecls]

Sorry man, out of the cars I have done, I have yet to experience the "american clearcoat" lol

[Todd@RUPES]

Todd,



If the paint is super soft, which I honestly have no clue if it is or not, try menzerna po85rd via finishing pad @ 1500. Also, if you have any synthetic wool pads, give them a swing and see what the results yield. Sorry I am not of more help.



Greg



I don`t think that will help as the marring I`m getting is from removing the polish. I just wet sanded a section, and even after starting with 1000 grit, then moving slowly up to 3000 grit, it didn`t tackle but 70 percent of the etchings, so I think I am just going to have to throw in the red flag before I thin the clear coat too much. I think, unfortunatly that this one will need a repaint to be perfect :(



Here are a couple pics...



Before and this picture doesn`t even do justice to the condition of the paint as the swirls are so bad you cannot see the etchings, scratches, everthing else that is wrong with this...



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/tropicaldetail/misc/fbody002.jpg



Here is the section I wetsanded, you can see the marring moving in one direction from wiping it clean :( All the little dots are water etchings



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/tropicaldetail/misc/fbody001.jpg



Finally, here is the section I taped. You can see how the buffed section looks a lot darker, but I am still so far away from perfect its driving me nuts...



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/tropicaldetail/misc/fbody003.jpg

[Todd@RUPES]

Ahhh %#ck, I just discovered the passanger side has been repainted (horribly) and there are runs and drips on the door.



Arghhhh stay tuned I`m about to get aggressive, then tomarrow take the 400 rwhp WS-6 out (heavily tuned) and do some nasty burn outs...

[Scottwax]

The last F-body I did (it was an `01) had freakishly hard paint. OHC/yellow cutting left an LSP ready finish!

[wannafbody]

the hood and rear quarter panels should have hard clear on them as well as the rear spoiler. You will probably need to use a heavy cut wool pad with a rotary and HTEC, OHC or 3m extra cut and work down from there. I used 2000 grit on my TA hood and it was a bear to remove the sanding marks. I`m not sure you can get all of them out since you started with 1000.

[imported_rydawg]

Todd, Like I said last night...I LOVE GM paint. I am not even kidding neither. It is very hard paint, but shines better than almost anything. They are easy once you have the right process and to me are enjoyable and very profitable.



Need any advice give me a buzz.

[Jason M]

Uhg...I have had plenty of Black GM`s unfortunatly. Including my work truck. I`ve found that the best way to tackle the GM hard but marrs easy clear is to get as close to LSP as possible with the rotary and then go super light with the DA before LSP. My truck went like this:

#83 via Meg`s cutting pad @ 1200

#80 via Meg`s polishing pad @ 1500

#80 via Meg`s polishing pad @ 1200

#80 via Meg`s polishing pad PC @ 5

#9 via Meg`s Polishing pad PC @ 5

#21...finally

GM clear is a PITA and takes forever.

[Todd@RUPES]

I found out that over 80 percent of this car has been repainted. Not to worry, the whole thing is in my garage right now, wetsanded :O

[Todd@RUPES]

ps I`m still going to do some nice burnouts :D:usa

[stiffdogg06]

:showpics of BURNOUTS!:grinno:

[Todd@RUPES]

Don`t worry :D



I should restate what I said earlier, the horizontal panels have been wetsanded, the rest of the car is responding well to an Orange Pad/SIP for the cut, knocking out 95 percent of the swirls after two passes.



The top sections had to be cut with a Shalegal wool pad x 3 with PG but everything is comming together now.

[imported_morarch]

Best of luck to you! My 02 is rock hard.

[ptaylor_9849]

Only use very soft/plush microfibers on GM paint. I spent countless hours working on my black vette only to lay down some nasty marring while wiping off my final polish. I laid down these scratches with CMA`s Dragon Fiber`s at eight bucks a piece. Then I switched to Pakshak`s ultra plush with microband edge and had absolutely no more marring. Also, wipe very gently and don`t bear down or that will scratch also. I`m beginning to think that GM clear is actually soft which would account for it`s easy marring. However, for some reason it is EXTREMELY difficult to correct. It almost defies logic.