`89 560SL Oxidation Correction - Mirror Detailing -

[MirrorDetailing]

One of the shops I do work for, had this car sitting around their shop for a year waiting on the owner to put in some money to get the work completed. Since it sat outside a lot from being at the shop and from the owner neglecting the paint, the classic single stage paint went south in a hurry. Car was not street-able and I had some open time to get out to their shop to get it done rather than waiting on it. Originally I was going to do the usual 2-Step correction that I normally do on all the cars they bring to me, but as soon as I saw the car, I knew that 2-steps was not going to cut it. Tested the trunk, since it was an easy area of factory paint to test and the hood, since it had been repainted some years ago, to see what the outcome would be and what it would take. After starting into it, with a combo I knew would cut enough and still have the ability to finish down on the second step, did not work out. Figured out at minimum it would take 3-steps, 4 in a lot of areas.



Thanks again to Joey, Smoknfastlegend for coming out the second day to give me a hand.



Process:

ONR Wash

Clayed w/ Megs Aggressive Clay w/ ONR Lube



Buffing:

*Some Areas* PFW w/ M105 via Dewalt 849

Microfiber Cutting Pads w/ M105 via GG DA

Uber Yellow w/ M105 via Flex

Uber Green w/ PO85RD via Flex



Wiped down with Carpro Eraser



Trim w/ M105 via #0000 Steel Wool

Windows w/ Megs Window Concentrate

Rims/Front/Rear Bumpers w/ Optimum Metal Polish

Seats wiped down w/ Leather Masters Leather Protection Cream

Tires w/ Optimum Tire Gel



LSP w/ Sonax Premium Class Carnauba



Now onto the progress...



When I first showed up the condition of the car was quite a surprise...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassFrontBefore-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/DriverFrontBefore-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/DriverRearBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassRearBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassQuarterBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassSideBefore.jpg



A few shots showing the condition of the paint with twin 500w lights on them...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/RoofBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodandFenderBefore.jpg



I started by testing the trunk, since it was factory single stage...



Looks to be a decent starting platform...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/BackHalfBefore-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrunkBefore.jpg



After 3-4 rounds with the Griots and the Flex, think there was a slight change?



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/Trunk50-502.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/Trunk50-50.jpg



Now, it was obvious that the hood had base coat/clear coat on it, as it did not oxidize like the rest of the vehicle and more faded. Wanted to see how the paint would clean up and what it would take.



Hood before...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodBeforeWhole.jpg



Now after a go at it with the Flex and Griots, another noticeable improvement...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/Hood50-50.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/Hood50-50WattLight.jpg



Once I knocked out the roof, hood, trunk and top of the fenders, I did not have everything I needed to complete this job, so got as much as I could done for the day. Before I left, I talked with the owner of the shop and had them remove the windshield wipers so I could work around the cover panel and the rear emblem, so I could clean around it up.



After testing both areas, I finished claying the entire car. Even after an ONR wash, the paint felt like 800 grit sandpaper. Which, after sitting outside for a year and it being a single stage paint, I knew that was going to happen. Went straight to the Megs Aggressive Clay to help get out a lot of the grime and mold and cut some of the oxidation down. Only shot I took of the claying, as it took me just over 2 hours to do the whole thing and did not get more pictures as one explains it all.



Clay before and after, after doing a 1x1 area of the roof.



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/ClayBefore.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/ClayAfter-1.jpg



When I got back for day two, took off the pinstripe and we realized that the hood was not the only place that had been repainted, the driver door and driver quarter had been repainted at another time, separate from the hood. Which, was not a great repaint at all. So while Joey worked on the passenger side single stage, I whipped out the Dewalt and got to work on those two panels.



Once all the buffing as done, we started on the coated trim to try and clean it up as best as possible. The shop techs agreed it should be replaced, but most people do not as its costly to replace the trim. So after spending 45 minutes testing tons of combos, the only thing that would make even the slightest dent in the cloudiness of the trim was 105 & #0000 Steel Wool. So Joey and I spent about an hour and a half going over the trim and cleaning it up as best we could. I can say, it did not come out brand new, but was a world of difference better than it was before.



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrimBefore2.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrimBefore.jpg



Final test area that showed great results...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/Trim50-50.jpg



Finally after 9.5 hours straight with no break, we finished. Many paint spots later on the wall....



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/WallPaint.jpg



We were done. It was dark and the car does not move easily, so inside pictures would have to do...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/DriverFrontAfter2.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/DriverFrontAfterLow-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodAfterwithLight.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodAfter2.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/FrontHalfAfter.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/DriverRearAfter-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrunkAfterwithLights.jpghttp://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrunkAfterHighShot.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/TrunkAfter.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassRearAfter-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassFrontAfter-1.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PassFrontAfterLow.jpg

http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/HoodWholeAfter.jpg



The top is missing in the afters, once we finished the top and the trim, we had it removed to work under the top that covers the paint and to get better access to the interior. It was set aside and I forgot to get any after pictures of it.



Then the causalities of war from day two...



http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/mirrordetailing/More%20Pictures/PadsAfter.jpg

[Brad B]

Nice job saving an old beauty. I did a detailing seminar for the Mercedes Club and the donor car was a near identical 280SL. It was a heap of work! I can appreciate your efforts!

[Fast Eddie]

Wow, that`s a lot of dirty blue pads for sure. Love the 50/50 shots, excellent work getting that hammered car back into shape.

[someidiot]

now that`s a worthwhile detail. great job



will those pads be useless from now on or does that come out?

[mikenap]

Nice job Mike and Joey, that thing was UGLY before you got to it. Way to bring back an old classic, and nice work on that trim too. It cleaned up incredibly well.

[smokinfastlegen]

The pads should clean up pretty well with some apc and warm water.



Im still blowing smurf out my nose from the dust. The gloss of the paint in the end was amazing, really wish it could have been taken out for some sun shots, but it was dark and very cold by the time we were done.



Thanks mikenap. I still kinda cant feel my thumb from trying to clean up that trim.

[Accumulator]

MachNU- Hey, great save, and yeah I`ve always loved those cars..."last of the REAL Benz SLs" in many ways.



So was the original paint single stage (or is the transfer from the repainted areas)? I`m guessing it was but I wanted to ask; I`m always curious about that as *nobody* has ever given me a straight answer about when MB switched their non-metallic colors over to b/c. If this `89 was ss then that`s more info on the subject.

[MirrorDetailing]

Nice job saving an old beauty. I did a detailing seminar for the Mercedes Club and the donor car was a near identical 280SL. It was a heap of work! I can appreciate your efforts!



Yeah...the single stage makes for a lot of pad cleaning as you buff.




Wow, that`s a lot of dirty blue pads for sure. Love the 50/50 shots, excellent work getting that hammered car back into shape.



Thanks.




now that`s a worthwhile detail. great job



will those pads be useless from now on or does that come out?



Some people say that will, from my experience the foam ones are trash. I will be able to clean the Microfiber ones with more compressed air, apc and a lot of scrubbing.




Nice job Mike and Joey, that thing was UGLY before you got to it. Way to bring back an old classic, and nice work on that trim too. It cleaned up incredibly well.



Thanks. The vehicle was a 50` car before and now its a solid 5` car. For an owner who does not really take care of it, it should be a vast improvement.




MachNU- Hey, great save, and yeah I`ve always loved those cars..."last of the REAL Benz SLs" in many ways.



So was the original paint single stage (or is the transfer from the repainted areas)? I`m guessing it was but I wanted to ask; I`m always curious about that as *nobody* has ever given me a straight answer about when MB switched their non-metallic colors over to b/c. If this `89 was ss then that`s more info on the subject.



Yeah, it was a cool car. I have 2 more of them to do in the coming weeks. While I was at there shop, two of the ones they are almost done with that are driveable they wanted me to look at and see what I thought about them.



No, the factory paint on the fenders, trunk, roof, pass door and pass quarter were all factory single stage. Which is common for the 1972-1989 version of this car. The hood and driver door/quarter had been repainted at another point, each being done by a different shop. I just know from the single stage portion, it did not look like any flake in the paint too me an neither did the other two Benz`s I looked at have flake either.

[tssdetailing]

:hail: that is an epic correction!!! Thank you for the write up, i`ve got a 500SL on the books for this spring and I really appreciate the thorough write up, it will help me immensely!

[indiej]

Hands you can trust. The nails are well hidden on those fingers never to make an accidental scratch.



I was looking for some glass detailing due to the title. Good job, long hours.

[Thomas Dekany]

Excellent work guys. I`ve done one of those, equally neglected.

[Accumulator]

No, the factory paint on the fenders, trunk, roof, pass door and pass quarter were all factory single stage. Which is common for the 1972-1989 version of this car. The hood and driver door/quarter had been repainted at another point, each being done by a different shop. I just know from the single stage portion, it did not look like any flake in the paint too me an neither did the other two Benz`s I looked at have flake either.



Thanks for the additional info.



Yeah, as best I can determine MB started switching to b/c in either `84 or `85, starting with their metallics and the early b/c was really fragile stuff (lacquer based clear, kinda soft and really thin...or at least it was on my `86). The question nobody seems to have a definitive answer to is "when did they switch 100% to b/c on their non-metallic colors?"



I`ll be looking forward to any C&Bs you have a chance to do on those other ones; I`m simply a sucker for old-school MBs!

[Scottwax]

Huge improvement!

[RaskyR1]

Nice work guys! :rockon:

[Paul Sparks]

That was a great save. The owner should be beaten for letting it get into that shape. Thanks for sharing the process and photos.