Restoring a neglected paint job

[sadie102]

Hey guys,



I wanted to get some feedback on my procedure before I attempt to restore the paint on my girlfriend’s neglected red 93 Camry. There’s heavy oxidation, contamination, some spiderwebbing on the side mirrors, etc.



My procedure is:



Dawn

Clay

Wash

PI3-Fine

SMR

AIO



I’ll be doing the last three steps with a PC.



Any problems that you see?

Should I do EOSR before or after the PI3?

Is Dawn necessary if there’s no wax left on the car?



This is my first time doing more than a wash and wax, and the first time I will use my new PC. I’m both nervous and excited, but it’s not like I could make this car’s paint look much worse. ;)



Thanks in advance. :bounce

[Preachers Sheets]

I am guessing the "PI3-Fine" is a compound, if so then that`s fine.



Everything you have planned out seems to be fine. However, you must realize that if you decide to detail by hand and if the paint is truly that bad, you may not want to do it. I am thinking the compound/polish section of the detail is going to be two full days, your doing everything by hand (that gives me nightmares man, you need a polisher) which takes a VERY long time.



Could you bring it to a detailer, have him clay the car and only get rid of all the defects within the clearcoat, take the car home, wash with dawn and start your detail with SMR and AIO then go straight to the fun part of wax/sealent and all the other things like door jams, rubber trim, glass polish, rims, wheel wells, tires and interior.



You should enjoy the detail after a hard days work, not look at the car after two days with the attitude of "I`m never touching you again you ugly beast you".





:p

[Nagchampa]

I wouldn`t bother with the second wash after the clay, and you don`t really need to use dawn for the first wash.

[Ktulu]

Maybe a nice final polish after the SMR to add some shizzle?

[shaf]

I think you`d use EOSR before the PI-III in the deeper scratches that really need more working. I suppose if the car has a lot of junk and tar/oil on it a Dawn wash couldn`t hurt.



I have little idea on how strong P-III is, but hopefully it will be as strong as you need and between the SMR and AIO it should leave a good finish. I just read in breakneckvtec`s thread It fills??? (http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18561) though, that TortoiseAWD went straight to sealant after PI-III, but this was on a light car mind you.



Hey joed1228, he said he`s doing it by PC.... ;)