suggestions for rejuvenating paint on classic car

[mule714]

Detailing newbie here! I`ve got a 66 tbrid convert. sitting in my garage that is long overdue for a rejuvenation. I don`t believe it`s the original paint, but it`s definitely not clear coat. Lots of oxidations, plenty of swirls.



I`m about to get a PC 7424. Someone suggested using Menzerna Power Gloss but I`ve heard it doesn`t work well with the PC 7424. Is this true? What`s a good suggestion of compounds/polishes and pads for the PC to get this baby looking good again?

[Accumulator]

mule714- Welcome to Autopia. Cool car! This is a project you oughta take slow and easy.



IMO, the first step will be to really clean the car, including a good claying. Then inspect it and see what you`re really working with.



Once you`ve cleaned and clayed it, a trick Mike Phillips taught me (that worked well on neglected ss paint) is to apply a pretty heavy dose of Meg`s #7 and let it set overnight. The oils rejuvenate ss paint to some extent and this leads to less aggressive measures being required.



Be careful using aggressive polishes with the PC before you`re familiar with it. Especially in this case, where you don`t necessarily know what you`re dealing with (thickness of paint, etc.). Better to try a few things that turn out to be too mild than to try one thing that`s too aggressive.

[Spilchy]

Cool car!



The #7 trick sounds interesting but I think an easier routine would be to clay car and use AIO as a cleaner / oxidation remover.



I can vouch for its oxidation removal capabilities. I used it on a neglected trailer.



I would then judge the severity of the swirls and use the appropriate polish / pad combo. Don`t be afraid of the PC. You have to be a real weenie to do damage with it. Follow Accumulator`s advice.



I would THEN use the #7. It will help to fill any left over swirls that you may be unable to remove.



Finally I would top with a carnuaba of choice whether it is #16, Mothers, Souveran paste or s100.



I would maintain with Pinnacle Crystal Mist or Final Detail

[Mike_Phillips]

Originally posted by mule714

Detailing Newbie here! I`ve got a 66 tbrid convert. sitting in my garage that is long overdue for a rejuvenation. I don`t believe it`s the original paint, but it`s definitely not clear coat. Lots of oxidations, plenty of swirls.



I`m about to get a PC 7424. Someone suggested using Menzerna Power Gloss but I`ve heard it doesn`t work well with the PC 7424. Is this true? What`s a good suggestion of compounds/polishes and pads for the PC to get this baby looking good again?



Hi mule714,



I have restored a lot of classic, older cars with original single stage finishes. The oils found in Meguiar’s paint cleaners, cleaner/polishes and pure polishes work wonders on these older paint. It fact, it`s where they really shine the best. (no pun intended!)



Are you going to wash the car? If so, don`t use a detergent wash like Dawn. Instead, opt for Gold Class, or #00 Hi-Tech Wash.



Next, take a piece of terry cloth toweling, about 6" by 3" and fold it in half so you have a piece about 3" square. This will give you a piece of cloth that will cover your four fingers put together pushing down, and some material for your thumb to grasp. You could also locate and purchase some terry cloth covered foam applicator pads like Viking brand, I like these. Purchase of bottle of #7 Show Car Glaze and apply the #7 Show Car Glaze liberally, working the oils into the paint as best as you can.



I`m not going to recommend how long to leave the product on the finish. You can decide that. Remove with 100% terry cloth towels, using the nap, (the little cotton loops), to help you break up the continuous film of the #7. Leo`s DF Towels work well for this also because of their large, soft loopy nap.



After removing the #7, (don’t` worry about removing every little bit of it because at this step, it`s not important. Next if you`re going to use a PC, then you might want to consider Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner, or even Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner.



Both of these products contain Meguiar`s polishing oils. The idea here is to continually re-introduce these oils into the paint in an effort to revitalize it. The last thing you want to do is to use any kind of product that would dry-out, leach, or astringe the paint in anyway, especially since you just applied the #7 Show Car Glaze.



Because this paint is a single-state paint, and because it`s old, and most important, because you do not know who has gone before you!, you want to approach this Using the least aggressive product to get the job done".



If you are too aggressive, you could easily burn through the paint on all the high points, edges, and body lines. Be Careful. Even the PC can burn through, thin, soft single-stage paint.



1966 Thunderbirds have a lot of body lines, my dad has a 65 Convertible, and I have buffed out a number of T-birds ranging through the 50`s to the 70`s, the hardest being a 1963 M-Series Roadster because of the thin panel that runs along the length of the body from the windshield on back and separates the horizontal panels from the vertical sides. (That`s a tough one to sand down and buff out without burning somewhere).



You might consider using only your hand, a piece of terry cloth and your choice of paint cleaner and avoid a machine altogether for any smaller panels with high points and only use the PC for the big flat panels.



After you clean the paint, then polish with a product like #3 or #9, both very rich in polishing oils that add richness to color.



Then if it were me, I would coat with Tech Wax, two thin coats. After that, stand back and admire. Of course this assumes the paint reacts positively and has not become so oxidized that the paint is unstable and technically, dead.



FWIW



Mike



p.s.



I rubbed out a 1950 Mercury with a dark maroon finish. The car came to me white for the most part. I spend three days massaging every square inch of the car’s finish until it was flawlessly smooth. I started out with the steps listed above for applying the #7.



The car looked deep, dark and wet.



The owner took the car to one car show and in about 4-5 hours of direct sunlight, the paint returned to it’s whitish, dead, oxidized color. The paint was so far gone it could not be saved by Meguiar’s or any companies product. The paint had become unstable, it was dead.

[mule714]

Great tips... thanks! I`ve got AIO and SG already... either of them worth salvaging?



The car was in great shape! Unfortunately, I did more damage to it storing and hauling than it did sitting in the 2nd owners garage since 1969. In a move of desperation I hauled it half-way across country in an open trailer. Nearly got run off the road and the doors of the Tbird scraped against the trailer. Ugh! Then storing it in my garage here in VA a hand-truck fell on it and left a nasty 3 inch dent in the fender. Projects for another time maybe and they`ll result in new paint too. Right now I want to make it shine for a few summer cruises with the top down. :D



http://www.peaks.net/66tbird/