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View Full Version : Detail on 2001 Vette taking forever...



351c.i.d
05-28-2005, 10:14 AM
hey everyone. I`m new to the PC world and just recently bought a PC with some propel pads and am in need of some advice. My buddy brings home a black 2001 Z06 Vette (awesome car) that has about 20k miles on it and the paint is in rough shape. From looking at the paint it appears that the previous owner didn`t have a clue on how to maintain or wash at all. The swirls were very thick and there are hundreds of hairline scratches and some that are so deep that you can catch a fingernail in it.



I`ve had previous experience with a rotary and 3m materials/pads on my 69 mustang with single stage paint so my buddy asked me to take care of his vette. I didn`t want to risk burning the paint or screwing it up otherwise, so I chose to try the pc route with propel pads. I originally went with the green propel and 4star swirl mark remover but that hardly made a dent at all. So I ordered the orange and yellow propel pads and tried out the 3M products I already had.



I have the PI-III Rubbing compound, the FI-II finishing material and PI foam polishing pad glaze (which from what I`ve read on here is just 3M swirl remover in a bigger bottle) Are these 3M products a waste of time with a PC? This detail has taken hours upon hours to get to where I`m at so I`m wondering if I need to try something else with the PC. It feels as if the clear coat is diamond-hard and I`m wondering if this is why it is taking so long to remove the swirls/scratches.



I wasn`t sure how much hazing the rubbing compound would leave so I went with the finishing material and the propel yellow pad which got all of the swirls out but couldn`t quite get some of the scratches down enough to be less noticeable. Of course now I have hazing so do you guys think that I can follow up with a Propel Green or blue and the foam polishing pad glaze to take out the hazing? From what I`ve read the glaze has fillers in it and I don`t want to spend all of this time "removing" haze if it`s just filling it.



I would imagine that it`s just the yellow pad leaving hazing, so could I just continue with the finishing material and a green or blue propel pad?



Overall what are the opinions of the 3M products just mentioned. I`ve had great results in the past (rotary wise) and would like to continue using them if possible. A few other products have been recommended such as poor boys ssr and vanilla moose. Opinions of these as well?



Thanks for any help you guys can offer. I`ve tried to read as much as possible in older threads and I have learned alot. I`d like to get this vette back to my buddy in the best shape possible so fire away!



:D

imported_themightytimmah
05-28-2005, 11:42 AM
Vettes can be a bear (hard clearcoat, angles, etc), espicially on black. I`ve heard of people taking 10+ hours on a car of that type/year. To remove the hazing, I would suggest Poorboy`s SSR2 or Menzerna FPII (or PO85RD if you really want it to shine/are willing to spend the money).



I wouldnt use the 3M glaze if I were you, I have used it on repo details, etc, before, but its one of those things that`ll come off in a month or so, leaving the car looking a bit less than new.

imported_Burlyq
05-28-2005, 12:06 PM
If you can catch the scratch with your nail you will never get it out with a PC, and probably not a rotary either. Some moran probably got a pebble stuck in the sponge when washing and kept washing it or something. Check abrasives scale, try the most aggresive. All the aggresive polishes will leave hazing that is corrected by the least aggresive polishes like FPII.



http://autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18913&perpage=12&highlight=abrasive&pagenumber=7

351c.i.d
05-28-2005, 06:35 PM
Thanks for the info! Anyone else care to chime in with opinions?

Eliot Ness
05-28-2005, 11:25 PM
The 3M PI III RC is very good and works well with a PC. The PI III RC and MG are one of my favorite polish combos.



If you want to stick with the PC and still remove the defects (the ones that are correctable) I`d try using 4" pads. They will not bog down as badly with the PC as the larger pads do, so you get a bit more cutting action. You`ll have to also get the correct size backing plate:



http://www.autopia-carcare.com/sosfx4sppa.html



http://www.autogeek.net/4inch-spot-buffs.html



http://www.properautocare.com/4inspotreppa.html