Newly Painted Fenders - what product now?

4

4run

New member
I picked up 2 new fenders for my 30 year old black truck. They came primed - looked quite good even without. Anyways, as per a couple videos I watched I painted them as follows:


  • Scuffed with a scotch pad
  • Cleaned with a wax/grease remover
  • Wiped with a tack cloth
  • Painted with 3 coats of Dupli-Color Primer Sealer (rattle cans)
  • Painted with 3 coats (actually a few more) of Dupli-Color Black (rattle cans)
  • Painted with 3 coats of Dominion Sure Seal High Gloss Instant Clear Coat (rattle cans)


At the moment the fenders actually look quite good. However, I want to do the right thing at this point without going overboard (the rest of the truck certainly isn`t the best looking and has rust). My thought is to buff up the fenders with something (not sure what - a cutting polish or something) to bring out a bit more lustre/smoothness and then to wax with something.

My question is what should I be using. I have watched a number of videos on this and looked at an abundance of info online etc. There is so many products (seemingly for the same things) - I am lost. One guy i watched on youtube (whose direction I was more or less following on the painting and seemed like me to be taking a modest/simple approach) evidently polished with a product called Meguiars Mirror Glaze Swirl Remover 2.0 (with a #9 on the bottle). Then I assume he waxed it. Anyways, I see a range of Meguiar`s products that `may` be applicable (a sample of which I have listed below):

  • Meguiar`s Ultimate Compound
  • Meguiar`s Ultimate Polish
  • Meguiar`s Ultra Cut Compound (#105)
  • Meguiar`s Ultra Finishing Polish(#205)
  • Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax
  • Meguiar`s Ultimate Paste Wax
  • There also seems to be `Mirror Glaze` versions of these things as well as lots more


So what might the suggestion be for a simple approach (and what products should I consider)? Doesn`t have to be Meguiars. Also, would like to just do by hand - don`t have a polisher and again the rest of the truck isn`t perfect - although I can certainly do the same routine on the rest of the truck to improve it as well. Would it be reasonable just to do an Ultimate Polish and then a wax. Would the Mirror Glaze Swirl Remover 2.0 be a better option? Maybe a Mothers product or something different?

Any/all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
Hold on, I`d suggest laying down a coat of Spray Max clear. That`s a rattle can catalyzed clear with hardener. That will last longer than traditional rattle can clear.
 
Welcome to the Forum, 4run ---
So, its a 1991 - what - truck ? :)
Last I checked, Dupli-color is acrylic lacquer, is that what you put on your fenders?
Big question -- How good do they look right now?? Really clear and glossy? Kind of clear and glossy?
Big question-2 Are you ok with the way the fenders look now??
Reason I ask is all those Meguiars compound and polish products you listed are great, but they are normally used with a machine, and perhaps, wool/wool/blend pads, or microfiber pads, and then, foam pads to finish polishing..
I have never tried to compound a big area without using a machine,(Rotary) but I suppose it can be done.. Correcting the paint by hand may be difficult to get it to come out all the same smoothness, etc., even on acrylic lacquer, which is a great paint that is usually on the medium soft to hard side..
Whatever you decide to do, please wait until the paint layers you have on your fenders are dry and cured..If you can still smell the paint, it is not cured.. It dries and cures from the bottom layer to the top.. You have 9 layers of product on there, correct ?
I have lots of years experience using Meguiars 105 and 205.. They both work great - with a machine -..
The Ultimate line is good but will not perform as well as the 105 and 205 products and are more directed to the casual user, etc...
The Meguiars Mirror Glaze # 2 (https://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-fine-cut-cleaner.html#.YQIRS72pH3g) is some kind of a polish, and it might work to some extent.. I have never used it..
I have years of experience with the Meguiars 205 product and it can absolutely make paintwork look like a perfectly clear, flat, mirror when used with a machine by an experienced person..
Same with the Meguiars 105 compound.. Works really fast and well, just have to not let it dry up, and then, finishes down really nicely; again with a machine and an experienced person working that Rotary..
Yes, there are lots of products besides these 2 (that were the first ones out before any other), except for the 3M line..
I know of no products that correct paintwork that are user hand friendly, because I only use machine power..
What do you think ?
Dan F
 
wannafbody said:
Hold on, I`d suggest laying down a coat of Spray Max clear. That`s a rattle can catalyzed clear with hardener. That will last longer than traditional rattle can clear.
Click to expand...

Thanks you kindly for your response. I know that when I started putting the clear on that I did the can said to start putting it on within 20 mins of the last color coat (which I did). Can I put yet more clear on at this point? If so, is there a prep step to take first?
 
Stokdgs said:
Welcome to the Forum, 4run ---
So, its a 1991 - what - truck ? :)
Last I checked, Dupli-color is acrylic lacquer, is that what you put on your fenders?
Big question -- How good do they look right now?? Really clear and glossy? Kind of clear and glossy?
Big question-2 Are you ok with the way the fenders look now??
Reason I ask is all those Meguiars compound and polish products you listed are great, but they are normally used with a machine, and perhaps, wool/wool/blend pads, or microfiber pads, and then, foam pads to finish polishing..
I have never tried to compound a big area without using a machine,(Rotary) but I suppose it can be done.. Correcting the paint by hand may be difficult to get it to come out all the same smoothness, etc., even on acrylic lacquer, which is a great paint that is usually on the medium soft to hard side..
Whatever you decide to do, please wait until the paint layers you have on your fenders are dry and cured..If you can still smell the paint, it is not cured.. It dries and cures from the bottom layer to the top.. You have 9 layers of product on there, correct ?
I have lots of years experience using Meguiars 105 and 205.. They both work great - with a machine -..
The Ultimate line is good but will not perform as well as the 105 and 205 products and are more directed to the casual user, etc...
The Meguiars Mirror Glaze # 2 (https://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-fine-cut-cleaner.html#.YQIRS72pH3g) is some kind of a polish, and it might work to some extent.. I have never used it..
I have years of experience with the Meguiars 205 product and it can absolutely make paintwork look like a perfectly clear, flat, mirror when used with a machine by an experienced person..
Same with the Meguiars 105 compound.. Works really fast and well, just have to not let it dry up, and then, finishes down really nicely; again with a machine and an experienced person working that Rotary..
Yes, there are lots of products besides these 2 (that were the first ones out before any other), except for the 3M line..
I know of no products that correct paintwork that are user hand friendly, because I only use machine power..
What do you think ?
Dan F
Click to expand...

Hello and thank you very much for your response. Yes, used the dupli-color which I believe is an acrylic laquer as you say. the fenders look quite good actually although there are a couple small drip type spots (you have to look hard for). Also, it is a tiny bit rough in areas (not 100% glossy smooth). they are somewhat glossy/reflective although I know the paint didn`t go down 100% smooth. I am ok with the way they look now although I can`t help but think a buffing of some sort would make them even better. If I go maguiars perhaps the ultimate would be the best choice given I am a non-experienced? Wonder if just the polish would be good? thanks for letting me know about the drying - I think it has been 5 days now and i`m not in any particular hurry. I suppose i could consider getting a polisher although I didn`t want to spend a lot of $ on one and kind of assume a cheaper one might be more trouble that its worth. Forgot to say, its a `90 4Runner
 
4run said:
Hello and thank you very much for your response. Yes, used the dupli-color which I believe is an acrylic laquer as you say. the fenders look quite good actually although there are a couple small drip type spots (you have to look hard for). Also, it is a tiny bit rough in areas (not 100% glossy smooth). they are somewhat glossy/reflective although I know the paint didn`t go down 100% smooth. I am ok with the way they look now although I can`t help but think a buffing of some sort would make them even better. If I go maguiars perhaps the ultimate would be the best choice given I am a non-experienced? Wonder if just the polish would be good? thanks for letting me know about the drying - I think it has been 5 days now and i`m not in any particular hurry. I suppose i could consider getting a polisher although I didn`t want to spend a lot of $ on one and kind of assume a cheaper one might be more trouble that its worth. Forgot to say, its a `90 4Runner
Click to expand...

4run -
Tks for your reply. Loved those 4Runners back then ! How nice..
Its great to hear your painting came out really good... Congrats.

Yes, machine compounding and polishing always makes paint look better.
Have you used machines to compound and polish paint before?
If no, do you want to invest $$ on all the products that come with using products on your paintwork, and then still have to learn how to do it on your vehicle?
It will be purchasing a machine, perhaps a random orbital, then you need backing plates, perhaps 2 different sizes, then you need a lot of pads,-some made for compounding the paintwork initially, then others to refine the original compounding and get the finish level, clear, and glossy, a lot of microfiber towels, cleaners for the towels and the pads, perhaps lots of wet or dry sandpaper if you decide to color sand with a block, all the finished paint you just applied,..
All of this is even more tedious on Black because it shows everything good and bad really easy..

But it is not impossible.. I have detailed hundreds of black vehicles over the years.. One year, I did 17 black vehicles in a row...

The thing about watching someone else do it, (Youtube) is that you don`t know how many hours, years, etc., experience they have, and if they are really any good or not anyway.. I guess it is good to see a visual of how it goes..

No paintwork is ever going to be the same and react the same as the next paintwork.. One has to be very flexible. and try to figure out how to make it work right for that spot on that panel and then, move forward to the next spot on that panel, and hopefully it will react the same...In your case, since you applied all the products at the same time, you should be fine.. Has to dry and cure... :)

If you decide to go further, are you going to colorsand all that paint with wet or dry sandpaper and water running on it the entire time? Have you done that before?
If you decide to colorsand it, then you Will have to compound all of it, then polish all of it because sanding it will immediately take away all that clear coat gloss you have on the top..
But compounding and polishing all of it will bring it back really beautifully clear, flat, and very glossy... I loved acrylic lacquer back then!!!

Regarding the products, I have never used the Ultimate line of Meguiars compounds and polishes. I suppose they are good too..
The other 2 - Meguiars 105 and 205 are absolutely great products to use in the hands of pros, and those that want to really learn how to use them.. None of this is going to happen immediately like it looks on Youtube...

But it can happen.. Do you want to use your newly painted fenders to experiment on? Once you start it, that shine you have today will be all gone, and will have to be brought back out with a good amount of machine work and lots of hours out there...Even more because of the color..

Good luck with your research and this project !
Dan F
 
The semi-black primer on new replacement parts is a ecoat primer, intended to protect the part while in storage and shipping. It requires a surface primer to be applied and then application of either a single stage or base/clear to be be applied. Not doing so will produce a short term finish no matter how it may appear for a short time.
 
4run said:
Thanks you kindly for your response. I know that when I started putting the clear on that I did the can said to start putting it on within 20 mins of the last color coat (which I did). Can I put yet more clear on at this point? If so, is there a prep step to take first?
Click to expand...

I`ve seen videos where people put the Spray Max over other clears. As to how long they`ve had to wait, I`m not sure. Do some research on youtube. I think what you have currently won`t last very long.
 
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