Classic Vette Detail, I've got Questions and need advice!! (pics inside)

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sftempest66

New member
I've got a detail coming up shortly and I've never really detailed an "old car"...I'm just not sure if I can use the same products and everything that I use on today's cars on the old paint....I've been using the Porter Cable for all of my details and using the Optimum HC, OC, and OP for finishing out the paint, then I'll top it with Optimum Poliseal and then with EX-P/P21-S...



So my question is, can I use these products??? Kinda nervous and I told the guy that I could do the car but I was just posting up a thread on here to see if any of you guys know for sure that I can do this...Any help would be appreciated!!! I need to know by this sunday, 2/4/07!!!



Here are some pictures of the car, I stopped by to take a look at it and it looked like it was in "ok" shape, and I'm not sure if this is the original paint or not...looks too good for it to be totally original



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Here is the interior

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You should be okay with those products.



I did a 1963 vert once and used a claybar, 3M rubbing compound, Meg's paint cleaner, then Meg's polish all with the PC and a yellow, orange and white pad then finished it with some NXT.

The 3M rubbing compound I used is good for removing up to 1200-1500 sanding marks so it's pretty agressive.



It turned out real well and the owner wasn't sure if it was the origional paint on the 63 or new paint either. I think it was real old paint cause I could see where the paint was starting to split over the front tires on that peek area.



I was just a bit more cautious with everything, but it turned out great.



It took me quite a bit of time to do this 63 since there are so many little nooks and crannies on it and lots of chrome bumpers, I had to get over, under and around it all.



I think you'll be okay, here's a pic of how mine turned out......btw he's having me back to do the 1973 black vette next.:woot2:





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It looks like in the pictures that it has been repainted with BC/CC so you will probably be able to treat it as any other car that has been repainted. Start with a finishing pad and light polish to test hardness then go from there. If you get some paint transfer you are probably are working with a older paint job so watch the body lines and check often since you won't know how thick the paint is being that old.



Here is a couple of that I own.





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Alright guys, thanks for the responses, I'll definately start out light and if I do get paint transfer what do I do, can I keep on polishing or not???



Joshvette - Thanks for the reply! I'm real interested to detail the car and I was wondering how tough the clear was on the vette that you did, I've had some problems with newer vettes having an indestructable clearcoat and I hope this baby isn't like that!!!
 
I once did a '58 Edsel with the original paint and Meguiars worked just fine on it, and I am sure Optimum would also have worked well too.
 
I hate lateral scrolling. Why post pictures that are one bazillion pixels wide. Try 700 pixels. Sheeesh!
 
sftempest66 said:
Alright guys, thanks for the responses, I'll definately start out light and if I do get paint transfer what do I do, can I keep on polishing or not???



Joshvette - Thanks for the reply! I'm real interested to detail the car and I was wondering how tough the clear was on the vette that you did, I've had some problems with newer vettes having an indestructable clearcoat and I hope this baby isn't like that!!!
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The newer vettes have very hard clearcoats, but the 63 I did was not that hard.



The owner wasn't sure if it had been repainted or not, if it was repainted it was a long time ago cause the paint was starting to split and I could not correct the splitting at all, it was still there after all I did to it.:confused:
 
sftempest66 said:
So what happens if I get paint transfer?? Anyone care to elaborate??
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Go with Meguiars if you have any on hand. Any polish line will work on SS, but Meg's Pro Line always seems to play real nice with SS finishes. SS paints are usually pretty soft - make sure to use minimal pressure when wiping off polishes and waxes. You might need to use a glaze if the paint is super soft. Also, you'll find that scratches and swirls level down easier on SS than on BC/CC.



Don't be afraid of a little color coming off on your pads, but try not to be too aggressive as if it's original paint (or a less than ideal repaint), the paint is likely to be very thin.
 
sftempest66 said:
So what happens if I get paint transfer?? Anyone care to elaborate??
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It just means you'll have a bunch of pigment on your pads and your buffing towels, don't worry about it but take it as a warning that you *are* removing paint (which you do when polishing clearcoats anyhow).



SS metallics can be weird (I've had odd experiences with them over the last 30-some years). If it's ss metallic you might not get transfer from gentle polishing as the paint sometimes separates- almost-clear paint rises to the top, making for a sorta "pseudo-clearcoat" that's very thin. Gotta be careful with such paints as they can turn "blotchy" if you polish them too much because you cut through this layer down into the part of the paint where the metallic particles are and make *that* portion of the paint uneven (I have this on the Jag). If it's already oxidized/been aggressively polished (which is likely) you could already be at that point anyhow, so go gentle if/when you get transfer so that you don't make the blotchiness really bad. Note to paint experts: Yeah, the preceding was a little over-simplified but oughta suffice for functional purposes.



IMO it' probably pretty likely that the car's been repainted. No way to tell what they used until you work on it.



In any event, I'd be very gentle with that paint and I wouldn't try for perfection. I too would use Meguiar's products...probably nothing harsher than #80 and I'd probably go with a glaze/"pure polish" between the abrasive polishing and the LSP. And I'd use a heavy carnauba for the LSP.



Joshvette- I have some cracks in the Jag's lacquer; on older cars I think of it as "patina"...as long as it's not *awful* looking it's a "feature" ;)
 
Lightman said:
Might just be me, but I don't see a point in using poli seal after you've just done OP and are going to use a LSP after polishing.
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It is an excellent final polishing step and base for carnaubas.
 
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