Did My Research, Now Just Confirming... :)

J

jeff88

New member
Hey guys! I love forums. There's always a wealth of knowledge and this one is not short of it! I've learned so much already! ;) I just have a few questions to make sure I've got a good footing before I pull the trigger on these products and get to work! If anything I'm saying is wrong, please correct me.

I started out looking for a way to fix my badge removal silhouette issue. It looks like this (sorry for the bad lighting, but you get the idea):


(Let's not talk about those scratches... :notme:)

So everything I've read here and videos I've watched talk about polishing the area in order to clean it up. Well long story short, now I'm mentally well into this whole thing and not just for those removed badges!!! :)

I not only want to fix my rear hatch, but the rest of the truck as well. I've got scratches from the PO all over the place, which is only one problem I've got. This truck has turned into a restoration project, starting with rebuilding the engine and fixing other various issues. Anyway, I've been reading up on what I need to get started, but I need some guidance on what polishes to get for my scratches. I understand how it all works, but I don't have a reference point for how deep or shallow my scratches are and how aggressive of a polish I need. Here's some pics for a visual:

This is a deeper scratch:


These are the standard key scratches around the door handle (I'm really not sure why they are there, there's a $&%^#@ key fob for a reason!):


Any idea how aggressive of a polish I need for this stuff? Are these considered fine and medium scratches or deeper scratches? On Todd's chart: http://www.autopia.org/forums/paint...-autopia-carcare-polish-comparison-chart.html, how aggressive of a polish would I need for these scratches?

The door handles are also looking a little grizzly. Is this just the clear coat peeling and I can just polish and wax to make it like new or do I need to paint it?


I also have some sun burns on the roof, which from what I have read can be fixed with a polish as well. Where in the aggressiveness scale would these fall?



I also have some gnarly road rash on my grill, which just happens to be color matched, so it looks like you-know-what. I doubt this can get polished out, so I've read up on Doctor Color Chip and it seems to be the best way to go.



The PO also was involved in a couple of minor fender benders / bumper thumpers (another thing I need to fix during this restoration :rolleyes: ). I need to figure out how to un-dent the body and then I plan on using a rust remover pen like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J18RT6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1UMBRA5ZTBCX8. Once I do that, I'll use the DCC to fill in the paint. Here's what the damage looks like:
Rear bumper:


Front passenger fender/bumper (I might just replace the fender, it's a pretty good bump, but the bumper still needs to be fixed nonetheless):


OK, so with all that out of the way, here is my current list of products to get:

PC 7424XP: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002654I46/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Astro Pneumatic 5" Backing Plate: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CH3Z8W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
LC Orange 5.5" Foam Pad: http://www.amazon.com/Orange-Lake-C...4728060&sr=8-3&keywords=lake+country+5.5+pads
LC White 5.5" Foam Pad: http://www.amazon.com/White-Lake-Co...4728060&sr=8-5&keywords=lake+country+5.5+pads
LC Blue 5.5" Foam Pad: http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys...4728060&sr=8-8&keywords=lake+country+5.5+pads
Meguiars Ultimate Compound (for the deeper stuff): http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G172...34&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+ultimate+compound
Meguiars 82 (for fine scratches): http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirr...F8&qid=1424910802&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+82
Meguiars M21 (synthetic wax): http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirr...39&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+synthetic+sealant
GG Clay Kit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UQR08K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
MF Towels: Not sure which ones, because every one I've seen has good and bad reviews, both contrasting each other with the performance of the towel... any ideas? The GG clay kit has 3 MF towels, but are they good enough and is 3 enough or should I have more?

MISC:
Windshield Chip Repair Kit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EA5WLS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2LSEMA7JR3A29
Rust Remover Pen: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J18RT6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1UMBRA5ZTBCX8
Plastic Razor Blades (for finishing badge removal): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0022ZI0JY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

(Notice where I buy a lot of my product! :D)

Anything I should add, delete, change, buy extra, buy less...? Based on the pics of the damage I have, what products (listed or not) should I use to remedy the issues? Are the products I have good (enough) or is there something better you would recommend? I'm not brand specific and I know everybody has their own personal feelings about certain products, but I'm not looking for a showroom, Pebble Beach 18th hole worthy look, just a solid basic setup for getting me started.

Thank you for taking the time to read all of this and helping me out. Hopefully I can get a good solid foundation and really make my vehicles all that they can be! ;):autopia:
 
jeff88 said:
This is a deeper scratch:


These are the standard key scratches around the door handle (I'm really not sure why they are there, there's a $&%^#@ key fob for a reason!):



The door handles are also looking a little grizzly. Is this just the clear coat peeling and I can just polish and wax to make it like new or do I need to paint it?


I also have some sun burns on the roof, which from what I have read can be fixed with a polish as well. Where in the aggressiveness scale would these fall?



I also have some gnarly road rash on my grill, which just happens to be color matched, so it looks like you-know-what. I doubt this can get polished out, so I've read up on Doctor Color Chip and it seems to be the best way to go.

Click to expand...

The bad news is that the paint on the door handles, the roof and the front grille have clear coat failure. The only real fix is a repaint. There is no product that can fix that.

Why not take advantage of the current sale. http://www.autopia.org/forums/autopia-carcare-com/179865-20-free-shipping-50-a.html

If it was up to me I would pick up a GG 6 DA over the PC. It has more power. Check out some of the DA kits on the what's new page. There are some good one's.

My recommendation would be to pick up Meguiar's ultimate trio (ultimate compound, ultimate polish and ultimate wax). Ultimate compound should be able to make those scratches look better. If your finger nail catches it then the scratch is pretty deep.
 
Mike's right. Clear coat failure

You ain't gonna fix it, unless you're an automotive painter
 
Too bad on the CC failure. Not much you can do as others said.

As for the look where the badges were, that gives you a very good indication of how cloudy/dull the paint has become. The badges protected the paint underneath, so its still in good shape. The rest of the paint was exposed and weathered. You can just spot buff around where the badges were but you'll end up just wanting to do the entire car cause you'll have these really nice glossy spots if you don't. Megs UC is great and I've had great results with it. Actually used it as a one step before and it turned out great! (Lighter paint). I personally never was a fan of using the combo of UC and UP, specifically the polish because it contains fillers, which if I'm correcting, I don't want fillers.

Best of luck and take progress photos to share along the way!
 
Another Newbie question here... If there is clear coat failure as you mentioned but only on some spots.. similiar but not as aggressive as what is pictured... could you not still polish the entire area and clean up what is still "alive" or would it be better to just coat it in a sealant/wax for added protection and slower fade.

If you did polish that area are you risking more paint from chipping while buffing ? I have a friend with a similiar issue but only on smaller quarter size areas at random locations on her roof.
Thanks.
 
The integrity of the clear coat is already compromised. I wouldn't risk going at it with anything abrasive. Just clean it and keep a coat of sealant/wax on it to keep it at a minimum
 
That car needs a body shop - not a detailer.

Just an FYI, the badge imprint is called "shadowing" and it results from UV rays fading the base coat of the paint around the badge - but not under where the badge / sticker is.

This is why de-badging any car that's been in the sun for a while is prolly not the best idea. The only true fix for that is a repaint as well - as, the issue is with the faded color coat surrounding where the emblem or sticker was - not the clear coat.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the replies!

So I guess I'll just leave the roof and door handles alone as far as polishing goes and just give it a quick clay bar and sealant to minimize further damage and try to extend the time until I need to actually paint it.

I can't catch the scratches with my nail at all, so would I need a compound or would a lighter polish work for me?

Now you have me curious, why would fillers be bad? Which polishes don't have fillers?

This truck indeed should have gone to a body shop to begin with, but yet another issue with the PO owning this truck. It really didn't belong in their hands. In other circumstances, this truck would go to a body shop, but I plan to put aftermarket bumpers on each end, so I don't want to pay to have them fixed, just to have them taken off... just looking nice until I get to that point. The only chance of it seeing a body shop is to fix that fender. We'll see what happens, I haven't decided the best route yet. After that, it just needs a good new paint job (apparently), which again is not yet anywhere near the front burner for things to do. I need to fix some of the minor mechanical issues before I worry *too* much about the appearance (I know, I know, I'm contradicting myself here just on the fact that I'm on this forum). Anyway, I want to make it look nice without going overboard. I might go get a quote and see what happens though. :)

Can anybody recommend some good MF towels? What's your preference?

Do I need to have 3 different pads? One for compound, one for polish, and one for wax was my thinking. Obviously, if I don't need to get a compound, I won't get the pad for it.

Here's the updated list:
GG DA Polisher
Astro Pneumatic 5" Backing Plate
LC Orange
LC White
LC Blue
Meguiars UC (if needed)
Meguiars M21
GG Clay Kit

Thanks again everybody for your advice!
 
I definitely agree on the gg polisher vs the PC, I have both and the gg is a far superior machine. Honestly I think this truck would be a great candidate for an AIO. With all the rest of the work it needs you would be very disappointed to have some bits of it almost perfect and other parts still bad from clear coat failure. A good AIO can do wonders and really make a huge difference quick by removing light oxidation and light swirls leaving a nice gloss that stays as well as some surface protection. I have and really like HD Speed, did wonders on my old truck, it wasn't worth spending hours on polishing to perfection but the paint looked like construction paper it had so little gloss! An hour around the truck with my Griots 6", LC 5.5" orange pad and Speed and the truck looked amazing. Still had a mess of swirls but the gloss it had was jaw dropping for the time I spent on it.
 
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