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fiberglass painted in single stage, how to correct?
- Thread starter bigx5murf
- Start date
Ron Ketcham
Active member
[B[/B]
It sounds like the paint was either not catalized properly or a low grade paint.
Do you know how long it has been since they were painted, and was it by a legitimate shop or the owner?
bigx5murf said:I'm a beginner, using a GG DA, and optimum's spray polish/compound & mf pads.
I've had good results on metal parts painted in single stage, but it just seems the fiberglass parts stay dull. Is there any pad/polish combo that can shine single stage painted fg parts?
It sounds like the paint was either not catalized properly or a low grade paint.
Do you know how long it has been since they were painted, and was it by a legitimate shop or the owner?
Ron Ketcham
Active member
So it's the spoiler or some factory ground effects?
How old is it and what model?
Really need to know as many of parts were not installed at the factory, but at the port of entry by Mazda's subcontractors.
How old is it and what model?
Really need to know as many of parts were not installed at the factory, but at the port of entry by Mazda's subcontractors.
Ron Ketcham
Active member
OK, you may be able, using a rotary and compound, followed by polishing with a foam pad, either da or rotary, to bring back a bit of gloss for a "short time".
Red's are the most unstable of the pigments, without a clearcoat over them, the pigment starts to go and as it does, so does the film former/binder resin system. That is what creates the real "shine or gloss".
Sorry, but it appears that the only way to get it back to the way you want it and have it last is refinishing.
Red's are the most unstable of the pigments, without a clearcoat over them, the pigment starts to go and as it does, so does the film former/binder resin system. That is what creates the real "shine or gloss".
Sorry, but it appears that the only way to get it back to the way you want it and have it last is refinishing.
Not what I wanted to hear, I've got a lot of friends with single stage red miatas, wanting to do something. Whats strange is some of them don't have the fade problem on their FG parts. I'm guessing those examples were garaged/waxed, or even possibly refinished.
As for refinishing, would it make sense to only clear coat. Or is that a half measure that won't turn out so well?
As for refinishing, would it make sense to only clear coat. Or is that a half measure that won't turn out so well?
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Just clearing will not provide a color match.
It may be that your friends have later models. Or as you say, they were always properly maintained, garaged away from damaging UV's, etc.
You never stated what year yours is, as that could make a difference anyway.
I worked with Mazda USA from 1988 until I retired in 2008, regarding paint, body and corrosion issues, trim issues.(still do some consulting for them) Which is why I ask the questions I do, I need factual information to even start to diagonis concerns.
Until the 1998 models of the car, all solid colors did not get a clear, metallics did.
It may be that your friends have later models. Or as you say, they were always properly maintained, garaged away from damaging UV's, etc.
You never stated what year yours is, as that could make a difference anyway.
I worked with Mazda USA from 1988 until I retired in 2008, regarding paint, body and corrosion issues, trim issues.(still do some consulting for them) Which is why I ask the questions I do, I need factual information to even start to diagonis concerns.
Until the 1998 models of the car, all solid colors did not get a clear, metallics did.
Ron Ketcham said:Just clearing will not provide a color match.
It may be that your friends have later models. Or as you say, they were always properly maintained, garaged away from damaging UV's, etc.
You never stated what year yours is, as that could make a difference anyway.
I worked with Mazda USA from 1988 until I retired in 2008, regarding paint, body and corrosion issues, trim issues.(still do some consulting for them) Which is why I ask the questions I do, I need factual information to even start to diagonis concerns.
Until the 1998 models of the car, all solid colors did not get a clear, metallics did.
That's good info, I have an 04, with metallic paint, it's definitely clearcoat, and rather hard clear at that. I have a friend with a BRG, which looks like it has clear, but I didn't get a chance to check for sure yet. Most of the rest are red, and red seems to have a very large scale of condition, some look a pale pink, while other look like they've got clearcoat.
Considering the age of miatas, I'm betting some have both clear and single stage from accident repairs. I'll have to wait till I get a chance to test multiple panels on them. I've only tried paint correction on one single stage red miata so far, a 92, it was really faded, to a dark pink color. The metal panels restored to a rich glossy red, but it still had pits when you touch it, and when clay bar'ing it, the clay would get dark red. There was just nothing that could be done on the FG parts, it shined a little more, but stayed dull, and pinkish in color, even down to the white FG underneath.