Subject: 96 Plymouth Voyager Rallye.
Ok I have to admit the old daily driver was out of sight and of mind. I hardly drive it anymore and spent most of my time taking care of my GTP. However yesterday was a different story. It looked sad sitting on the street, dirty, not waxed, swirls, scratched and dinged.
So I set forth to make this look new again.
Dawn wash, it almost looked respectable.
Took out my PC for the very first time. I had always done everything by hand before. Applied the hookit backing pad and one of the 3M Perfect-It foam pads. (p# 057290) It is dark grey in colour, 7" dia. with about 50 waffles. Then applied 3m's fine cut rubbing compound (p#39002) to 1/2 the hood and set the PC to 3. After the product broke down I increased the speed to 5. Went over the hood untilt the product started to dry and throw rounded dry pieces all over. Not sure if I had gone to far, I stopped. Took a wet cotton towel and wiped down the haze to see what I had done. Results where ok but still alot of swirls and what seemed like scratches that I had introduced.
Then I remembered reading to apply some pressure. So I applied some more, spread it around and turned it up to 3-4. Put a little pressure on it until it seemed like the pad wasn't even turning.
Still wasn't too happy, but I would press on.
Next went to front fender and so on until I got to quarter panel. Lots of swirls here so I pushed a little harder bearing done quite a bit now. The PC was running flawlessly and kept up to my pace. By now I was feeling more confident and the results where looking better. By the time I reached the last panel I was feeling good about the surface. It was smooth.
The pad however was caked with dry product. I rubbed the foam and broke up the crud in the waffles. They where also pushed down flat. Lifted the waffles back up their normal position. Went over the hood surface one more time with new confidence and it came out almost perfect, I could clearly see the Clouds again.
Trial and error (not much error) to get the PC to do what I had done by hand before. Never again will I ever do that much surface without a machine.
I then buffed off the haze from the rest of the van and then proceeded to go aver the whole thing again with Meg #9 swirl remover glaze with the PC.
I then buffed that off and I could see the blades of grass in the side panels. Wow this van almost looked new again.
The side mirrors (black plastic) where oxidized and scratched so I applied rubbing compound by hand, I quess there are still places that are best suited for hand app's. The mirrors started to take on a whole new appearance.
Then applied #9 and buffed them to a mirror like surface. Never again will I apply Mothers Back to Black on them again. A good cleaning and not a cover up is whats necessary.
Back to black did take off the stains from the textured plastic bumpers and made them shine again. Maybe that is what it is best suited for.
Final step: I thought of using Z but I wanted to try something different.
Picked up 3M's Perfect-It Show car paste wax (p#39526) wet my applicator and started to apply. Went on effortlessly and was told by my automotive/paint supply guy to let it set for about 45 min. Waited about 1 hr. tried the finger swiped test and it was dry. Buffing off was too easy, lots learned from applying Z too heavy 1st time. Only ? here is the durability> We'll see how long it beads water.
6-7 hrs. later the Van looks great, wish I had before and after's for you all, but no DC. Maybe a fathers day gift.
Sorry about the long post but I justed wanted to say thanks to this forum and some of its members for being here with a steady supply of info.
Ok I have to admit the old daily driver was out of sight and of mind. I hardly drive it anymore and spent most of my time taking care of my GTP. However yesterday was a different story. It looked sad sitting on the street, dirty, not waxed, swirls, scratched and dinged.
So I set forth to make this look new again.
Dawn wash, it almost looked respectable.
Took out my PC for the very first time. I had always done everything by hand before. Applied the hookit backing pad and one of the 3M Perfect-It foam pads. (p# 057290) It is dark grey in colour, 7" dia. with about 50 waffles. Then applied 3m's fine cut rubbing compound (p#39002) to 1/2 the hood and set the PC to 3. After the product broke down I increased the speed to 5. Went over the hood untilt the product started to dry and throw rounded dry pieces all over. Not sure if I had gone to far, I stopped. Took a wet cotton towel and wiped down the haze to see what I had done. Results where ok but still alot of swirls and what seemed like scratches that I had introduced.
Then I remembered reading to apply some pressure. So I applied some more, spread it around and turned it up to 3-4. Put a little pressure on it until it seemed like the pad wasn't even turning.
Still wasn't too happy, but I would press on.
Next went to front fender and so on until I got to quarter panel. Lots of swirls here so I pushed a little harder bearing done quite a bit now. The PC was running flawlessly and kept up to my pace. By now I was feeling more confident and the results where looking better. By the time I reached the last panel I was feeling good about the surface. It was smooth.
The pad however was caked with dry product. I rubbed the foam and broke up the crud in the waffles. They where also pushed down flat. Lifted the waffles back up their normal position. Went over the hood surface one more time with new confidence and it came out almost perfect, I could clearly see the Clouds again.
Trial and error (not much error) to get the PC to do what I had done by hand before. Never again will I ever do that much surface without a machine.
I then buffed off the haze from the rest of the van and then proceeded to go aver the whole thing again with Meg #9 swirl remover glaze with the PC.
I then buffed that off and I could see the blades of grass in the side panels. Wow this van almost looked new again.
The side mirrors (black plastic) where oxidized and scratched so I applied rubbing compound by hand, I quess there are still places that are best suited for hand app's. The mirrors started to take on a whole new appearance.
Then applied #9 and buffed them to a mirror like surface. Never again will I apply Mothers Back to Black on them again. A good cleaning and not a cover up is whats necessary.
Back to black did take off the stains from the textured plastic bumpers and made them shine again. Maybe that is what it is best suited for.
Final step: I thought of using Z but I wanted to try something different.
Picked up 3M's Perfect-It Show car paste wax (p#39526) wet my applicator and started to apply. Went on effortlessly and was told by my automotive/paint supply guy to let it set for about 45 min. Waited about 1 hr. tried the finger swiped test and it was dry. Buffing off was too easy, lots learned from applying Z too heavy 1st time. Only ? here is the durability> We'll see how long it beads water.
6-7 hrs. later the Van looks great, wish I had before and after's for you all, but no DC. Maybe a fathers day gift.
Sorry about the long post but I justed wanted to say thanks to this forum and some of its members for being here with a steady supply of info.
