chuckster

Ok, So I am restoring the paint on my old beater before I sell it.. After hearing all the great things about the PC I caved and bought one from Lowes...

So here is a picture of the hood of my Old Beater....
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I need help restoring it... The rest of the car is just dull but I can clearly see that 3M Swirlmark remover works perfect for making it shine excellent..

I used the foam pad and tried it on the trunk lid...Came out great..

But upon experimenting with the Hood... No Dice... 3M Swirlmark remover wont touch it.. I also tried these with no success..



It will come out if I rub a small circle by hand (Very Hard)with the red and then go to the white and then to the 3m... Should I just do it longer??

The hood was repainted a few years ago.. So that paint is not original..


What is the best way to handle the hood?? What should I use? Liquid or paste? Should I wet it down? SHould I press hard?

Please help..

ZaneO

You really need more pads, too. I suggest a couple of polishing pads and a couple of light cutting pads. You shouldn't mix products on the same pad.

You should consider picking up another good paint polish or two (3M, Menzerna, Einszett, etc.).

For major defects, I use a light cutting pad with a medium-heavy polish on speed 5-6. Work the area (2' x 2') front to back, side to side, and diagonally each direction until the polish is *almost* dry. Then remove and inspect your work. When you are satisfied, you can move down to a polishing pad and a finer polish to restore gloss and minimize marring.

Never move on to the next step without inspecting/satisfaction.

VETFVER

The question is how much paint remains on the hood? If there is not enough paint under that haze, you might have to have it repainted. The trunk might have had more paint on it. The fender has a good coat to work with but the hood looks like it is down to the undercoat. I would take it to your local paint shop for advice. They could tell you how much paint you have to work with under the haze and the right compounds.

Good Luck!

VETFVER

chuckster

Too many choices... Just give me something that will cut that haze... I'll go get pads... By the way.. I washed the pad before I switched products..

I need something that cuts good.. Do I need to use a different pad for that?

chuckster

Believe it or not... That is the CLEAR coat that looks like that.. (It was repainted and I think they went nuts on the clear..) No matter how hard I rub. I never get black paint on the pad....always comes up clear.. The black paint is fine underneath that hazy clear coat..

If you look at that smaller circular spot... That is where I hand rubbed through the clear coat...

ZaneO

Well, if you are wanting something locally, go get some 3M Finesse It 2. It will work best with a light cutting pad. Follow that with 3M SMR and a polishing pad.

chuckster

Just read a bunch on Autopia.. Yes I want something I can get locally.. What do you think of wet sanding with 2000??

What level of cutting can expect from the Finess it 2??? Less than 2000 grit paper?

ZaneO

I do not suggest wetsanding.

P.S. I'm referring to Finesse It 2 Fine Cut.

VETFVER

Another good resource is any Auto Paint store. They can look at your hood and recommend the correct products you need to restore lost luster. They carry them in stock.

VETFVER

bugman

I see that you're looking for products available in stores.
nonetheless I wanted to put in a vote for Menzerna intensive polish - then when the haze is improved move on to menzerna final polish II. It's a great combination.

I would guess that you'll have to order your pads by mail anyway, so you might as well put an order in for the Menzerna. Buy an orange (light cutting) pad for the intensive polish, and a white (polishing) pad for the final polish II. I really like this pad:

chuckster

If you think the FI 2 will do the trick.. Then I am going today to get some...

What pad should I use?? I need to get another one for the FI 2.. I will use the white pad that came with the PC for the SMR... I need to pick up more of that too..

Aurora40

It's hard to tell what that is on the hood. It sort of looks like you just wetsanded it, and sort of looks like clearcoat failure... Can you take a closer pict?

chuckster

Trust me.. It's the clearcoat...never been sanded.. Tell me more about Clearcoat Failure?

If I get below that... I get nice clean Black paint.. You can see the circles where I used the red compound to get below it.. I gave up when I realized it would take me a week to do the whole hood by hand..

chuckster

Just looked up Clear Coat Failure.. Looks like that is what I have,..they say repaint is the only option..

I say F$%K that.. I am selling a beater... I can assure you.. If I wet sand the clear completely off the hood it will look great after I buff out the paint.. So I will need wet sand instructions...

the Trunk lid has ZERO clear left on it from years of using Cleaner Waxes.. and ironically has the best shine After I hit it with the PC and SMR...

TOGWT

To remove the clearcoat from a paint system and get any type of finish (even on a beater, is how can i say...very difficult)
JonM

chuckster

I realize that.. But I already did it.. In some spots by hand..Not shown in that picture.. I am certain this PC should have the ***** to cut right though it with the right pad/compound/Sandpaper etc..

Aurora40

If you are getting base coat up on a pad on a base coat/clear coat finish, then the clear is done, at least in that area. That's not a good thing. You won't be able to polish out clearcoat failure. You could have it repainted, or just leave it.

I think if you polish off the clear, you'll be left with a pretty dull flat black hood. Base coats aren't usually very glossy, it's the clear that has the gloss and reflection. Also, if you did that the base coat would have no protection, and might not last that long. Wetsanding the base coat to bring up gloss will risk sanding into the primer. The base coat isn't that thick, AFAIK, since it only has to provide color, not any sort of protection or UV resistance. I think trying to sand/buff it to a gloss is asking for trouble.

I supposed in a pinch you could sand the hood to scuff it up and to flake off any failed clear, and then shoot it by hand with just clear coat. It would be cheap and fairly easy, and what's the worst that could happen? It looks pretty bad now, it can't look much worse (unless you overspray all over your car or something like that...)

Aurora40

I would also add that wetsanding paint, and then trying to buff those sanding marks out with a PC instead of a rotary, might be incredibly hard or may be impossible.

chuckster

Just ran out and bought some 3m 2000 grit Sandpaper and the rubber sanding block they make for it..

I did a 1'x1' spot on the hood in the worst spot... I kept spraying water on it till I ended up with "milk" on the hood.. I wiped it down with a sponge and then hit it with the White Turtle wax polishing compound,

then followed up with 3m SMR... I need to take a picture of how beautiful the black looks!! I had not even put a coat of wax on it yet...

This was all done by hand.. I will do the wet sand by hand... and then use my PC for the last 2 steps.. Thanks for all your help guys!!!!!

I'll take pics when it's done..

ZeusC6

that clear is toast! Wet sand the whole hood my man, your heading down the right road.
just keep getting finer paper,it will take out the scratches from the previous paper! Then polish, and sell!