Another stupid wax thread...

[Spartycus]

hi guys,

I was doing a bunch of reading on wax and what to do to bring back the shine on my silver 67. The finish has always looked a little dull and I think my dad only waxed it and never stripped off the old wax.

So today I got a clay bar and macguiars ultimate 3 step since I was doing it by hand and all the feed back seemed pretty good. I was testing it on the hood.

I did the clay bar first and it took a lot of junk off. Then I did the compound just like the directions said. The applicator was grey by the time I was done. Then the polish....applicator was grey as well. Then the wax... I was doing this all in the garage, not in sun light.

Well, the results are worse than when I started. There are some chalky spots and the finish is more dull then the fender I never touched. Any ideas on what I did wrong? The paint job is at least 40 yrs old and would like to make it look better.

Thanks

Brian

 

[Dennis H]

Clay bar was the place to start. Can you lightly try a one step like Meguiers Cleaner Wax and gently use an orbital buffer. We need pictures.

 

[Spartycus]

I just put it away with a storm coming. I’ll try to snap some later. Maybe I just got the wrong product... I know when doing the polish it was almost leaving a black film in places I had to use a detail spray to remove it. This was just the hood. I know the synthetic wax didn’t have the same feel after wiping it off like the carnuba waxes I have used before.

 

[69L48Z27]

If you getting color on the pas and the paint is 40 years old it is not base/clear. Almost all your products today are not designed to work with old paints like lacquer or enamels.

That generation of silver is really hard to get shined up.

I would be using a wool pad and buffing. You'll end up burning it off if your not careful.

 

[Spartycus]

No clear coat. That’s probably my problem. What’s good to use on these old enamel paints? Thanks for the feedback guys

 

[coronet68mx]

 

[kiwigtx]

Our local Mother's Agent told me about a new product - a Clay Bar style attachment that fits onto the Wax Attack electric Palm Polisher....still waiting for it to be released, pending trials I guess.
Anyone else heard of this yet? I imagine it would look like a rough version of a polishing buff.

I have used my Palm Polisher a lot and it makes for an easier polish job.

 

[Car Nut]

Pictures?

Love to see that 67.

 

[Dennis H]

I use the Adams Products. I have modified the clay applications. Tried the one that fits in the Orbital and made the mistake of pulling up and it slung the clay to the ground. Expensive mistake. I use clay on wet just washed car now, enhanced with detail spray.

 

[texas69bee]

Any polish you use will change the pad a different color if there is no clear coat.
Are you using an orbital polisher?
No need for the compound.
A lambs wool pad may be to aggressive. Try a foam pad first. Autogeek.com has a big selection to pick from. Match the polish with the pad. Green pad will do just fine even for a final finish. If you want better, then follow up with a yellow pad. The polish alone will bring the shine back. Follow up with a good wax. Hard wax last longer.

 

[Officer Higgins]

hi guys,

I was doing a bunch of reading on wax and what to do to bring back the shine on my silver 67. The finish has always looked a little dull and I think my dad only waxed it and never stripped off the old wax.

So today I got a clay bar and macguiars ultimate 3 step since I was doing it by hand and all the feed back seemed pretty good. I was testing it on the hood.

I did the clay bar first and it took a lot of junk off. Then I did the compound just like the directions said. The applicator was grey by the time I was done. Then the polish....applicator was grey as well. Then the wax... I was doing this all in the garage, not in sun light.

Well, the results are worse than when I started. There are some chalky spots and the finish is more dull then the fender I never touched. Any ideas on what I did wrong? The paint job is at least 40 yrs old and would like to make it look better.

Thanks

Brian

You are going to need some type of orbital buffer to restore the shine after using clay bar. Clay removing system got off the ground thirty plus years ago. When new vehicles were shipped by rail, the fresh finishes would get tiny specks of ferrous metal embedded in the finish. ( rail dust ) then it was called ferrous metal fallout. Before clay system took off we used to remove the rust particles with oxalic acid solutions. Then shipping companies came out with thin plastic sheets to protect top surfaces from any environmental fall out. My point is when you clay the finish what ever has embedded itself into the finish is being removed into the clay then you are rubbing it across the paint. Fine scratches develop that wouldn't in today's finishes. My car is single stage enamel painted many years ago, it will never have the shine of today's ultra slick urethane, but you can shine it up. If it isn't dulled to badly, plastizers decay in the finish eventually, but thats different story.

 

[Spartycus]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I should think twice about the clay on the rest of the car right now.. both old cars are shingle stage enamel. The 69 has had a cloudy look for years on the hood and trunk. The 67 has never had a real shine at all (both cars have been around the house for 35 years). I am just trying to find the best product (and safest on the car) to bring it back to some level. I am hoping I didn’t mess up my hood now.. any recommendations?

 

[Officer Higgins]

Ask you this when you apply wax does it soak into finish and hard to remove? Pictures speak thousand words too. Have couple products here probably could send you couple sample bottles to try if you interested, im east of Cincinnati Ohio

 

[69L48Z27]

I would lay off the clay too. Stuff was never intended for yesterday's enamel.

Keep in mind the paint just may be dead. The last original paint car I detailed I used the 3M compounds and polishes we use on new paint after cut and buff. It's not aggressive on the old paint and it's made to work on clear or newer acrylic enamels that are activated.

 

[Spartycus]

I am worried not to get it back to ok now... I figured I was on the right path to get the old stuff off and starting with a clean slate. I have spent a few weeks researching looking up products I can get locally. I am not sure what products are even safe on the old cars now... agh... sorry for the rant, maybe I am trying to fix too many things at once to get the car back up to snuff. I have had it with me here in Detroit for a little over a month and it’s getting there but there always seems to be a set back to finishing some things (screws that wont come off, headlight motors not working and killing the battery etc). I figured this was going to be an easy one for today.

Thanks guys

 

[moparnation74]

40 year old single stage enamel paint job........probably waxed through the years with a low grade cleaner wax.....The haze is probably one or a combination due to thinned paint, UV and acid rain damage.....

Again, a picture would be helpful.....

 

[1967coronet]

Like these guys said, the paint is prob getting thin. , hood,roof, trunk lid, fender tops ect.
How does it feel if you take a clean shop rag and wipe slow across those areas ? Now try that with the rag on the sides like a door ect.
If the door is slick and the hood ect is grabbing the rag you may have some checking, cracking ect going on.
Good pics under bright light, close ups so we can see.
Myself I like to just use a grease and wax remover on a rag followed with a dry rag while its still wet to dewax a car with old paint.
Then hand wax with a old style product like a paste wax { turtle wax ect }
JMHO but older style wax products made for single stage paints will work better than the new stuff.

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

This stuff works great on old acrylic enamel. Sounds like you need to hit it with rubbing compound first. That’s providing there’s anything there to bring up.

 

[Spartycus]

Thanks guys. It’s rained the last few days so I haven’t been able to get her outside to take good pictures, the garage doesn’t have the best lighting. I did wipe it down with a dry microfiber towel again and some smudging went away. It still looks dull but it’s difinetly smooth to the rest of the car. It doesn’t look as bad as it did Saturday and one of the 2 stain marks is quite faded now which is a good thing. I’m not touching it with wax I have again though. I’ll look at some of the stuff you guys recommended. More to come weather permitting.

 

[Spartycus]

Well, I finally went back at it today. When it’s all said and done, it’s a little better than before I started so I don’t feel too bad. I know the light isn’t fantastic but the rain didn’t let me pull it out. I tried a light polish, glaze and wax (all hand applied and safe for enamel). I will probably put another coat of wax on it this week but for now, one seemed to show me what I needed to see. You wont see your reflection but it doesn’t look as bad as it did last week. One thing to note, I am wondering if part of what I was fighting is old wax build up. The hood looks a tad more silver than the fenders I didn’t touch.