Hal M

Is there an easy way,or a product for sale to help keep my 67 marlboro maroon (988) paint looking shinny.
I can polish and wax the corvette and within a week the paint looks very dull.
I would appreciate suggestions!
Thanks for your help,
Hal

BarryK

is the surface itself nice and clean and free from contaminents?
if you brush your hand over the surface of the pait does it feel smmoth as glass or a bit rough?
if it doesn't feel perfectly smooth, you can try using a clay bar on it to clean it completely, than a good coat of wax.
I usually wax mine ony a couple times a year but about once a week I'll wipe her down with a california brush to get the dust off and hit her with a quick detailer spray wax. Takes all of 10-15 minutes and she feels perfectly clean and smooth. You can't put a towel on her without it sliding off and she shines great.
Mine is a '65 Milano Maroon so close in color to yours.

If the paint is older and just getting hazed, a good paint shop should be able to buff it out for you to bring the shine back.

Seaside63

If the paint isn't sparkly and shiney then wax isn't going to do much.

Your paint needs to be properly polished. It should shine without any wax at all. All the wax (or sealant) is for is to protect the finish.

Try Meguiarsonline.com or Autopia.org to learn more than you ever wanted to know about paint polishing and care.

As Barry mentioned, you first want to wash with a good shampoo and then use detailing clay to clean all the surface contaminants off the paint. Don't be too frugal with the lubricant spray. Split the clay into palm sized pucks and if you drop the clay throw it away. (you don't want to be scraping your paint with dirty clay). Fold and knead the clay from time to time to keep it fresh.

You'll be amazed at what the clay can do.

Then I would suggest you go to Lowe's and get the Porter-Cable 7336 random orbital polisher ($100). Then go to your local Auto Paint Supply and get the Meguiar's polishing backing plate and pad kit ($35) and some #80 polish and #26 Hi-Tech Yellow wax. The #80 is very gentle. If you need something stonger, #83 Dual-Action Polish Cleaner is very good. Do not go stronger than #83.

The 7336 should be used with the yellow pad at speed #5 for polishing. This method will not burn through your paint. It's too gentle.

Use only good quality microfiber wipes and don't wash them with Downy or use Bounce sheets.

After you're done polishing, put a coat of that #26 on there and stand back. Your car never looked so good !!

If your paint is too old or too thin to be polished then it needs to be repainted.

DansYellow66

Do you know what kind of paint it has? It sounds like the older non-catalyzed acrylic enamel paint. They were bad about going dull (really dead) after a few years. Compounding and waxing would bring back some gloss, but little depth, for a week or two. Then it would just get duller and duller. Lacquer should polish up pretty readily and stay glossy for a least a while. Urethane (catalysed hi-tech enamel really) should stay glossy with very little attention. How long ago it was last painted may give some clue as to what was used on it.

Dan

Kensmith

Take the car to a local body shop and ask the painter to look at it. I would not try any buffers/polishers until you know for sure what kind of paint you are dealing with. A good painter will tell you what to use on it and what kind of paint it is. DO NOT JUST TRY POLISHING IT YOURSELF, you may permanently damage the paint. Get a professional to look at it. If you buff or polish and the paint is thin you will burn through it.

Grey Ghost

I think that I will try this on my car. That is a great deal on a buffer. I know to be careful of the edges where the paint is thin - it is best to totally avoid those area's or you can burn through. Thanks Seaside !

Seaside63

That's why I like the Porter-Cable. It's very nearly impossible to burn through paint with a PC and Meg's #80.

I have burned through paint with a rotary polisher. That's an unforgiving animal but the PC is very effective yet safe.

If you haven't used the Porter Cable you should try it. It's actually a lot of fun to use.

I do agree that he should get someone to evaluate the paint if he's not sure what's on there.

I would recommend using a good detailer over a painter. Most painters only deal with sanding off old paint and applying new. They don't really deal with restoring a dull finish the way a detailer does.

Seaside63

A good trick is to use blue masking tape over the edges.

dropTopTx

Here is a great article on using a PC for polishing. Lots of good detail

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=47

Grey Ghost

Wow ! Great article perryth - look at the door on that F-150. It looks like chrome !

I took Seasides recommendation and went to Lowes and bought one today. I got the velcro backing plate, a couple of foam pads and the cleaner and wax. It removed most of the oxidation, haze and oxidation. 95% improvement. I may need to go a little more aggresive to get all the spiderwebs out. I used a 3M product that said it would remove 1500 grit and finer scratches. Then the Meguirs yellow wax. I don't think mine is clear coated. I got a little red on the pad...maybe this is as good as it gets with single stage.

Seaside63

Wow !! Great work Ghost. I have used the 3m Finesse It products but I like Meguiar's way, way better.

Still it sounds like you got great results. What color is your car? (oh duh.... Red)

vref

This is what I do. Its professional quality like detail shops do, and it requires some equipment, but the shine is mirror like.



http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/Pain..._Tutorial.html

Mr D.

I have used Finishing Film on two vettes in the past (both had newer paint). Its not cheap but the results are outstanding.

Also, takes some of the manual labor out of the process. If you have failed clear coat nothing you do will help. Been down that road.

Kensmith

Guys, these are all great ways to make your corvette beautiful. BUT you should really know what you are working with in regards to type of paint. They are all different and need special care when using any cutting or polishing agents. Take 5 minutes and go see a good painter and find out what you have. Then call McGuiar's hot-line and they will help answer any questions about what products to use and how to do the job. It's really simple once you have all the facts.