TuxedoBlack

My 67 coupe has single stage black paint and over the years I've picked up the usual assortment of fine swirls. I've done some digging and some detailers recommend not attempting to buff them out due to the lack of clear coat others say to go to town using an orbital and light abrasive.

I have the okay from the wife to spend some money and was thinking about pulling the trigger on a flex and use it to apply ZPC to the car to help reduce\eliminate the scratches.

What do you guys think?

0TH0001@properautocare.com

Polishing single stage paint is perfectly okay and in many cases it is easier to get a nice finish. Polishing basecoat/clearcoat by comparison is rather like polishing lexan. I would be cautious of taking advice from any detailer who has suggested that polishing single stage paint is 'bad'.

The dynamics of polishing do change slightly, particularly the way that the removed paint will effect the polishing process. As a rule of thumb, I find it better to use a polish that will dust while using it to keep the polishing pad/surface clean. As you polish, small, microscopic amounts of paint are removed which then mix with the polish on the paint and in the pad. As this residual paint attaches to the abrasive it can change the way the polish works. Using a polish such as Menzerna Intensive Polish (vs. Super Intensive Polish) seems to work better because the contaminated abrasives will expel or dust away, keeping the surface 'cleaner.'

As the pads themselves will saturate faster so you are going to want enough pads on hand so that you always have a fresh and clean pad ready to go. Good luck on your beautiful Vette and post some pics when you are done!!!

BKarol

What do you think of using Meguiars M80 (speed glaze)?

Mike Phillips wrote about it after he used it on a 60 vette.

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/fo...ead.php?t=6598

0TH0001@properautocare.com

I have used it on a number of single stage paint, and it will finish the paint very nicely with a dual action polisher on most paint surfaces. It has the same oils as Megs' M07 Show Car Glaze so it leaves a very wet looking surface. It doesn't have a lot of cut, so you might need something more agressive to really remove deeper marring. In that case, Meguiar's M83 DACP is a perfect compliment.

TuxedoBlack

Thanks TH0001 and Karol for the responses!

TH0001 - Good point with the residual paint factor this never would have crossed my mind.

Karol - great link to the article on the black 60 vette, this is right down my alley.

I'll do some digging on the Menzerna Intensive Polish vs Meguiar's M80\M83 DACP. I have no problem making time to play with a new orbital so to play it safe I am leaning towards applying the least abrasive first - M80, and need be stepping up to the M83 as you've mentioned.

I'll definitely post pics before and after, any recommendations for what pad to use?

BKarol

Phillips used the W8006.

Autogeek has them http://www.autogeek.net/mgw8006.html

or Lake Country white pad. If you want to read about pads http://detailingwiki.com/index.php5?title=Foam_Pads

Again, you are using the least agressive to see what happens. Using
M80 on a DD probably wont do much .

Hopefully it works and makes you

M83 is a step up.

mvcrash

Watch the edges, they a bit easier to damage on single stage paint.

TuxedoBlack

Awesome I'll check out the links. And thanks mvcrash - I'll be carefull around the edges.

Thanks guys!

1VetteJocky

Recently had great luck with Meguiars Swirl X. Polishing is something you should only do very rarely - so if done lightly with a very non-aggressive polish, you shouldn't see any issues. Like everyone says - watch the edges. Fortunately the random orbital isn't as big a problem with edges as a rotary is.
Recently had to do a major swirl removal on my C6. Check out this thread:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-...post1570416573