Refinished my targa!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,080
Likes: 407
From: Mason Ohio
Refinished my targa!
My targa top was looking pretty bad. Clear coat cracking, so hazed you couldnt see through it.
Several stages of wet sanding, plus rubbing compund and buffing. Nothing that everyone else cant do if yours is looking bad too.
First couple pics show half the top done, half not. The right hand side isnt dirty, just extremely worn!
Right hand side getting read for final polish
Final Picture. Not 100% new, but 95% better. You can actually look in the car and see the interior, and see from the inside out!
Several stages of wet sanding, plus rubbing compund and buffing. Nothing that everyone else cant do if yours is looking bad too.
First couple pics show half the top done, half not. The right hand side isnt dirty, just extremely worn!
Right hand side getting read for final polish
Final Picture. Not 100% new, but 95% better. You can actually look in the car and see the interior, and see from the inside out!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 1
From: Newport News va
I thoght about doing that to mine over the winter but never got the guts to do it.. It looks great. So you just sanded the clear coat off and polished it?
I was going to take mine one step further and coat it with some kind of sealer.. Nice Job!
What grades of sand paper did you use?
I was going to take mine one step further and coat it with some kind of sealer.. Nice Job!
What grades of sand paper did you use?
Last edited by Ta-taaa; Apr 22, 2008 at 06:04 AM.
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Turned out very good. Congrats.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,080
Likes: 407
From: Mason Ohio
Thanks Guys!
I used 1500 wet sand paper, with a touch of dishsoap in the water. Wrapped the sandpaper around a foam sanding block and roughed things up. Then i switched to a 2000 grit with the same process.
You can see where you need to spend some more time as the marks in the top actually go fairly deep into the finish. Some areas need more work, but I didnt know how much I could sand before a good thing turned into buying a new top. Most of the work was done with the 2000 grit.
Then I used 3m rubbing compound, applied by hand. A buffer would save lots of time. Next step, 3m dark swirl foam pad glaze polish. Once again by hand. Final, put on a coat of wax to finish things up.
This was done a couple weeks ago, and no problems at all with it holding up.
I had planned to clear the top after wet sanding, but it cleaned up so well I decided not to even bother.
I used 1500 wet sand paper, with a touch of dishsoap in the water. Wrapped the sandpaper around a foam sanding block and roughed things up. Then i switched to a 2000 grit with the same process.
You can see where you need to spend some more time as the marks in the top actually go fairly deep into the finish. Some areas need more work, but I didnt know how much I could sand before a good thing turned into buying a new top. Most of the work was done with the 2000 grit.
Then I used 3m rubbing compound, applied by hand. A buffer would save lots of time. Next step, 3m dark swirl foam pad glaze polish. Once again by hand. Final, put on a coat of wax to finish things up.
This was done a couple weeks ago, and no problems at all with it holding up.
I had planned to clear the top after wet sanding, but it cleaned up so well I decided not to even bother.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,094
Likes: 7
From: Stillwater Oklahoma
Looks great!
I am about to do this to one, it doesn't look like you took the weatherstripping off of the sides to do it. Was it hard to sand and polish up to the strips on either side?
I am about to do this to one, it doesn't look like you took the weatherstripping off of the sides to do it. Was it hard to sand and polish up to the strips on either side?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,080
Likes: 407
From: Mason Ohio
I did leave all the weather stripping in place. I didnt use the sanding block around those strips, but rather by hand with just the sandpaper. The edge of the paper would slide right up against and slightly under the seal.
It took a little more time around the edges, but nothing worth mentioning. Using the compound/polish in that area was no different than anywhere else
It took a little more time around the edges, but nothing worth mentioning. Using the compound/polish in that area was no different than anywhere else