really worn paint help

[Bobby1967coupe]

I have added pics to the gallery section today titled "1967 Corvette 427 coupe". After spending an hour trying to get them in the post I had to give up. Sorry but I appreciate any help.

First time poster here. I'd really appreciate any advice I can get. I recently purchase a 1967 Corvette Coupe. These are fiberglass body cars if that makes any difference. It retains most of it orginal paint and what isnt orginal is very old as well. The color is called Lynndale blue, looks like it has some flake in it, and it single stage. Ive heard that these worn metallic single stage paints can be some of the hardest to work with. I dont expect this to come out looking like a brand new car obviously. I am wanting to enjoy the patina it has (I know, I know, many dont like patina) for now and my goal is two fold: I want to bring a luster and shine to whats left and protect from further paint loss.

I ave never undertaken a job like this and am extra nervous due to the type of car and the condition of the paint. I have read the folowing methods:

- Hand wash
- Caly bar
- Miguiars #7 polish and applied heavily and allowed to soak for 12 hrs. (repeat a few times?)
- Hand wax

On other forums I have even heard of a bath of baby oild to rehydrate the paint much like the Meguiars #7 bath step. Any suggestions? Should I use the clay ar or would it be to agresive for a paint in this shape? Definitely no DA, hand only, right? Please forgive my inexperience.

[twisty roads]

Re: really worn paint help

You can use a DA is you want to / have access to use on. I find single stage paint to be easier to work with as I don't have to worry about clear coat thickness/failure. Singe stage pain will oxidize faster then paint/clear but you can be just as aggressive on single stage as you are on 2/3 stage systems. I would start with Ultimate Compound (UC) as there are a lot of oils in UC to nourish the paint and to see how well that test spot does to bring back the color/clarity/defect removal.

Unfortunately, without pictures, it is hard to give good/sound advice as patina is different to everyone as to the extent of damage. Hope this helps.

[twisty roads]

Re: really worn paint help

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?61469-Red-single-stage-paint-restoration-maintainance&highlight=single+stage+paint+correction#gw4PIcXhQpSK9TxS.97

here is a good link on the forum about nourishing single stage paint

[Bobby1967coupe]

Re: really worn paint help

Here is a link to my gallery within this forum. I just couldnt get them on the thread. After seeing the pictures do youthink a DA would still be OK?

PICS:
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/index.php#gqWxWpq5PoLjIBa3.97

You can use a DA is you want to / have access to use on. I find single stage paint to be easier to work with as I don't have to worry about clear coat thickness/failure. Singe stage pain will oxidize faster then paint/clear but you can be just as aggressive on single stage as you are on 2/3 stage systems. I would start with Ultimate Compound (UC) as there are a lot of oils in UC to nourish the paint and to see how well that test spot does to bring back the color/clarity/defect removal.

Unfortunately, without pictures, it is hard to give good/sound advice as patina is different to everyone as to the extent of damage. Hope this helps.

[Old Bear]

Re: really worn paint help

Bobby
Let me help bring a couple images into the thread.
[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Old Bear]

Re: really worn paint help

YLM905 original California black plates (or at least Year Of Manufacture).
I think that means I should store it for you in my garage. How did it get to Alabama?

I guess YLM could also mean You Lucky Man.
427 coupe with side pipes.

[Bobby1967coupe]

Re: really worn paint help

Thank you very much for doing that for me Bear and I appreciate the compliment. I just purchased the car in California and it will be shipped to Alabama in a few weeks actually. It was bought in Arizona and spent most of its life in Cali so its a good dry car with some really cool options. I have been thinking of what I would like to do to detail wise it in the meantime and am trying to hit the ground running when it arrives in order to have it ready for a car event at the beach near me in November (Panama City Beach). I cant find many of the materials you guys may suggest locally so I was going to buy them online and stock up prior to the cars arrival.

Any suggestions on the cleaning process? DA or no DA on this worn of paint? Clay bar or no clay bar? #7 polish bath only? TIA and thanks again for doing the pics for me...I couldnt figure that out!!

YLM905 original California black plates (or at least Year Of Manufacture).
I think that means I should store it for you in my garage. How did it get to Alabama?

I guess YLM could also mean You Lucky Man.
427 coupe with side pipes.

[Old Bear]

Re: really worn paint help

Personally, I would avoid DA and compounding, until I had a chance to see how the paint reacts while cleaning and polishing.
Even then, I would start with a less conspicuous spot.

Pop a bag, maybe a big bag of microwave popcorn and check out Mike Phillip's thread on using Mequiar's M07 and saving old lacquer paint.
The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/2009-2016-how-articles-mike-phillips/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

[BillyJack]

Re: really worn paint help

Here's all of Mike's articles in one place:https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...one-place.html

I recommend reading all of them thoroughly. I've done the process myself a few times, so I'm a firm believer. In short, first make sure the surface is absolutely clean, including both a claying and iron decontamination, with a product such as :http://www.autogeek.net/xtreme-iron-remover-x.html
Apply your M07 with clean, soft, terrycloth material and put some effort into it, but leave a good film of material on the surface and allow to soak at least overnight.
After the soak time, remove much of the haze, but don't kill yourself to remove every last bit. Repeat the process. I've done it as much as four apps when time allows.
You'll find you reach a point where the M07 just lays on the surface and is no longer getting absorbed by the paint, so you know you're done with that step. Dampen a fresh towel with M07, if necessary to remove any dried product and wipe it all clean.
Now you can evaluate the finish and decide if you want to polish, or just apply some wax (Gold Class or M26 works great on classic paint) and call it done.
If you desire to polish and are working by hand, I'd stay with either Meguiar's M205 or Ultimate Compound, in ascending order of aggressiveness. Go gently around areas where the paint is worn thru, as you'll just make it worse.
You've got enough here to keep you busy for quite a while. Post up with any more questions.

Bill

[Bobby1967coupe]

Re: really worn paint help

Thank you gentlemen for the articles. I will purchase everything you recomended and go from there. I was really nervous to attempt this since I didnt know where to start, but I am much more confident now thanks to yall. This board is great!! I be sure to post some after pictures once I have a chance to complete this job after the car arrives in Alabama.

Here's all of Mike's articles in one place:https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...one-place.html

I recommend reading all of them thoroughly. I've done the process myself a few times, so I'm a firm believer. In short, first make sure the surface is absolutely clean, including both a claying and iron decontamination, with a product such as :http://www.autogeek.net/xtreme-iron-remover-x.html
Apply your M07 with clean, soft, terrycloth material and put some effort into it, but leave a good film of material on the surface and allow to soak at least overnight.
After the soak time, remove much of the haze, but don't kill yourself to remove every last bit. Repeat the process. I've done it as much as four apps when time allows.
You'll find you reach a point where the M07 just lays on the surface and is no longer getting absorbed by the paint, so you know you're done with that step. Dampen a fresh towel with M07, if necessary to remove any dried product and wipe it all clean.
Now you can evaluate the finish and decide if you want to polish, or just apply some wax (Gold Class or M26 works great on classic paint) and call it done.
If you desire to polish and are working by hand, I'd stay with either Meguiar's M205 or Ultimate Compound, in ascending order of aggressiveness. Go gently around areas where the paint is worn thru, as you'll just make it worse.
You've got enough here to keep you busy for quite a while. Post up with any more questions.

Bill

[BillyJack]

Re: really worn paint help

No problem. Glad to be of help, especially for a car as precious as your 'Vette.
I grew up and still work in the car business. I learned the old-school techniques of restoring paint with rotary buffers, wool pads and gritty compounds. Back in 2009 I started searching the web for a better way, as the paint of my El Camino was not only oxidized, but getting dangerously thin. That's when I found this forum, managed at that time by Mike Phillips before he went to Autogeek. I had used M07 since the 70's as a pre-wax glaze, but never realized its potential in the restoration process. Mike's articles were truly game-changers for me, taking my faded, oxidized finish to something deserving of a trophy or two.


Bill

[Bobby1967coupe]

Re: really worn paint help

That paint looks great. It I could bring my good areas anywhere close to that I'd be a happy man