Faded Red Corrola

[gt40_guy]

Hi all, I have floated around this forum a few times before but finally registered since I've just got my first car. Its a 1989 Toyota Corolla, the mechanical side of things are running well, however the paint work has suffered neglect. I suspect this car has never been polished and waxed before. The paint has been badly oxidised and red cars seem to suffer from this more than any other colour. So my car is actually pink looking or powdered red.

I have had a bit of experience with Meguiars products. Dont laugh but I am a diecast car enthusiast as well as a car enthusiast, and have applied Meguiars products to my models with impressive results.

The car I bought was at a very good price since the guy needed a quick sale, I thought I could use the car as a run around and a 'build your skills' car. So I aim to try and restore this vehicle.

I would really appreciate any of you sharing your wisdom and experience in detailing with me.

I am planning to do the whole thing by hand and the following is what I have planned:


1) Wash the car using Nxt or Gold Class shampoo. Actually I recall people using both together 50:50 to form the 'perfect shampoo', is this wise? I want to use the nxt because of its water softening properties (UK has lots of limescale) but I want to condition the paint with Gold Class.

2)Quick Clay the car
3)Scratch X
4)clean with DC step1
5)Polish with either Meguiars Hand polish or Show car Glaze (already have a bottle)
6)Apply gold class paste wax (already have it)
7)Apply Natural Shine vinyl and rubber to the trims
8)After curing buff off with Microfibre cloth.
9)After about 8 hours apply #26 (already have it)


Is this about right? Any tips and recommendations are much appreciated. Also I have read that terry cloths are better to use than microfibre in certain stages, I think it was for buffing off the polish, is this correct?

Thanks in advance

[Murr1525]

Well, MF cloths are good for pretty much all steps really. I ma not sure what kind yo uhave available to you, but some are meant for drying, some for removing polishes/waxes, etc. So just use the right ones for each job.

1) I have never found any reason to mix soaps, but you can certainly try it. Or just go with Nxt. No problem either way.

2) Clay is good. You may find the clay loading up with dirt very very quickly, if it is that poorly cared for. If this is the case, do an application of DC#1 first, then go back to clay.

3) ScratchX - Good for swirls, will kill your arms. So you may not get it all done in one day.

4) If you ScratchX the entire car, you wont need to use DC#1 after. Otherwise, you can use DC#1 on the spots not ScratchX'ed, or just DC#1 everything if it is easier.

5) Show Car Glaze is nice, should be quite good.

6) & 9) Good waxes... They are quite similar though, once you use one up, you can probably just pick one and go with it.

7) Natural Shine is liked by a lot of people, should be good.

Not sure the amount of Meguias stuff available for you, but dont forget tyres, glass, wheelwells, etc.

And you can do a search for other pink->red car transformations if you havent seen them yet. I think I recall seeing 2 or 3.

[Murr1525]

Did you get to read these:


Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

A Lesson From White Paint

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

[gt40_guy]

Thanks Murr. Yeh I've seen a couple of threads on faded red, the one on the mazda 323 probably relates best to me, though my corolla is probably worse off.

Restored Mazda 323 (pink --> red)


The guy washed with NXT then used the first 2 steps of DC (clean and polish). He
followed this with NXT wax. Even though he didnt clay the car it still looked very good.

Do you think using scratch X will bring about better results? The worst affected areas are the hood, the roof and the spoliler, so maybe i'll scratch X these areas and dc1 the rest. I want to have a uniform finish so would it be better to scratch X the entire car?

I plan on using NXT glass cleaner for the windows, and NXT All metal Polish for the rims. What kind of results would I get by using Natural Shine on my tyres?

Have you used Meguiars Hand Polish, in the product description it says that its very good for oxidised paint. Do you think that this would be better than show car glaze?

As for the waxes isnt Gold Class 1 part polish and 1 part carnuba? And #26 a pure carnuba? On red paint (model car
) I found that 1 coat of gold class followed by #26 gave amazing depth and shine. Would NXT be any better for preventing oxidation reoccuring?

I plan to simply wash under the arches with the shampoo and a MF wash mitt, is there something else i need to do here?

Also I have a few areas of the car that seem to be scratched all the way to the primer, so i plan to do touch ups, there are also areas of rust most notably on the sunroof, is there anything I should avoid? What is the best way to deal with the rust?

Sorry for the huge list of questions and thanks for all the links Murr, I will read through them shortly.

Thanks again

[TKDDAD]

Re: Faded Red Corrola

Originally posted by gt40_guy
Hi all, I have floated around this forum a few times before but finally registered since I've just got my first car. Its a 1989 Toyota Corolla, the mechanical side of things are running well, however the paint work has suffered neglect. I suspect this car has never been polished and waxed before. The paint has been badly oxidised and red cars seem to suffer from this more than any other colour. So my car is actually pink looking or powdered red.

I have had a bit of experience with Meguiars products. Dont laugh but I am a diecast car enthusiast as well as a car enthusiast, and have applied Meguiars products to my models with impressive results.

The car I bought was at a very good price since the guy needed a quick sale, I thought I could use the car as a run around and a 'build your skills' car. So I aim to try and restore this vehicle.

I would really appreciate any of you sharing your wisdom and experience in detailing with me.

I am planning to do the whole thing by hand and the following is what I have planned:


1) Wash the car using Nxt or Gold Class shampoo. Actually I recall people using both together 50:50 to form the 'perfect shampoo', is this wise? I want to use the nxt because of its water softening properties (UK has lots of limescale) but I want to condition the paint with Gold Class.

2)Quick Clay the car
3)Scratch X
4)clean with DC step1
5)Polish with either Meguiars Hand polish or Show car Glaze (already have a bottle)
6)Apply gold class paste wax (already have it)
7)Apply Natural Shine vinyl and rubber to the trims
8)After curing buff off with Microfibre cloth.
9)After about 8 hours apply #26 (already have it)


Is this about right? Any tips and recommendations are much appreciated. Also I have read that terry cloths are better to use than microfibre in certain stages, I think it was for buffing off the polish, is this correct?

Thanks in advance

I detailed a "pink" Chrysler Concorde for a buddy of mine
Check out the pictures in My Gallery

I washed, clayed, #80, DC#2 (not mandatory), #16 wax...from pink to red!

[Murr1525]

ScratchX will remove more swirls, and cut through oxidation easier, so it could be better, or easier. But to actualy remove swirls takes effort, and will wear your arms out. Maybe plan a section of the car each day, to really work in the ScratchX.

As far as how uniform, I am not sure how it will be. I think you will get rid of the oxidation the same, but maybe less swirls on some panels or spots than others.

I havent used it, so hard to say. I dont think it is quite as glossy, but i am not sure if it is the longest lasting either. Maybe someone who has used it can chime in.

I'd stick with #7, but all of the polishes, DC#2, #7, #81 are very good. #5 is meant for areas more like the tropics, but still a good polish.

With #7, it is a bit different to use. It never really dries, so you kind of apply it to the car, then go around and buff it off lightly. Then go around and buff it off again. Might take a minute to get the hang of it, but looks great.

With using a pure polish, having a wax with lots of polish wont be as important. But by all means do what looks best for you. You can even try different combos on different panels, and see what catches your eye.

Nxt and #21 are going to be the longest lasting waxes, but assming you wax regularly, clean/polish/wax regularly, oxidation wont be a problem.

For wheelwells, it kind of depends on how dirty they are, and how perfect you want them. I spray All-Purpose Cleaner in, agitate a bit, and rinse. Then go back and dress with some All-Season Dressing. But just get them to where you like it.

Ehh.. rust is kind of a problem. You dont want to drag your pads across it, then drag bits of rust across your paint. Maybe you can loot into something ot remove the rust, then touch-up paint over it. I've never had to fix a rust spot yet.

As far as the other touch-ups, just take it easy.. you are best to buy the tiniest brush possible from a craft store, and put a little paint in at a time. The paint will shring as it dries, so every couple days you could re-touch, till it is tolerable. Of course you would want to avoid those spots till after the paint has dried for a month, so you dont mess it up any.

[gt40_guy]

Thanks tkddad, pretty well done.

Murr, when you suggest that I plan a section each day, do you mean to simply scratchX that area, or to wash, clean, clay, scratchX, polish, and wax that area?
I dont wanna leave the car without at least one wax coat

As for my rust spots, I will probably try to treat that first, or maybe just tape over that section while I work on the paint and tend to the rust later.

I forgot to mention I also have some #34 final inspection, would I use this before claying?

I cant really find much for my wheel wells, no all purpose cleaner or dressing. Anything else I could use? I suppose I could order from the states.

What is your opinion on swirl free polish?

Thanks again for all the help

[Murr1525]

If it is going to be left outside, you might want to try to Wash, Clay, ScratchX, Clean, Polish, and Wax 1/2, or a 1/3, then do the next third a day later, etc. You might find you need to wash or dust a bit if it is left outside, but that wont take a minute.

I believe you can clay with Final Inspection, but i havent clayed with it yet. Anyone have any tips?

Well, dont pick Simple Green. Soap and water will be safer if nothing else.

I havent used it before, but a lot of people do use it. It is very very mild, not going to remove many swirls by hand, or machine for that matter.

[Chex]

I haven't used final inspection and clay. when I clay a car, I do it when I'm washing it. first, I make sure the panel is completely clean. then I start claying using 100% clean water as lubricant.


however, you can clay a car using final inspection as if you were using quick detailer from the commercial line. I think the only difference between these two, is that final inspection is body shop safe, which means that you can use it in an uncured paint finish (a repainted panel or car that has less than 30 days from being repainted) and not harming the paint job.


and...YEAH! swirl free polish(SFP) is veeeeeeeeery mild, but sometimes it works magic on sort of soft clears. approximately a month ago, I detailed a black 206 peugeot using SFP. it removed shallow scratches from the clear, and the shine was amazing.

since you say It's a 1989 corolla, I think It'll work great, and mostly if you want a deep gloss. that's a thing you can rave from this product when you apply it, especially with a rotary :P (I've used it by hand and still leaves a great shine).

hope this helps

[Zet]

Originally posted by gt40_guy
As for the waxes isnt Gold Class 1 part polish and 1 part carnuba? And #26 a pure carnuba? On red paint (model car ) I found that 1 coat of gold class followed by #26 gave amazing depth and shine. Would NXT be any better for preventing oxidation reoccuring?

From what I've read on here, both waxes are blended waxes. They contain a number of ingredients, including different types of wax, and even polymers like in a sealant. One difference between them is that GC has some cleaning abilty, while #26 contains no cleaners. My own theory is that for applying over a pure polish, it would be best with a wax with as little cleaning ability as posible. I'd therefore recomend you to try just applying two thin coats of #26, as the last step.

About two months ago I polished out a red Toyota Carina E from 1996. The paint was faded and oxidised. It was kind of my testbed, so tried some different products on it, including #80 and #26. The transformation was amazing! Red single stage paint is a very rewarding subject for polishing. Since then I've sold the car. But the new owner have had people ask him if the car was new

Good luck with the Rolla

[Zet]

It would be great if you took some before and after pics of the Corolla

I've found some pics of the Carina E i polished, they are not too great, but I think you are able to see a difference

Before - very little reflection, even on a sunny day. If you look closely, there is in fact a well hidden reflection of a tree, right above the reflection of the sun on the corner of the hood:



Before - close up of hood with almost no reflection:



After - full shot of car, taken on a different day in which the sky was overcast:



Sorry, that I didn't take before and after shots that were framed the same. But the color change you see in the above photos is very close to how it looked to the eye

[gt40_guy]

Thanks for the input guys, you've helped me out loads.

Murr, i think i probably will go with your suggestion to do 1/2 the car on one day and the rest the following day.

Chex, i plan on doing the entire restoration by hand mainly due to the fact that I lack the funds to get a PC. However it probably would be more satisfying doing it by hand. Since you've used Swirl free polish, do you think I should try this before scratchX? Is it a WOWI (wax on work in) product? Remember that I dont think this car has recieved a wax or a polish ever, and so probably has horrid swirls.

Zet, yeh I plan on doing some before and after shots. Inspecting my corolla after work, I found an additional annoyance to my bonnet, bird droppings which had already dried in the heat. Alls well as it will soon be scratchXed.

Also, regarding gold class wax and #26, I think I came across one thread where someone stated that GC has cleaning agents but that is not so, according to Mike Phillips. GC is a polish/wax and #26 is a pure wax (see the link):

What are the differences between Meguiars waxes?

Anyone have any experience dealing with rust??? I really want to sort my rust problem. I have come across some products to react with the rust leaving behind bare metal, but then the surface has to be rust protected and then primed and finally painted and clear coated. Anyone have any successful stories??

Thanks again people, all your input is much appreciated.

[Chex]

since you say the car has not ever receiver any polishing or waxing, you should go first with scratchX. then try swirl free polish, but I do recommend you doing it by machine (PC or rotary). if you plan doing everything by hand, I'd rcommend you to use DC2 polish or showcar glaze. just make sure scratchX does a good job with the oxidation, because you're dealing with an approximately 17 year old neglected finish. I think that removing a long time accumulated defect like this will take lots of time and patience mostly. so I agree a lot with murr, to work the car 1/2 one day, and 1/2 another and so on until you finish it


as to answer some of the oxidation questions in metal, i'd suggest you to email any paint manufacturing company and see what they say about this. and...are the affected areas large or small? because if these areas are small and you're planning in repairing them (touch ups), check out this link:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-paint-polish-clinic.html

hope this also helps you with any other doubts you have.

[Zet]

Originally posted by gt40_guy
Zet, yeh I plan on doing some before and after shots. Inspecting my corolla after work, I found an additional annoyance to my bonnet, bird droppings which had already dried in the heat. Alls well as it will soon be scratchXed.

Great. Yeah, bird droppings Couple of days after polishing the Carina, I found a giant bird dropping on the hood, it had been on there for no more than two days, but it had already etched the paint! And removing it resulted in some scratches in the finish

Also, regarding gold class wax and #26, I think I came across one thread where someone stated that GC has cleaning agents but that is not so, according to Mike Phillips. GC is a polish/wax and #26 is a pure wax (see the link)

Great link, but I think that Mike in that post only writes the most important characteristics of each product. Take a look at this thread: gold class liquid wax

Anyone have any experience dealing with rust??? I really want to sort my rust problem. I have come across some products to react with the rust leaving behind bare metal, but then the surface has to be rust protected and then primed and finally painted and clear coated. Anyone have any successful stories??

I do in fact have a Corolla myself (it's the GSi) although it's from '91, but I have been trying to stop it from rusting ever since I got it a few years back... There's two kind of those products, the other type bonds with the rust forming a black substance which can be painted over. Both is a big help in dealing with rust.

The primer itself will protect the metal from rust. But the surface has to be absolutely dry, and clean from any rust, even little specs of rust can help new rust forming. But the chemical should make sure the surface is properly prepared. Just make sure not to leave the bare metal unpainted/primed for very long. New rust can form very quickly on unprotected metal, especially if he humidity is high.

I have found that it is even more important to protect the backside of a panel, when dealing with rust. Otherwise it will quickly eat through, and you will see your perfectly repaired and repainted surface start bubbling in a few months. Don't ask me if I've had that happen...

[gt40_guy]

Thanks for the help Chex, oh and great link

Zet, maybe meguiars should design some kind of bird repellent . Oh and thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding with GC wax.

In regards to rust, I've come across a product called 'Rust Bullet' (I wont post a link to the site but do a search in google). This product can be applied to both rusted and rust free surfaces. What its supposed to do when applied over a rusty surface is penetrate through the rust to the metal beneath. Then it dries out the rust through chemical activity and the resin then adheres firmly to the rust. Once a second coating is applied the pinholes in the first coat are filled and you have an almost 'impenetrable' protective coat. Essentially it bonds to the rust, not just form a film over it. Oh and its paintable. If this stuff works then it saves me having to strip the rust off, fill, prime, paint, clearcoat. Dont know if this is worth trying. Check it out and give me your opinion.


Also can final inspection be used to remove bird droppings and bugs. It is a maintenance spray like quick detailer is it not?

Thanks again