How to restore the paint on my 1988 Corvette?

[skidz]

How to restore the paint on my 1988 Corvette?


Hey guys and gals.

Posting here from the frigid midwest (well it's not too bad today).

Anyhow, I'm looking for a little help.

I own a 1988 Corvette. The color is Dark Red Metallic. As you might imagine, the 19 year old paint is looking, well, 19 years old. Some fading and what appears to be oxidation. Also there is stuff (tree sap or what not) stuck in the surface of the paint that clay barring seems to have no effect on. I'm a couple years away from being in a postion to having her repainted, but I would still like to have the existing paint looking the best that I can make it in the meantime.

My questions:

1. Is wet sanding something that would work to approve the appearance of the paint?

2. If not wet sanding, would mechanically (or by hand) using a compounding agent on the car help?

3. If not those, do you have any other suggestions?

I'm not expecting miracles, I just want to improve the looks/condition of my paint for the next couple of years. All help/hints/advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Skidz

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Noob checking in

Hey guys and gals.

Posting here from the frigid midwest (well it's not too bad today).

Welcome to Meguiar's Online! wavey

I own a 1988 Corvette. The color is Dark Red Metallic. As you might imagine, the 19 year old paint is looking, well, 19 years old. Some fading and what appears to be oxidation.

This usually turns out to be what's called clear coat failure, that is the clear coat will start looking milky white and when this happens it's too late to fix it. The problem isn't dull paint on the surface, the problem is the entire layer is turning a whitish color and you can't apply something to the surface to fix what is throughout the matrix of the paint.

Also there is stuff (tree sap or what not) stuck in the surface of the paint that clay barring seems to have no effect on. My questions:

Sometimes you may need a more aggressive clay, sometimes an adjustment in your technique and sometimes you have some pretty tough stuff that doesn't want to come off without a fight.

1. Is wet sanding something that would work to approve the appearance of the paint?

You don't want to wet sand factory baked on clear coat paint, that's already having issue and is 19 years old. Especially if you don't have lots of experience wet sanding and using a rotary buffer. (Do you?)

2. If not wet sanding, would mechanically (or by hand) using a compounding agent on the car help?

Compounding may help, but it depends upon the compound, you don't want to use an archaic product like an old fashioned rubbing or polishing compound, this will remove the defects but it will also remove a lot of paint and leave scratches everywhere.

3. If not those, do you have any other suggestions?

I'm not expecting miracles, I just want to improve the looks/condition of my paint for the next couple of years. All help/hints/advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Skidz

The best option you have for restoring this would be to invest in a dual action polisher and one or two of our cleaner/polishes. A cleaner/polish works like a compound but is less aggressive.

The below was fixed using M80 Speed Glaze with a dual action cleaner/polish.


Before








After















Before


After



You could also try working on the paint by hand, but the results will be better and it will be faster to work by machine.

[skidz]

Re: Noob checking in

Welcome to Meguiar's Online! wavey


Hang on while we type as fast as we can....

I've got the rest of February and most of March to wait. No rush.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Noob checking in

I've got the rest of February and most of March to wait. No rush.

We think we just out typed you... look up above your second reply.

Also, we renamed the title of your thread so it more accurately describes what the thread is about and moved it to Detailing 101

Hope you don't mind...

[skidz]

Re: Noob checking in

Welcome to Meguiar's Online! wavey

thanks for the welcome and the very quick response.

Sometimes you may need a more aggressive clay, sometimes an adjustment in your technique and sometimes you have some pretty tough stuff that doesn't want to come off without a fight.

I'll work on my technique and try reclaying.

You don't want to wet sand factory baked on clear coat paint, that's already having issue and is 19 years old. Especially if you don't have lots of experience wet sanding and using a rotary buffer. (Do you?)

No experience, whatsoever. I do have patience

The best option you have for restoring this would be to invest in a dual action polisher and one or two of our cleaner/polishes. A cleaner/polish works like a compound but is less aggressive.

Thanks, this is exactly the type of knowledge and advice I'm looking for

The below was fixed using M80 Speed Glaze with a dual action cleaner/polish.

That looks fantastic!!!

You could also try working on the paint by hand, but the results will be better and it will be faster to work by machine.

Sounds like the machine would be well worth the investment.

THanks again, Mike. You've been a great help.

[skidz]

Re: Noob checking in

We think we just out typed you... look up above your second reply.

Also, we renamed the title of your thread so it more accurately describes what the thread is about and moved it to Detailing 101

Hope you don't mind...

Man, you guys are good!!

I don't mind in the least bit. Whatever works the best. Thanks again.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to restore the paint on my 1988 Corvette?

Click on the below link and read through the how-to article, you can start at the M80 step and if that doesn't get you the results you're looking for fast enough, then go ahead and try the M83.

M83 is more aggressive than M80, but we always teach the philosophy of,

Use the least aggressive product to get the job done

This will leave the most paint on you car.


Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

Check it out...

[skidz]

Re: How to restore the paint on my 1988 Corvette?

Mike,

THis is just the information I've been seeking.

Hopefully, I can post some pictures soon and let you see how it looks.

Thanks,

skidz