Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

[tylorweaver]

Alrighty guys, so I'll be spending all of next weekend, pretty much, on a client's 1969 Plymouth Road Runner in Jamaica Blue Metallic. He's the original owner, the car is mint!!! Fortunately, it was re-painted last year to help restore the car a little, as over the years, the paint was not very well maintained (kept in a barn for 23 years with a tarp over it!!!! ) lol..

So, I'll be dealing with somewhat new paint here.. it's a 2stage paint job with clear coat of course.. looks phenomenal, not much cob-webbing on the finish, so it'll be just a fine polish job, and a few coats of a sealant, followed by a couple caranuba coats. And of course, the regular smaller detailing things, under the hood, interior, wheel wells, etc, etc..


ONTO MY QUESTION!! Phew! lol

Now, the car has the original '69 Air Grabber hood with the flat black stripes.. upon inspection, they appear to be painted... (excuse my ignorance, as I'm a youngin' and they probably didn't do vinyl stripes back in that era... lol), so my assumption is, they are painted, due to the owner trying to keep to its orignal factory finish and historical accuracy... Sooo.. the question, how would one 'detail' the flat black stripes?? There are absolutely zero flaws in the flat black stripes, so would I just wash it, clay bar, cleaner wax, then a final LSP???

Ps, I plan to do the car by hand, being that there is no real significant damage, and there are hardly any flaws in the paint itself.. so no need for my PC or a Rotary.. (lol, I don't even own a rotary right now.. lol, too scared!! )

Also, just so ya'll keep in mind, I pretty much own every product in the Meguiars arsenal, minus the 'Detailer' brand of products.. This includes OTC products found in Target, Walmart, etc, as well as all of the Mirror Glaze products. If necessary, my local Summit can order me any 'Detailer' line product, that I might need.. just in case any of you suggest one of the products... (ie; APC, etc..)


Soooo.. Help!!? Any and all advice, comments, concerns.. anything, is more than welcome!

Thanks in advance gang!


-TW

[dvtldav]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Being from that era, if the strips are what I think they are, I would mask them off & not touch them except to wash. A friend of mine in high school had a '69 Roadrunner with the airgrabber, and he waxed the strips & it took him forever to get the wax out of the flat black. His strips were porous and the wax got into the pores and he had to take a stiff toothbrush & work the wax out. Just something to think about.

Dave

[tylorweaver]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Awesome advice.. Yea, I noticed that upon inspection, that they have tiny pores in the finish, nothing like a sponge, where it'd be next to impossible.. But I guess, instead of calling them 'pores', it'd be better off comparing it to smooth surface dimples, like a golf ball.. but almost un-noticeable to the naked eye. IF anything I plan on doing a test spot of course first on the upper valance on the front grill (also striped flat black), just below the hood, above the headlights.. and try to hit it with #24 wax.. and remove it with a quick detailer-dampened microfiber hand towel.. I've found quick detailer and a microfiber sometimes helps aid in getting off hard to remove wax residue on some surfaces..

Thanks much for your input!!!! hahaha, jk jk

Thanks again Dave!

[RickyMartinZ28]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

I have painted flat black stripes on my Camaro. I actually use Turtle Wax Ice on just those areas that are flat black.... its doesn't dry "white" and doesn't make a mess on the paint if it touches the actual gloss painted surface...

Just my experience...

-Rick

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Check out the pictures in this thread,


"Pictures & Comments from Thursday Night's "Open Garage!


Click here to read more or add your comments!



Also this thread in Hot Topics


How To Maintain Vinyl Graphics/Stickers/Stripes/Decals

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Creating a dark sheen on flat black plastic

Flat black looks cool when it's used to accent components rear window louvers on this Mustang. There are two problems with flat black surfaces

1) Over time the the flat black appearance becomes dull and loses it's dark sheen.

2) There's nothing really on the market targeted and the variety of different flat black components to restore and maintain their appearance.


Part of the problem is the material or the coating that makes up whatever the flat black component is varies greatly from from a thin vinyl tape used for graphics, to flat black paint used to paint components and flat black plastic which is where the pigment is throughout the entire plastic matrix of the component.

Meguiar's doesn't make a product specific to flat black surfaces just like no one else does, at least at the time stamp of the post. When left without options, a car crazy enthusiast has to take what they can get if it's shows to actually help, (solve the problem, and not harm, (cause a problem).

Meguiar's Gold Class Trim Detailer is for restoring and maintaining rubber, plastic and vinyl trim, so while it's not specifically for these louvers and the material they are made out of, it does work pretty good.

The way to use it is to gently massage this product onto the surface using a clean, soft foam applicator pad, somewhat like you would rub skin lotion onto our face. Allow to penetrate for a few minutes and then softly wipe all surfaces down with a clean microfiber to remove any excess residue off the surface.

The results are a deep, dark black sheen...

[tylorweaver]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question



Mike, you're the man!

Thanks so much for replying and adding that information!!
I'm going to try some of that on a test spot first, and see what I come out with.. Very good call on that Mike!

Thanks again to everyone with their input! Greatfully appreciated! I'll be sure to post a thread with before/after pics of the Road Runner sometime in the next week or two whenever I have a weekend alone with her


Very best,
TW

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Sooo.. the question, how would one 'detail' the flat black stripes??

There are absolutely zero flaws in the flat black stripes, so would I just wash it, clay bar, cleaner wax, then a final LSP???

Wash the car really well and then feel the flat black paint, see if you can detect any above surface bonded contaminants.

If you clay the flat black paint, start by testing to see how the flat black paint reacts to having clay rubbed over it, make sure it's not going to leave any visual marring of the paint itself, make sure your claying process doesn't affect the appearance of the paint. Better to be safe than sorry...

Don't use any kind of wax on flat black paint, neither a cleaner/wax or a finishing wax.

And do read all the way through this thread as it goes into detail as to how to use Trim Detailer on vinyl graphics and stickers and you would apply, work-in and wipe-off Trim Detailer to flat black paint in the same way.

How To Maintain Vinyl Graphics/Stickers/Stripes/Decals

[ajb39oh]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

I also use Turtle Wax Ice on flat black. It seems to do OK.

[tylorweaver]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

Wash the car really well and then feel the flat black paint, see if you can detect any above surface bonded contaminants.

If you clay the flat black paint, start by testing to see how the flat black paint reacts to having clay rubbed over it, make sure it's not going to leave any visual marring of the paint itself, make sure your claying process doesn't affect the appearance of the paint. Better to be safe than sorry...

Don't use any kind of wax on flat black paint, neither a cleaner/wax or a finishing wax.

And do read all the way through this thread as it goes into detail as to how to use Trim Detailer on vinyl graphics and stickers and you would apply, work-in and wipe-off Trim Detailer to flat black paint in the same way.

How To Maintain Vinyl Graphics/Stickers/Stripes/Decals

Great Mike! Thank you!!!!! Definitely good to know! Still learning things as I go! lol

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

You've gotten some good, sound advice so far. But I would like to add a couple of things.

#1, does the owner care if the flat black gets shined up a bit? Every single classic car client that I have, absolutely refuses to have their flat black shiney. So you need to take that into consideration. It may look good to you, but it's not your car. Make sure the owner knows whats about to happen BEFORE you do anything. It'll be a serious pain to get anything off of that flat black once it's applied.

#2, if he doesn't want anything shiney, be careful taping these areas off. Lowes and Home Depot sell a low tact adhisive masking tape. Please use this if you're going to tape them off. Anything higher in adhesive will leave tape residue that is a pain to get off!

Also, for protection, Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detail spray is the only way to go for flat black. It will provide protection without making the flat area's shiney.

Jsut my $0.02

Nick

[tylorweaver]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

You've gotten some good, sound advice so far. But I would like to add a couple of things.

#1, does the owner care if the flat black gets shined up a bit? Every single classic car client that I have, absolutely refuses to have their flat black shiney. So you need to take that into consideration. It may look good to you, but it's not your car. Make sure the owner knows whats about to happen BEFORE you do anything. It'll be a serious pain to get anything off of that flat black once it's applied.

#2, if he doesn't want anything shiney, be careful taping these areas off. Lowes and Home Depot sell a low tact adhisive masking tape. Please use this if you're going to tape them off. Anything higher in adhesive will leave tape residue that is a pain to get off!

Also, for protection, Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detail spray is the only way to go for flat black. It will provide protection without making the flat area's shiney.

Jsut my $0.02

Nick

Great Nick!!! Thanks much!
Yea, if anything I'll use that green 3M pro-tape.. I have cases of that stuff in all of the different width's.. That's pretty low tack, I suppose..

And as for your advice on asking my client regarding his preference for the flat black.. already considered!! I was just shooting this thread out there for some advice on the black, IN CASE he ended up wanting to bring back some luster to it, etc, etc. But, I think I have a decent amount of info though so far..

Oh, here's another question.. (lol, haven't searched it yet.. so don't kill me!) What to do with white wall tires? lol.. I'm thinking about going over the whole tire with a tire dressing applicator.. get the whole tire wet, then do a couple passes around each black side-wall ring with a thinner chisel-tip foam artist brush, to help remove some of the thick left-over tire dressing, and to give an overall glossy, not wet, finish.. and would do the same with a seperate foam tip artist brush for the white walls on each tire, so it doesn't blacken the white any..

Suggestions?


Thanks again ya'll!

[dvtldav]

Re: Detailing a '69 Road Runner Next Weekend - Flat Black Question

For the whitewall tires, I would use Wesleys Bleache White. Spray it on let it set for 15-30 seconds, take a stiff brush and scrub it, then hose it off. Just work on one wheel at a time. When you get them clean and dry put your favorite dressing on them.

Dave