Vinyl Stripe polishing???
Our car has the black LeMans stripes on the top of the car and was wondering if there is a product designed to clean and protect the striping.I have used Megs cleaner wax and it seems to take away the haze for a while.The car used to be a daily driver of the wifes and before I was in the picture she would wash and not dry the car in the nice Florida sun.So there are still 3 years later some very faint water spots in the vinyl.Any suggestions would be great...
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...nfrocca/31.jpg
Re: Vinyl Stripe polishing???
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Redneckmafia
Our car has the black LeMans stripes on the top of the car and was wondering if there is a product designed to clean and protect the striping.I have used Megs cleaner wax and it seems to take away the haze for a while.The car used to be a daily driver of the wifes and before I was in the picture she would wash and not dry the car in the nice Florida sun.So there are still 3 years later some very faint water spots in the vinyl.Any suggestions would be great...
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...nfrocca/31.jpg
Griots plastic polish by hand. My work computer struggles to pull up the autogeek "store" site so I cannot link. I am not even sure they sell it. I got mine directly from Griots.
Re: Vinyl Stripe polishing???
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Redneckmafia
I have used Megs cleaner wax and it seems to take away the haze for a while.
Don't use products that dry and especially don't use products that dry white...
Working on vinyl graphics is tricky, what you want is something that first... wont cause any harm, second will improve and/or maintain the original color usually with an emphasis on bringing out the full richness of color.
I've used Meguiar's Trim Detailer for years with good luck including rubbing down the original vinyl graphics on an all original 1982 Corvette.
This is an all original 1982 Corvette with a large vinyl graphic sticker on the hood and sides that were dull and faded before the detail job. After washing and drying, I applied and gently worked in a coat of Gold Class Trim Detailer to the vinyl and let it penetrate while the paint was machine cleaned, polished and waxed. After everything was done the graphics were carefully wiped clean to remove any excess product using a clean, soft microfiber. It did a great job of restoring a clear, rich look to the graphics.
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...lFinished2.jpg
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...lFinished4.jpg
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...lFinished5.jpg
Here it is on display at the Route 66 Rendezvous with the hood up so you can see just how much vinyl is on the hood. I did this detail in 2005 so at that time the vinyl graphics on this car, (those are also vinyl graphics on the side of the car), were 23 years old Against the back wall is Chip Foose signing autographs.http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...rilAtShow1.jpg
The owner of the above Corvette is known as "The Vette Lady", she's active in the SoCal Corvette scene and works to help raise money for children's charities.
There's a model car made for this Corette...
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...prilsModel.jpg
Meguiar's Gold Class Trim Detailer is for restoring and maintaining rubber, plastic and vinyl trim, so while it's not specifically made for vinyl graphics I've had pretty good luck with it.
Always test in an inconspicuous area before applying to the entire surface. Make sure you're getting the results you want and hope for before moving forward. In the case of an antique, it's a good idea to let some time go by to the test area before applying to the rest of the surface. This applies to any product you use on vinyl graphics.
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.
:)
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Re: Vinyl Stripe polishing???
Hello. I searched the internet for resources on trying to restore my glossy vinyl stripes. I have an '07 mustang and the stripes were put on the same year. This is an everyday driver and this car bakes in the sun/rain/hurricane/salt/etc. (Florida) I've barely ever cleaned this vehicle and the stripes started to show some serious damage. I found this thread and thought I would try my luck with the trim detailer after so much failure from other products. Here are some before and afters. Considering the damage I am very pleased with this method. I think it's like night and day.
