Differences/things to take note when dealing with classic cars?

[Mk4_Galaxy]

My step dad recently purchased a 1976 Corvette stingray and had left it to me to pretty her up. I have dealt with newer clear coat cars but never a classic. The paint is overall in good shape, but could really use a cleaning as it has lost most, if not all, of it's shine. Should I go the normal route, wash, clay, compound..etc.. Or is there anything special or different when dealing with older paints? Thanks in advance.

[BillyJack]

Take the time to read this article:

The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints

It's a long read, but a very comprehensive article on restoration of single-stage paint. I've done the process on my El Camino with the same faded, oxidized lacquer used as the OEM paint on your 'Vette, so I can definitely attest to the effectiveness of Mike's instruction.

Here's a split shot of my roof prior to the machine polishing part of the process:


Here's a shot of the finished hood:


I'm definitely a believer.

Bill

[ScottB]

they actually used metal back then on items like bumpers and mirrors ....

[mswerb]

My parents have a 1967 Firebird that I dialed in for them. If the paint is in good condition you should be able to carry on as you would with any other car. I clayed, polished, and waxed it with no problems. Final results were awesome.

[Mk4_Galaxy]

Take the time to read this article:http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ge-paints.html

It's a long read, but a very comprehensive article on restoration of single-stage paint. I've done the process on my El Camino with the same faded, oxidized lacquer used as the OEM paint on your 'Vette, so I can definitely attest to the effectiveness of Mike's instruction.

I'm definitely a believer.

Bill

This helped a ton. The paint is just as described in that article so hopefully I can achieve near the same results. The car had been garage kept and only has 50k original miles.

[Mike Phillips]

My step dad recently purchased a 1976 Corvette stingray and had left it to me to pretty her up.

Wow!

Lucky guy! My favorite detailing type projects in the world are restoring original and antique single stage paints, especially on "Barn Treasure".

I have dealt with newer clear coat cars but never a classic. The paint is overall in good shape, but could really use a cleaning as it has lost most, if not all, of it's shine.

Single stage paints oxidize easily when not regularly maintained, the good news is oxidation, especially light oxidation is easily removed, it's a lot easier to remove light oxidation off a single stage and usually more exciting as before and after results are a lot more dramatic than removing swirls out of a clear coat finish.

Should I go the normal route, wash, clay, compound..etc.. Or is there anything special or different when dealing with older paints? Thanks in advance.

When I write, I choose my words very carefully based upon experience dealing with a wide spectrum of personalities that hang out on detailing discussion forums, that said, here's a quote from the above article,

What not to do
The first thing most people do when trying to restore an old, oxidized finish is reach for some rubbing compound and try to rub the dead, oxidized paint off the car. While this will work, it's the caveman approach because it's too aggressive, it will remove too much paint and because there's a better, safer approach that will provide a better chance at preserving as much of the original paint as possible which is the goal if you're trying to preserve the "originalness" of the car.

If preserving the original paint is your goal, that is it's important to you, then take some time to read through my article on restoring antique single stage paint without using abrasives.

You can compound it if you like and you an even do so very carefully and we can show you how, but when single stage paint gets old it gets brittle because it dries out and an aggressive, abrasive compound can take a lot of paint off real fast, faster than working on a modern, clear coat finish, so you just want to be very careful.


Here's the most important advice I recommend and would put into practice myself and that's get REALLY GOOD BEFORE PICTURES.

Get the hood shot before you start rubbing on the paint and make a shiny spot. You want to capture a uniform ugly appearance over the entire hood. Once you rub a spot and make it shiny and then take your before shots they'll never look as good or have the impact of a before shot when the entire surface has a uniform dull look.

Just something I've learned after years of buffing out cars and capturing and sharing the projects on the Internet. Here's an article on the topic too...

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots


This is what I would try to do with your Corvette Project... especially if I were detailing cars for money and promoting my business on the Internet...


Before




After

[Mike Phillips]

This helped a ton. The paint is just as described in that article so hopefully I can achieve near the same results. The car had been garage kept and only has 50k original miles.

Double wow!

Chances are very good you're going to be working on the original paint, that means paint that's going on 36 years old...


Is it a metallic finish?


It's better if it's not... because the aluminum flake inside the paint oxidizes and there's no way to polish each flake to remove the oxidation. In the article above I used a metallic finish because that's what I had to work with, I was hoping to do the article using this car... a non-metallic, all original paint, pink 1959 Cadillac.

The Caddy King's Hidden Collection of 1959 Cadillacs!


Here's a genuine "Pink Cadillac" with the original paint.




You can restore a single stage metallic finish, it's just a lot harder to do... and messier... as I noted in the article on restoring antique paint, metallics are the hardest paints to restore.