Single stage paint vs. color base coat?

**Mantilgh** · 04-23-2015, 09:01 AM

I have been asked by my father in law to do what I can to clean and polish up their 80s Mercedes 560SL. Story is that their anniversary is coming up and he would like to sell the car to fund buying a replacement diamond for one that had fallen out many years ago. I think it been gone for like 20 yrs.

The car was owned by another family member and I believe was an impulse buy for him. The car has sat outside since he's owned it and was rarely driven.

I believe this car was single stage red from the factory. There are areas that I'm am sure that been repainted and some of them have clear coat on them. Or should I say really badly failing clear coat on them. The trunk and right rear quarter are the most obvious. The quarter was painted and cleared from a body line up and includes the trunk lid. The clear is 90 percent gone on the trunk and close to that on the quarter.

What will this look like if I remove the rest of the clear coat and try to polish out the base coat?

Mike Phillips · 04-23-2015, 10:32 AM

You can't fix clearcoat failure. You can try and sometimes improve it a little but it will tend to fade back to ugly.

IF the clearcoat if physically flaking off then stick a fork in it and call it done.

The ONLY basecoat paint I've ever worked on and known to polish to a high gloss was the Deltron DBU 80 series paints but that was back in the 1980's.

As for the single stage section, you can polish this paint back to a high gloss, read about it here,

Here's an old Mercedes-Benz that shows what can be done to single stage paint...

Then sometimes your cars will end up on the label of a compound....

**Setec Astronomy** · 04-23-2015, 10:35 AM

I would ask, the parts that you think have failing clearcoat, are you sure that isn't just oxidized single stage? Red SS is like the worst for oxidation. It just makes it a lot easier to fix, as Mike noted, if it's SS.

**Mantilgh** · 04-23-2015, 11:51 AM

Thanks Mike. I had tried to find the thread with that 560 in it after he had asked me, and couldn't. Think it was with shown with a truck you did, but can't remember.

Clear coated? Pretty sure the back part is. Has really big pealing flakes of it, some like 2x3 inch cupped and curled pieces.

I'll get a good look at it again tomorrow and check out how much of it needs repainted. Then talk to the body guy I know to get an estimate. The one fender needs replaced or some rust repaired too where the chrome trim has come off. Maybe do some testing on different panels to see if it is still single stage there too.

**Mantilgh** · 04-23-2015, 12:12 PM

Oh, and picked up a bottle of #7 the other day, of course.

**Calendyr** · 04-23-2015, 03:20 PM

What I am gonna tell you falls outside the realm of detailling but here is what I would do:

Go to Youtube and search for videos about painting a car with spray cans.

It's a very easy process, there are lots of steps but each step is easy. So it's a matter of taking notes, not missing any step and taking your time to do it correctly.

You can get color matched paint for most cars. The color code is usually on a sticker when you open the driver's side door.

So in essence here is what you need to do (assuming there is no rust):
- Get 400 grit sand paper or red scotch brite pad and roughen up the surface to insure paint will stick
- Clean with wax and grease remover
- Use a tack cloth to remove ever last bit of dust and help paint stick
- apply 3 layers of paint with the spray can, allowing for dry time between layers (details will be on the can)

If you want to do a perfect job, you can wet sand with 1500 grit, 3000 grit and then compound and polish.

A job like that will cost you less than a 100$. The paint depending if you go with color matched with codes or something like duplicolor will be in between 30$ and 75$ and the rest (sandpaper, masking tape, plastic sheeting, etc) will be less than 25$.

It won't be as good as a Professional spray job but at 100$ instead of 1500-2000$, it's a good deal for something like 5 hours of your time.

**Mantilgh** · 04-24-2015, 07:44 PM

Worked on the 560 some today. Washed, clay, then lots of #7. I put it on real thick with my wax spreader and worked it for a little. Then let it sit for a couple of hours while I worked on some other things and chased my kid around.

More than half the car has been clear coated. The hood, passenger door, roof, part of the passenger rear quarter, and maybe the trunk(not positive) still have single stage paint.

There was a tone of crud still left on this car. They had both washed it with my left over wash water from another car that I had washed at their house the other week. I have to see if I can revive my clay mitt from the abuse it took today.

Some before and afters. Still could use a lot more work, but it's a good start.

And was treated to a pizza dinner after. Could have had Famous Daves BBQ, but my two yr old insisted on pizza then slept though dinner.

**Mantilgh** · 04-24-2015, 08:50 PM

**BillE** · 04-25-2015, 07:17 AM

"7" for the win!

Yea, it's a LOT of work, but sure is worth it at the end. I never thought of using the old 'wax spreader'(duh)...thanx for the idea!

Nice job...

Bill

**Mantilgh** · 04-25-2015, 08:04 AM

Yep, lucky #7. Wish I could have used the wax spreader to remove it. Whew, that was a workout.

Her parents said they tried some things on it and just looked the same as soon as it dried. I assume they were just using wax.

My clay mitt lives to see another detail. Hot water, Dawn, and a brush. Now it's tacky again.

Anyone ever have their alternative clay product come off on the paint? My EagleOne surface prep mitt did this a couple of times if I worked an area to much. Maybe not enough lube? Or cheaper product?