Newbie needs input on Project BMW 535iM extreme makeover attempt

[Chadd]

Thanks for the forum. I have been picking up tidbits for more than a year, but this is my first post. I am writing about my latest project, a 1989 BMW 535iM. This silver with blue leather e34 with a factory manual transmission is relatively rare. According some sources, only about 500 came into the states in 1989. This example has spent a lifetime outside in the harsh Northeast as evidenced by the level of oxidation and blemishes in the paint. Pardon the cellphone pic quality, but here is what $2350 buys these days:

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/6C5C0967.jpg

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/A90E0BAA.jpg

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/d4dfc9cd.jpg

Ouch. There are blemishes that I know will never come out, but this is a cheapie third car so it need only look presentable. I marked the hood into sections and got to work. I used my cheap Secco dual action polisher with Meguiar's M105 and a dark red cutting pad. I struggled using this stuff even after reading and attempting to employ the Kevin Brown Method. I saw the most improvement when I used Ultimate Compound and a yellow pad. My cheapie da simply loves the UC and I was able to work the compound longer for better results. I saw some minor improvement:#
#
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/d899da8e.jpg

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/5508bb14.jpg

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/bf6b3a99.jpg

I followed with SwirlX. Here is how it ended up:

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/a6d55d94.jpg

Now I am ready for the next step since the paint still has no depth due to the numerous small scratches in the clear coat.

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd368/cwlesq/Snapbucket/BMW%20535iM/6826f6c6.jpg

The paint also has a number of water deposits and blemishes in the clear. #To address these problems I have the following questions:#

1. Will moving to a Surbuf pad enable my cheapie da to spin the smaller pad under more pressure?

2.Can I get good results with Ultimate Compound or will I need to move up to M105? I love the longer work time I have with Ultimate Compound so it should yield even better results, right?


3. Any other helpful tips?


Thanks in advance.

[pixelmonkey]

mike will be sure to chime in on this thread, but my guess is this car would be a candidate for wet sanding.

chris<pixelmonkey>:D

[Chadd]

mike will be sure to chime in on this thread, but my guess is this car would be a candidate for wet sanding.

chris<pixelmonkey>:D

That makes sense. I am curious what the consensus will be. Thanks for responding.

[pixelmonkey]

That makes sense. I am curious what the consensus will be. Thanks for responding.
awake and caffeinated again, so now i can expand on my earlier response.

Mike (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/members/mike-phillips-autogeek.html) will be the one to give you great advice on this one and if he doesnt see or respond to this thread, there are several others to offer great advice.

Photographs can only do so much. Without using some type of a paint thickness guage, like this one --> Defelsko Paint Thickness Gauge, Paint thickness meter, coating thickness gauge, auto paint meter, car paint meter (http://www.autogeek.net/paint-thickness-gauge.html), it's going to be a judgement call of your own.

In wet sanding, best to select a location that will be a bit less noticeable. *think rear quarter pannel, below main body line*. Apply the best practice of using the lest aggressive sand paper and product to get the job done.

Before any sanding, wash the car to remove any wax or sealant present, and clay the car to remove debris from the paint. 3000 or 2500 with a "rubber block" would be the next step. *good information & links ---> http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/wet-sanding-cutting-buffing/26278-wetsanding-colorsanding-dampsanding.html *

a combination that works on the door might be different than the roof, hood, and other side of the car. Take your time! From the looks of the paint, there is room for improvement, but there are limits to what can be achieved.

chris<pixelmonkey>:D

[Mike Phillips]

I used my cheap Secco dual action polisher with Meguiar's M105 and a dark red cutting pad.



I had to do a search to find the Secco DA Polisher, looks like another knock-off of the Porter Cable DA Polisher only red in color and with a body like a rotary buffer.

I read somewhere that the backing plate is held on with 4 screws instead of the standard 5/16" arbor like most DA Backing Plates. All this means is when the hooks on the Velcro pad give up you'll have to go to the company and purchase a replacement backing plate.

I would be interested to see the drive mechanism behind the backing plate to see if it resembles the Free Floating Spindle Bearing Assembly like the PC and other DA Polishers. Maybe you can take the backing plate off and check to see if it looks like any of these,

The Free Floating Spindle Bearing Assembly - The Story Behind The Story... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/23995-free-rotating-spindle-assembly-story-behind-story.html)

Porter Cable 7424XP with the Backing Plate Removed Exposing the
Counterweight and Free Floating Spindle Bearing Assembly
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/794/FreeRotatingSpingleAssembley003.jpg

Close-up
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/794/FreeRotatingSpingleAssembley004.jpg


Close-ups...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/740/FreeRotatingSpindleAssemblies002.jpghttp://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/740/FreeRotatingSpindleAssemblies003.jpg
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/740/FreeRotatingSpindleAssemblies004.jpghttp://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/740/FreeRotatingSpindleAssemblies005.jpg



Regardless, what you want is for the tool to maintain pad rotation when under pressure as it's when the pad is rotating or "moving" over the surface that paint is removed and removing defects is a leveling process which means you want and need to remove a little paint.





The paint also has a number of water deposits and blemishes in the clear. #To address these problems I have the following questions:#

1. Will moving to a Surbuf pad enable my cheapie DA to spin the smaller pad under more pressure?



Maybe. Here's what I tell my son all the time,

"You don't know what you can do until you try"

So try.

Surbuf MicroFingers R Series Buffing Pads, polishing pads, Microfingers pads, orbital polisher pads, surebuff, sur-buf (http://www.autogeek.net/surbuf-r-series-pads.html)


You get what you pay for in life. At around $60.00 for the tool either there's no profit to be made by the people selling it, (or very little), or the quality of the innards is very low and it's probably both.





2.Can I get good results with Ultimate Compound or will I need to move up to M105? I love the longer work time I have with Ultimate Compound so it should yield even better results, right?


The noticeable difference between M105 and Ultimate Compound the way you're suing it will not be a day and night difference.

Use the UC
Get a Surbuf pad or thin foam cutting pads, you're using Meguiar's and they are very thick and the thick foam is absorbing and dissipating any energy coming out of the polisher.

See my article here,
Thin is in... New Lake Country Hydro-Tech Low Profile 5 1/2 x 7/8 Inch Foam Pads (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/28825-thin-new-lake-country-hydro-tech-low-profile-5-1-2-x-7-8-inch-foam-pads.html)


Get my book, it goes over everything you want and need to do...

E-book (http://www.autogeek.net/art-of-detailing-e-book.html)
(Displayed on iPad - iPad not included)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/715/medium/EbookCarWashingPage.jpg

Paperback
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/715/medium/paperbackDetailingBook01.jpg (http://www.autogeek.net/art-of-detailing-paperback-book.html)

Mike Phillips' Principles of Machine Polishing
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/824/AGSCGDVD001.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/new-car-care-products/24852-autogeek-show-car-garage-video.html)







3. Any other helpful tips?

Thanks in advance.



From the looks of the paint in your pictures the paint is shot...

If that's the original paint and a clear coat it's not only old but extremely neglected and factory paint is thin. So don't wetsand it unless you're willing to pay for a paint job if there's a "whoops".

If it is the factory paint job hopefully no caveman detailers have previously compounded it and removed a lot of the top coat.

If you want to do what I describe here,

"Taking your car's paint to it's maximum potential" (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/27081-taking-your-car-s-paint-s-maximum-potential.html)


Then continue compounding it and use expert technique, that is


Maintain pad rotation with around 15 to 20 pounds of downward pressure.
Work a small area at a time, about 20" squarish or so...
Make 6-8 section passes or longer as long as you have a wet film on the surface

Wet Buffing Technique (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/36237-wet-buffing-technique.html)

Wet film behind your path-of-travel
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1110/Wetfilmbehindyourpath-of-travel.jpg




Read this also...

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/37769-da-polisher-trouble-shooting-guide.html)



Then polish and wax and enjoy...


:)

[Chadd]

Mike:
Your response was overwhelming. I am going to look at everything you sent and then get to work. I am also adding a Griot or PC DA to my Christmas list. Thank you for taking the time to put together such a detailed and comprehensive response.