What should I use for this paint?

[shoeless89]

Hey guys, one of my good friends has a white '87 BMW 325i. It has single stage lacquer based paint. I plan on polishing it for him in the spring, I can't stand to see such a beautiful car not be swirl free. I was wondering, do you guys have any recommendations on a compound/polish for this car?

Shawn

[Mike Phillips]

Lacquer paints are very soft... but the pigment used to make white paint is very hard, the pigment modifies the paint resin and in turn makes it hard.

If the paint has swirls and scratches you're likely going to need a compound and a cutting pad to remove the swirls and scratches but if it were me I would test a medium cut polish first just to see if it will work and to preserve as much of the lacquer paint as possible.

There's some info about white paint here,

The Lesson White Paint Teaches Us (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/22982-lesson-white-paint-teaches-us.html)




Most people that read the above article think it's about me not liking to buff out cars with white paint. While that's true, that's not what the article is about.



:)

[shoeless89]

Thanks Mike! Are their any compounds/polishes that would work better on this paint? Or should I just treat it like clear/basecoat paint. I right now I'm thinking of trying Meguiar's 205 and if that doesn't give me the results I'll step up to 105. Then maybe finish it off with some Menzerna P085RD

[Mike Phillips]

M205 is a fine cut polish
M105 is a heavy cut compound

Do you have a medium cut polish?


Also, old single stage lacquers and enamels really like the unique polishing oils found in the traditional Mirror Glaze line of polishes, that would be, #3, #5, #7 and even #9 or M80

These oils will penetrated into the paint and revive the color even though there's not a lot of "color" to white it will give it a richer look.

Do you have any of these?

From this article,

The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html)


Excerpt...


This is key...
Saturation Application --> The First Application
This is a mostly unknown technique and that is to let the first application penetrate and soak into the paint for up to 24 hours before wiping the product off. The idea being to really apply the product wet and work it in really well and the walk away.

The idea is to allow the heavy concentration of oils to penetrate and seep into the paint for maximum saturation before removing the product and continuing with the process. In this case I finished applying the first application of #7 around 9:00 pm and then left the #7 to soak in until the next day. I started wiping the product off then next morning right about 10:00am.

Some will argue if this works or not but my experience is that with a porous single stage paint it does in fact help. One thing for sure it can't hurt.

Paper Test for Capillary Action
If you place a few drops of #7 onto a piece of paper and then monitor it over a few days you will see the oils in the #7 migrate or seep away from the actual drop of product. It does this through capillary action and the same thing can work to your car's paints' advantage if it's a single stage lacquer or enamel paint.

I placed a few drops about the size of a nickel on a piece of standard printer paper around 3:00pm.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/859/7CapillaryAction01.jpg

The next day I took these pictures at approximately 10:00am, (19 hours later), note how the oils in the drops of #7 have migrated outward via capillary action.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/859/7CapillaryAction02.jpg

Feeder Oils penetrate or feed the paint
This same effect can take place in a single stage paint but not only will the oils travel horizontally, they will also travel vertically, that they will penetrate downward "into" your car's paint and this is where the term feeder oils comes from as the oils penetrate into or feed the paint. The result is they will condition the paint restoring some level of workability as compared to just working on old dry paint, and they will also bring out the full richness of color, something that will showcase the beauty of your car's paint.



:xyxthumbs:

[shoeless89]

I have Wolfgang Finishing Glaze and I also have #7. So I'll see if I get the results I'm looking for from that, and if so when that is finished apply #7, let 'soak' for 24 hours?