1959 Buick Invicta Paint Restore

[Hazcat]

This project came my way so I used Mike's method for restoring oxidized single stage paint. I started by washing with ONR and scrubbing on Meguiars #7 times 4 with 24 hour soaks between applications and scrubbing it off with terry cloth towels.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/theprojectbefore.JPG

If you look closely you can see tiger stripes from a former buffing job. This car had quite a bit of shade tree body work, rust, and a couple of hail dents.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Tigerstripes.JPG

Here's a rear view showing oxidation and bird donations.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/rearviewbefore.JPG

The paint is quite thin from age and buffing over the years. There are several spots where her grandson tried his hand with a wool pad and a buffer.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/grandsonwoolpad.JPG

The top was horrendous and this picture is the better part of it. I didn't think I was going to be able to do much with it.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/topbefore.jpg

Here's a 50/50 shot after compounding.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Fiftyfiftycompound.JPG




Compounding completed with a purple kompressor pad and XMT#4. I used my fingers next to the trim. They didn't want to remove the trim because the clips were rusted and would break off. They were on a tight budget and wanting to show it at the Blacktop Grand Nationals the next weekend.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Compoundsteptop.JPG

I followed up with Megs 205 with an orange hybrid pad.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/topafter.JPG

I used the same combination on the remainder of the car.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Frontafter.JPG

One more.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Siderearafter.JPG

The owner was quite surprised by the outcome. He actually jumped up and down. I just followed the leader here at Autogeek Forums. It certainly got a lot of looks and comments when I drove it home for them. It's a fun car to drive.


ONR
Meguiars #7
Flex VRG 3401
Purple Kompressor Pad
Pinnacle XMT#4 Compound
LC Orange Hybrid Pad
Meguiars 205 polish
Pad Washer (Ended up with several inches of paint in the bottom)
Optimum Poliseal

[sproketser]

That s some great work mate ! How long it took .

[damaged442]

Great job! What a beautiful car! I used some of that XMT#4 with my PC and an orange LC CCS on the 442. Did a good job of removing oxidation. It had kind of a weird smell that reminded me of caramel...

[Mike Phillips]

INCREDIBLE SAVE!

Just amazing how you brought the dead back to life!

The #7 soaking treatment is really the only way to go for antique, original single stage paint that is IMPORTANT to the owner to try to save.

Excellent work and thank you for taking very good before pictures to document just how bad the paint was and where you started with this car's finish.

Now tell the owner to maintain with an occasional hand or machine application of the #7 and a quality wax and he can keep that paint looking just like it looks now.

Cool cars too...


:dblthumb2: :dblthumb2: :dblthumb2:

[Mike Phillips]

It's a Flat Top too...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2073/Siderearafter.JPG


This car uses the same windshield and chrome trim surrounding the windshield as 1959 and 1960 Cadillacs. I know because I pulled a windshield out of a 1960 Buick and installed it into my first 1959 Cadillac, which was also a Flat Top.


For everyone reading this into the future...

The opportunity to work on REAL original, single stage paint becomes more and more rare each day. When you do get the opportunity...

Jump on it!


And read this before you take a compound to the paint...

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)


Which is almost at 140,000 views!

Kind of interesting considering almost everyone on all detailing discussion forums owns vehicles with clear coats and works on vehicles with clear coats.


:)

[hernandez.art13]

Yeah it came out really good, classic car restorations are my favorite.

Just wondering, why did you use XMT # 4

And not M105?

Since you used M205

Just wondering and great car and great work :xyxthumbs:

[Setec Astronomy]

Wow, what a monster! I knew Mike Phillips would like that car since it was so reminiscent of his old Caddys. Great turnaround.

[dad07]

Mike said it best. Incredible!

[Hazcat]

That s some great work mate ! How long it took .
The rub downs with Megs #7 took a couple of hours each time.
I put around 8 hours into compounding because of all the paint that came off. I'd do a 2'x2' area then head to the pad washer. Polishing was easy as well as the Poliseal. I spent some time polishing the stainless steel and lenses but not much.

Yeah it came out really good, classic car restorations are my favorite.

Just wondering, why did you use XMT # 4

And not M105?

Since you used M205

Just wondering and great car and great work :xyxthumbs:
I didn't have any M105 and just wanted to use up some product I had around. It worked very nice and stayed wet so I was happy with the XMT.

Thanks for the comments everyone and thank you Mike for paving the way and taking the guess work out of it for us. I wouldn't have tried this one without reading about it on this forum. I can't say enough about the confidence it gave me to take it on.

[Bill1234]

I read that tail fins were supposed to be a safety device, but they were more used as a design feature and fit in with the retro science space thing of the 50s

[javip2k]

Fantastic, thank you for sharing the pics.

Excellent work. Congratulations for bring to life again this special classic:dblthumb2:

[Setec Astronomy]

I read that tail fins were supposed to be a safety device, but they were more used as a design feature and fit in with the retro science space thing of the 50s

Um..it wasn't retro in the 50's...it was space age...

[Skoob]

I sure love watching people bring back the old paint. Cool cars to look at with really fun shapes. They just don't build them like that anymore.
Great job.

[noslef]

Awesome job bring that paint back to life! Looks a million times better!

[lokerola]

Cool! Nice work. Love the old cars...