Cleaning fresh paint after it's cured

[prettyslick65]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum. Thanks for letting me join. I have several questions with regards to prepping fresh paint after it's been cured.

I have a 69 Mustang that came out of the body shop with fresh paint in December. It's has reached the 3 month cure time but it's been sitting in my dusty garage. I would like to know the best way to proceed with cleaning the car at this point. Since it has been sitting uncovered all this time, I can feel that it has top surface contaminants and I can also see the hologram/swirl marks from the buffing of the new paint.

I. How should I proceed with washing the car and what product(s) do you recommend?
2. How can I safely remove the halogram/swirl marks and what product(s) do you recommend?

The car is painted the factory Ford Candy Apple red, but the hood has the Mach1 blackout which was painted with SEM's Hot Rod black. This is a matte/satin paint.
3. What should I use on the matte/satin black?


Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,
Stacey

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Stacey,

Welcome to AGO!

It’s late and I just now found your thread - don’t want you to think I didn’t see it - just found it though.

Will give you my input tomorrow when I’m behind a full size ergo keyboard.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mike Phillips]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum. Thanks for letting me join. I have several questions with regards to prepping fresh paint after it's been cured.

Congratulations on the CUSTOM paint job on a cool muscle car. And thank you for your trust to join our forum seeking accurate how-to information on how to proceed to perfect and preserve the paint.

I have a 69 Mustang that came out of the body shop with fresh paint in December. It's has reached the 3 month cure time but it's been sitting in my dusty garage. I would like to know the best way to proceed with cleaning the car at this point. Since it has been sitting uncovered all this time, I can feel that it has top surface contaminants and I can also see the hologram/swirl marks from the buffing of the new paint.

I. How should I proceed with washing the car and what product(s) do you recommend?

Great questions. Normally I don't wash classics with running water as a professional courtesy to the owners of these cars as running water puts water into places you cannot see, reach and dry and can lead to rust. Anyone that has ever restored a classic car knows one of the most costly aspects is removing rusted steel and body panels and then replacing them. It's more of a labor cost than a material cost. So as a professional courtesy I don't want to be the cause of a future problem, especially if someone else has already borne the cost to remove and replace rusted body panels.


That said - because the car is really dirty and needs to be clayed, it would probably be a good idea to go ahead and wash this car using a traditional wash method of running water, wash mitt and bucket of car wash soap. I'm sure you already know how to do a traditional wash like this, if you want some tips then I can share some tips like this,

1. Spray the car down and get her wet. Water is a universal solvent - it dissolves dirt. Get the dirt on the car soft by getting it really wet.
2. Blast off the loose dirt using a strong jet spray of water. Anything you can remove via water pressure reduces the potential to scratch the paint when you move a wash mitt over the paint.
3. Mix up so soapy water, for this type of wash I like the BLACKFIRE Foam Soap. You can use this with water in a bucket or in a foam gun or foam cannon.
4. Get a microfiber chenille wash mitt - my favorite for this type of wash.

I'll take a picture for the above and post it below.



BIG QUESTION

What do you own for a polisher?

2. How can I safely remove the halogram/swirl marks and what product(s) do you recommend?

The answer to this question starts with the above question - what do you own for a polisher?


Also - what do you want to use for an LSP or Last Step Product?

1. Carnauba Car Wax
2. Synthetic Paint Sealant
3. Ceramic Paint Coating

[QUOTE=prettyslick65;1632991]

The car is painted the factory Ford Candy Apple red, but the hood has the Mach1 blackout which was painted with SEM's Hot Rod black. This is a matte/satin paint.

3. What should I use on the matte/satin black?


Here's what I recommend

GYEON Q2 Matte 50 ml

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,
Stacey

We need some pictures.

I'd love to see a picture of how it looks RIGHT NOW. That is covered in dirt and dust in your garage. That's the true money shot - the BEFORE shot.

[Mike Phillips]

Also - you say your BRAND NEW CUSTOM PAINT JOB has holograms?


That is so sad and also so normal for most body shops. Here's just one article I have on this topic,


It takes just as long to do it wrong...


It's so easy to NOT put holograms into car paint. I guess it's just the people that own body shops just don't care?


Heck, any brand of free spinning orbital polisher can remove holograms with a foam pad and good abrasive technology.

[prettyslick65]

[QUOTE=Mike Phillips;1633071]Congratulations on the CUSTOM paint job on a cool muscle car. And thank you for your trust to join our forum seeking accurate how-to information on how to proceed to perfect and preserve the paint.






Great questions. Normally I don't wash classics with running water as a professional courtesy to the owners of these cars as running water puts water into places you cannot see, reach and dry and can lead to rust. Anyone that has ever restored a classic car knows one of the most costly aspects is removing rusted steel and body panels and then replacing them. It's more of a labor cost than a material cost. So as a professional courtesy I don't want to be the cause of a future problem, especially if someone else has already borne the cost to remove and replace rusted body panels.


That said - because the car is really dirty and needs to be clayed, it would probably be a good idea to go ahead and wash this car using a traditional wash method of running water, wash mitt and bucket of car wash soap. I'm sure you already know how to do a traditional wash like this, if you want some tips then I can share some tips like this,

1. Spray the car down and get her wet. Water is a universal solvent - it dissolves dirt. Get the dirt on the car soft by getting it really wet.
2. Blast off the loose dirt using a strong jet spray of water. Anything you can remove via water pressure reduces the potential to scratch the paint when you move a wash mitt over the paint.
3. Mix up so soapy water, for this type of wash I like the BLACKFIRE Foam Soap. You can use this with water in a bucket or in a foam gun or foam cannon.
4. Get a microfiber chenille wash mitt - my favorite for this type of wash.

I'll take a picture for the above and post it below.



BIG QUESTION

What do you own for a polisher?





The answer to this question starts with the above question - what do you own for a polisher?


Also - what do you want to use for an LSP or Last Step Product?

1. Carnauba Car Wax
2. Synthetic Paint Sealant
3. Ceramic Paint Coating

The car is painted the factory Ford Candy Apple red, but the hood has the Mach1 blackout which was painted with SEM's Hot Rod black. This is a matte/satin paint.

3. What should I use on the matte/satin black?


Here's what I recommend

GYEON Q2 Matte 50 ml





We need some pictures.

I'd love to see a picture of how it looks RIGHT NOW. That is covered in dirt and dust in your garage. That's the true money shot - the BEFORE shot.

Thanks for the responses.

I don't have a polisher at the moment, but am open to suggestions on which one to purchase.

I have experience applying Carnauba Wax only by hand, however I am looking for longer protection for the paint. So maybe the Sealant or Ceramic Coating would be best for me.

Thanks for the suggestion on the product for the matte black.

I will take some pictures of the car in it's "dirty" state in a day or two and post them. I am wondering if after I wash it if I should clay bar it. I also have a car specific air dryer that I can use to dry the car after washing it so hopefully I can get in all the nooks and crannies and dry it out.