Controlling pigment removal using Mirror Glaze #7 - 1953 MG

[johnnyO]

Controlling pigment removal using Mirror Glaze #7 - 1953 MG




I'm trying to preserve as much of the original paint on my '53 MG TD as possible. In the 33 years I've owned and driven the car, the red has given way to various shades of grey and orange primer and even bare metal on the tops of the cutaway doors that serve as armrests. There is no rust, just lots of character. I recently discovered this Forum and and hope that Mike and others will chime in.









For the past 15 years, I've applied heavy coats of Griot's Paint Sealant (now discontinued) about twice a year in a manner similar to what I've just learned is recommended using Mirror Glaze #7. Most areas of the car just soak it up, and then I blend and lightly buff the last coat to create a somewhat uniform look on the various panels... each of which has its own particular sheen and color. The pigment on the top 2 hood panels seems to be held in place by gravity and will come loose and streak with even the most gentle wiping. Reluctantly, I plan to have these panels repainted to match the patina and color of the others (in their treated depth of color).







I'm experimenting now with the #7 on the slab fuel tank before treating the expansive fender areas and have the following questions:

• After the initial soaking, I find that on additional layers my applicator towel still gets soaked with a pink slurry that gets spread around. After drying about a half hour, there are swirls and lines where the residue has built up. (Not sure if this will show in photos below) This buildup will not buff out by hand. Adding a bit of glaze to the surface will loosen it and allow me to feather it out. But there is still some "loose" pigment on the surface. So now I'm using a clean application and buffing towel for each coat. Once the buffing towel has minimal red on it, I assume it will be time for wax.

• In the past, I've not been top coating the sealant with wax because when I tried years ago, even more paint came off on my towel and it left a blotchy finish that I had to feather out with more product. So, is the goal with multiple applications of #7 to nourish and seal the paint with so many thin layers that the pigment gets "locked" in place? And that a final application of wax will further protect the base layers?

• WAX. Will a paste wax provide a better layer of protection than liquid? I don't want a wet-look high gloss, but rather a mellow sheen. Recommendations? The car is driven regularly in all types of weather, so durability is a must.

• FOLLOW UP. Will the paint be able to hold the sealed darker appearance with several waxings per year and not have to feed the paint with sealer again? Or if there is a hint of fading, do I retreat with #7 and rewax throughout the driving season?

• I've used Griot's Poly Wax on clearcoat. Are modern finishes like this compatible/recommended with the #7 Glaze?

• Will Speed Shine or other detailer have a negative effect on my treatment? Or put another way, what will cause deterioration of the wax and sealant layers?? Rain, sun, wind friction from high-speed driving, harsh wash soap, ???

Ahh, the challenges of single stage red paint!



Here's a pic from 11 years ago to show the lost of pigment, also showing sealer applied to one side.

[Mike Phillips]

Wow!

What a cool project!


Hang tight and I'll reply... (just found this thread, been working on a new article)

[Mike Phillips]

• In the past, I've not been top coating the sealant with wax because when I tried years ago, even more paint came off on my towel and it left a blotchy finish that I had to feather out with more product. So, is the goal with multiple applications of #7 to nourish and seal the paint with so many thin layers that the pigment gets "locked" in place? And that a final application of wax will further protect the base layers?

• WAX. Will a paste wax provide a better layer of protection than liquid? I don't want a wet-look high gloss, but rather a mellow sheen. Recommendations? The car is driven regularly in all types of weather, so durability is a must.

• FOLLOW UP. Will the paint be able to hold the sealed darker appearance with several waxings per year and not have to feed the paint with sealer again? Or if there is a hint of fading, do I retreat with #7 and rewax throughout the driving season?

• I've used Griot's Poly Wax on clearcoat. Are modern finishes like this compatible/recommended with the #7 Glaze?

• Will Speed Shine or other detailer have a negative effect on my treatment? Or put another way, what will cause deterioration of the wax and sealant layers?? Rain, sun, wind friction from high-speed driving, harsh wash soap, ???

Ahh, the challenges of single stage red paint!

Great questions, I simply don't have time right now to type out my thoughts.

We're shooting a LIVE video at 3:00pm Eastern Time about working on single stage paint today and besides prepping for that I'm in the middle of processing pictures for a project that's due.


I'll get to this tomorrow.

[Mike Phillips]

Also...

To make it easier for everyone to see the pictures I uploaded them to your free gallery here,

johnnyO Gallery - AutogeekOnline Gallery


By doing this I could insert the full size version.

[Mike Phillips]

More....


Thanks for joining us for the LIVE detailing class on working on single stage paint.

For everyone that will read this thread into the future, here's the video

[Mike Phillips]

Controlling pigment removal using Mirror Glaze #7 - 1953 MG




I'm trying to preserve as much of the original paint on my '53 MG TD as possible. In the 33 years I've owned and driven the car, the red has given way to various shades of grey and orange primer and even bare metal on the tops of the cutaway doors that serve as armrests. There is no rust, just lots of character. I recently discovered this Forum and and hope that Mike and others will chime in.

Cool car and real-world patina!

For the past 15 years, I've applied heavy coats of Griot's Paint Sealant (now discontinued) about twice a year in a manner similar to what I've just learned is recommended using Mirror Glaze #7. Most areas of the car just soak it up, and then I blend and lightly buff the last coat to create a somewhat uniform look on the various panels... each of which has its own particular sheen and color. The pigment on the top 2 hood panels seems to be held in place by gravity and will come loose and streak with even the most gentle wiping. Reluctantly, I plan to have these panels repainted to match the patina and color of the others (in their treated depth of color).

I feel your pain -Bill Clinton

I feel your paint -Mike Phillips

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do even when you don't want to do it.

I'm experimenting now with the #7 on the slab fuel tank before treating the expansive fender areas and have the following questions:

• After the initial soaking, I find that on additional layers my applicator towel still gets soaked with a pink slurry that gets spread around. After drying about a half hour, there are swirls and lines where the residue has built up. (Not sure if this will show in photos below) This buildup will not buff out by hand. Adding a bit of glaze to the surface will loosen it and allow me to feather it out. But there is still some "loose" pigment on the surface. So now I'm using a clean application and buffing towel for each coat. Once the buffing towel has minimal red on it, I assume it will be time for wax.

Here's my best guess based upon experience working on vintage British car paint. I'm sorry to say, all the vintage British car paint I've worked on, including the 6 different British sports cars I've owned, is a tick on the side of poor quality. Kind of like the electrical systems. And the motors. And the transmissions.

But damn - the British really know shape body panels.

• In the past, I've not been top coating the sealant with wax because when I tried years ago, even more paint came off on my towel and it left a blotchy finish that I had to feather out with more product. So, is the goal with multiple applications of #7 to nourish and seal the paint with so many thin layers that the pigment gets "locked" in place? And that a final application of wax will further protect the base layers?

In theory - and with most paints - the answer is "yes". The final application of a non-water soluble sealer of some form will protect the base layers. The issue you're dealing with is the actual paint quality when the paint was new and now 70 years later - the quality hasn't gotten any better.

• WAX. Will a paste wax provide a better layer of protection than liquid? I don't want a wet-look high gloss, but rather a mellow sheen. Recommendations? The car is driven regularly in all types of weather, so durability is a must.

It would seem a paste wax would be less chemically aggressive than a liquid. I think most people, including myself would think that it takes more solvents or "carrying agents" to liquefy and suspend a wax into an emulsion. But I have been told by at least one really really good chemist, that I know and trust, that there are actually more solvents in paste versions of wax.

That said, as I mentioned in the LIVE detailing class video - I'm sending you the brand new can of M16 you saw me open and use in the video and the bottle of Meguiar's M20 Polymer Sealant.

What I used to do way back before the Internet and thus way back before so many different brands and different products had been invented and become available was - after doing the paint correction to a car, I would apply a base layer of the Meguiar's M20 Polymer Sealant. Because it has a very light chemical cleaner this would clean-up any polish smears from the polishing step and leave behind a very slick an water repellent layer of protection. Also very easy to apply and wipe off after you let it fully dry - and it dries fast. Then I would apply a super thin coat of the Meguiar's M16 Professional Paste Wax as a form of "layering". This was before people used the term "layering".


You will have the option to try both product by themselves and also to test them out as I just described and see which process works best for this paint.

• FOLLOW UP. Will the paint be able to hold the sealed darker appearance with several waxings per year and not have to feed the paint with sealer again? Or if there is a hint of fading, do I retreat with #7 and rewax throughout the driving season?

Well this is what we will both hope for. I'm sorry to vindicate what you already know and that is this paint is truly on it's last stages of life. The truth is - just being exposed to the air, sun, moisture in the air or rain, it's going to go downhill.

My instincts tell me, the M20 Polymer Sealant, applied as needed, will do a good job of maintaining the finish and be very non-aggressive.

• I've used Griot's Poly Wax on clearcoat. Are modern finishes like this compatible/recommended with the #7 Glaze?

Griot's makes great products - I wouldn't hesitate to use anything from Richard and his team.

• Will Speed Shine or other detailer have a negative effect on my treatment? Or put another way, what will cause deterioration of the wax and sealant layers?? Rain, sun, wind friction from high-speed driving, harsh wash soap, ???

Reality is - anytime and every time you touch the treated paint, (polished, waxed or sealanted), the microfiber towel surface plus whatever it is you're applying will MICRO-ABRADE the stuff on the paint and the paint. It's a physics thing.

Ahh, the challenges of single stage red paint!

Agree. And even more so when the paint is vintage and sparse.

Here's a pic from 11 years ago to show the lost of pigment, also showing sealer applied to one side.

I'm impressed with your passion to preseve it. Good job.


Don't know how much if any the above comments and suggestions have helped but my fingers are crossed the M20, or the M16 or a combination of both will help and possibly even be the recipe to preserve what's left for another 70 years.

[Mike Phillips]

One more....

johnnyO]
[/B]
The pigment on the top 2 hood panels seems to be held in place by gravity and will come loose and streak with even the most gentle wiping.

One of the reasons why the paint that is left is so easily removed is because there's simply so little of it left.

A layer of paint is a matrix of resin, binders, pigments and other miscellaneous ingredients.

What you have is a smattering of the original matrix. There's simply not much there.

[Mike Phillips]

Hey John,

This is shipped out today... its the things we've talked about in this thread and also in the video.

The M16 is from my personal stash. I taped a penny in the secret slot to make it apparent.






There's also some clean simple foam applicators for both the M16 and the M20 and a couple of my new favorite towels that will work well with any product but especially wiping off dried M16.



Remember - when it comes to M16 - a SUPER THIN LAYER - let it fully dry and then wipe off.

Sometimes it helps to just wax a small area, let the wax dry for about a half hour and the wipe-off. This teaches you to apply a thin coat.


Enjoy!

[johnnyO]

Mike,

I received your package today. Thank you very much! But I'm realizing the "secret slot" in the wax can isn't much of a secret anymore if you keep telling everyone.

I've been experimenting with Comet on some inconspicuous areas like the underside of the rear bumper valance shown below. The cleanser did a great job removing the dark road grime and I was surprised to find there were different black situations. Evidently decades ago, maybe while redoing the wiring harness I sprayed some black primer to protect areas with inadequate protection. The Comet removed the overspray but there was one area where I rubbed through to bright metal. There was another spot to the right of the cutout where I thought I was cleaning overspray or surface dirt only to find out that it was specs of factory black primer showing through. So instead of making the black disappear, I exposed more. A lesson learned!








Left rear fender

I removed this fender to experiment with cleaning the underside before deciding what procedure to use on the main parts of the car. On the MG, much of the inner wheel arch is visible, so I want to get these areas cleaned up as much as is practical.











Here's how the Comet cleaning is going. The black specs below are from driving on a newly tarred road we encountered on a rally about 20 years ago. The rallymaster was assured by the county engineer there would be no roadwork scheduled during the event. Well, once we encountered their equipment, there was no way out unscathed and all the car owners had to spend hours with tar remover that evening.(obviously I missed some.) I see no reason to pick off the bits now and will continue scrubbing.

MIKE, Is it ok to use mineral spirits for a less abrasive cleaning of the panels? Eventually I will have to do the hood louvers which are oily on the underside. Any other suggestions? I'm also using a Scotch Brite kitchen sponge for the Comet and sometimes the "non-scratch" rough side where there is a lot of buildup.





Feeding the paint



The top left section is where I used M07 ad let it soak in. Today I used the M20 Sealant on the lower right test area and am amazed at the gloss! Next I will try the sealant over the M07.

MIKE, some questions:

I plan to do a gentle cleaning with Comet on the top sides of the rear valance or fuel tank next. If there is already #7 on an area, will the Comet simply remove it and get me down to the original finish? Then I can redo #7 and seal with #20.... plus a thin layer of wax?

In the wheel arches, which have minor oxidation due to lack of exposure, should I do the same process... less the finish wax? Then, knowing that some of the arch area will have sealant over spots with minimal paint, what is the best method of upkeep. Additional applications of the #20? I've also seen people use FluidFilm and wipe the excess in these areas?

You've been a source of sympathy and consolation in regard to my old British paint... and I can see why there is no cookie-cutter solution to preserving it.

Cheers!

John

[johnnyO]

I'm now trying out the process on the sunny side of the car. REMARKABLE!!

Comet, then heavy #7. I applied #20 on the top half of the test area... only a minor change in gloss, but I'm not complaining!