detailing 1950 Mercury

[Buggy Bath]

Hello Mike, I am going to be preparing a 1950 Merc for a car show and I imagine I will have to do some light paint correction. I have never buffed a single stage painted car and would like your suggestions and tips on how to approach it.

Perhaps you have an article on single stage paint correction?

I don't have any pics of it at the moment.

Thank you!

[rider9195]

I'm not Mike, but I found this in his How to articles.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ge-paints.html

[Buggy Bath]

Great, thanks a lot.

[BillE]

PLEASE post some pics when you finish.

Bill

[Mike Phillips]

Hello Mike, I am going to be preparing a 1950 Merc for a car show and I imagine I will have to do some light paint correction.

VERY COOL!

I have never buffed a single stage painted car and would like your suggestions and tips on how to approach it.

Perhaps you have an article on single stage paint correction?

The article shared above is about "restoring" antique and/or original single stage paint in an effort to preserve it versus repainting the car. That said the tips and techniques can be used for any single stage paint that is neglected whether it's old or not if the paint is important to the owner. Some people really care about their car's paint some people don't, my article is for people that care.


The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints



With the exception of single stage white paint, most other colors of single stage paint will tend to be soft, at least softer than most any basecoat/clearcoat finish. I touch on the white paint hardness factor in this article written in 1997 that includes a reference to the Mohs Hardness Scale.

The Lesson White Paint Teaches Us


To your question on how to polish single stage paints...


First, use the least aggressive product to get the job done. Always.

Do a Test Spot and dial in a process that works to make the paint look AWESOME to one small area before buffing out the entire car.

Tape-off or avoid any raised body lines as the paint is soft, (as discussed), and paint on raised body lines tends to be thin for a number of reason, one of which is because all the detailers that have buffed the car out before you probably WERE NOT careful and did not avoid buffing on the raised body lines.

So just buff up to raised body lines, don't buff on them.

Be prepared to CLEAN YOUR PAD OFTEN - If you're using a DA Polisher have plenty of terry cloth hand towels on hand and clean the dead, oxidized paint AND the spent polish residue off the face of the pad after buffing each section or at least after buffing out ever other section.

Work small areas at a time, about 20" square or so, 2' by 2' as recommend by most companies/people/articles etc. is too large.

Don't use anything with harsh solvents in it or archaic abrasive technology, stick with the premium brands and you won't have a problem.

If the paint is dark, consider using #7 after all the mechanical abrading steps are over and before you apply the wax. The polishing oils in the #7 will bring out the full richness of color and beauty in the pigments. This is a purposefully built in feature of these specific oils.

That's it off the top of my head, I would also do things like knock out the roof first and then tackle the rest of the car, I have an article on this on my article page.

I don't have any pics of it at the moment.

Thank you!

IF the finish is neglected AT ALL and you want to use this car to promote yourself and your skills, the read this article,

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots


And consider watching this video we made last week where we buffed out a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 with VERY THIN single stage paint. So thin we could not put painter's tape on it without the tape pulling off the paint. Ouch!


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbppD4opsGs]1970 Mustang Mach 1 - How to polish single stage paint by hand - YouTube[/video]

[Mike Phillips]

Just to note, our project car for next week is similar to what you're going to be working on and it has single stage red paint...


Sign-up - 1948 Cadillac Convertible - Detailing Class

Blinky's 1948 Cadillac Convertible



Looks great in pictures and on TV but is in Category #2 to #3 in my how-to book.





The paint on the Cadillac above looks good on camera but just like the 1970 Mustang Mach 1 it has oxidation and lots of shallow swirls and scratches, so we're going to take the paint on this classy Cadillac to its maximum potential.

[Buggy Bath]

This is the merc I will be doing. It looks to be in good shape. Maybe I will just put some #7 on it? I have not seen it in person yet.

It is the red one. The black one is a 51.

Thanks for all the help Mike! I read article, very informative.

[BillE]

That is one fine lookin' chooped Merc!

Now, I must insist you post pictures of the end game...

Bill

[Mike Phillips]

This is the merc I will be doing. It looks to be in good shape. Maybe I will just put some #7 on it? I have not seen it in person yet.

It is the red one. The black one is a 51.

Thanks for all the help Mike! I read article, very informative.

Wow! Both cars are awesome!

Do the Baggie Test, chances are very good you're going to want and need to clay the paint.

Then machine polish with SOMETHING, a medium or light cut polish. Never underestimate how many microscopic scratches are in the paint that cloud the surface diminishing clarity.

Here's an example, the paint on this car looked great to the average person but to me I saw all the millions of fine scratches from being wiped with spray detailers over and over again...

Blown 1934 Ford Pick-up - Show Car Makeover - Modeled by Kristin

After wiping the finish down we felt the paint using our clean hands and also using The Baggie Test.

The Baggie Test - How to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants


Both methods of inspecting the paint revealed a very clean and contaminant free finish so we skipped claying the paint.





Then I did my best to capture the fine or shallow swirls and scratches in the paint... hard to do with a camera but easy enough to see in person with your eyes...














Finished...









So,

• Inspect for claying
• Machine Polish with something
• #7 to bring out the full richness of color and a deep, wet look
• Seal with a Show Car Finishing Wax

Something the owner can also apply and get great results down the road, Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax would be a good choice.

[HotRodJoe]

Let me know how the hood louvres work out!