Corvette Glass Top Scratches

[KenVette57]

Plexiglas seems to have gone the way of the Dodo Bird. Sad because it's so EASY to work on...

Plexiglas is what was used in the OLD days. The back window on a classic 1950's Corvette was Plexiglas and ANYONE could buff scratches out of this type of window and impress you.


Here's the window of the 1967 Starline Deville I use to own...






When I bought the boat the Plexiglas window was actually in GREAT shape for a boat that was 42 years old at the time the above picture was taken.


Here's how it looked after I buffed the boat out...





Here's a shot looking through the window out on the water...







Walgreen's Estate



Of course, always take care of antique Plexiglas when you get off the water...





Plexiglas is easy to work on. I LOVE working on Plexiglas.

I pass on Lexan, especially if the "item" is expensive because the expectations of the owner of the time are unrealistic as they tend to either confuse Lexan with all plastics are they just don't know anything about plastics.


PlastX uses a unique and rare abrasive mined in only one place on earth, (that I've been told), and you might give this a try although I couldn't get it to fix a Lexan Ferrari back window.

I also had "some" luck using M105, at the time M105 and the SMAT abrasive technology was JUST INTRODUCED, so it's possible some of the other new abrasive compounds and polishes on the market might work.

I'm talking about the abrasive technology introduced in these brands in the last few years...

Optimum
Sonax
Wolfgang Uber Compound
Menzerna FG400
Meguiar's
Rupes


I'm probably missing a few but the point is a LOT of very good abrasive technology has been introduced in the last few years and it could be some of these product could work but only testing will tell.

Detailing anything is easier than ever today simply because of abrasive technology.

It's the abrasive technology that is the most important aspect of undoing damage and creating a flawless finish on both CLEARcoat paints or clear plastics.

Some guys say technique is number #1 and I say their wrong. Technique is important but abrasive technology is number #1.

That's why I also type this all the time now days to mostly newbies joining the forum and wanting to learn how to detail cars...


Don't skimp on abrasive technology


That means don't skimp when it comes to choosing and buying your compounds and polishes. It is the abrasive technology or to drill down... the little tiny things that are going to abrade the surface that are pressed against the surface by the face of the pad that are all important.

And even more so when you consider how thin paint is...


Hope that helps...

Thanks Mike and all that have contributed to my dilemma.

Mike, will these abrasives remove the UV coating and then require refinishing of the top ? What I mean by refinishing is having to wet sand down thru the finishes to the Lexan?

I really don't want to go there, because of my lack of knowledge and most of all confidence.....

[Mike Phillips]

Like you said, it calls for sanding down to the Lexon and then shooting clear coat.

I'm guessing the reason it's recommended to spray clear paint over the sanding marks instead of buffing the sanding marks out of the plastic is 2 reasons.

1. The clear paint provides UV protection and will mask the sanding marks.

2. Back to my point, it's difficult if not impossible to 100% buff out the sanding marks in this type of material.





Just to note, I've posted this story elsewhere on this forum and others, sorry to say I don't have any pictures of the event.

A custom car painted called me one day and asked if I could come to his shop and show him a way to remove the sanding marks in a Ferrari he had just painted yellow with a clearcoat finish.

He had sanded the car flat by hand and finished out using #3000 grit Nikken Finishing Papers, at that time the finest automotive finishing papers on the market.

He had everything from 3M and I had everything from Meguiar's at that time.

Neither product line and wool pad on a rotary buffer could remove all the sanding marks. Trying to do so would get the paint so hot that we risked burning or twisting the clearcoat.

After a few hours of trying everything he finally came to the conclusion he would have to paint the car over again and use a different paint system or find out what he did wrong when he sprayed the clear.


Too bad he didn't just do a Test Spot for his sanding process before sanding down the entire Ferrari.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike, will these abrasives remove the UV coating and then require refinishing of the top ?

What I mean by refinishing is having to wet sand down thru the finishes to the Lexan?

Yes.


Again a note to any Corvette owner reading this into the future...

Be careful not to scratch your removable top. Look what a problem it causes to try to undo the damage.


Good luck with this Ken...

I feel your pain....

[KenVette57]

Well Folks, Tried rubbing with Plexus and no luck... Looked great in the shade, not so great in the sun.... I'm bummed.. Have to live with it for now

Thanks everyone

[FUNX650]

Well Folks, Tried rubbing with Plexus and no luck... Looked great in the shade, not so great in the sun.... I'm bummed.. Have to live with it for now

^^^Sorry to hear this.^^^

If you feel a little more adventuresome...
try the Novus Polishes (start with NO.2)

-Use a plastic polish like Novus; and a very soft microfiber towel.
-Stay away from harsh abrasives!

Bob

[KenVette57]

^^^Sorry to hear this.^^^

If you feel a little more adventuresome...
try the Novus Polishes (start with NO.2)




Bob

Thanks Bob, I'm feeling it's time for an adventure. Be picking some up today and give it a try in a small area and cross my fingers. Be posting the results either way later today

Thanks, Ken

[Mike Phillips]

Well Folks, Tried rubbing with Plexus and no luck...

Looked great in the shade, not so great in the sun.... I'm bummed.. Have to live with it for now

Thanks everyone

For what it's worth, all my testing was done using a rotary buffer with a wool pad. I've also tried by hand and DA's but the thing is, if rotary buffer with a wool pad an a variety of abrasive technologies won't remove scratches to leave a perfectly clear finish, (the criteria I already posted about in this thread), then it's going to pretty much impossible to do it by hand.

I hope someone can chime in down the road with a way to restore Lexan to how it looked when it was brand new. To date, I just haven't seen this done yet.


Hang in there Ken...

[Mike Phillips]

Bump for a clean URL to create a blue clickable thread title.
(running a forum is easy once you figure out all the little tricks)



Changed the title a little to make it more Google Search Engine friendly and then a blue clickable link to make this thread easier to post to other threads every time the topic of how to remove scratches out of plastic "something" comes up.


Corvette Glass Top Scratches