1976 MGB - Detailing and bring paint back to life

**mossyoakglock** · 07-14-2016, 10:49 AM

I am working on cleaning up a 1976 MGB Roadster. The car has been in the garage but the paint is still in need of some good TLC. Probably the best thing to do for this is a full repaint but I'm not trying to make this into a show car. It's a driver but I still want the paint to look as best as I can. There a chips and deep scratches that won't come out with compound and polish but that's ok with me. I just want to bring the paint back to life as much as I can. It's just a little project car to keep me busy.

Since the paint is original and 40 years old, what is the best way to go about detailing it? I did one of the fenders by hand and in just the 10 minutes I spent on it made a huge difference. Even though I did everything by hand (compound, polish then wax), the pad I was using had green stain on it so I'm guessing the paint is brittle and really soft. I'm afraid that if I use a DA polisher, I'll burn right through it. Am I better off doing the whole car by hand? I don't mind since it's a small car if I have to.

Here is my equipment.
Harbor Freight DA Polisher
Maguiar's Ultimate Compound, Polish and Wax
Meguiar's Clay Kit
Lake County orange, white and black 6.5" flat pads

Any tips or tricks to getting the paint looking better? Any other sealers, waxes, polishes I should add? Here are some shots of the hood which has the most swirls.

1976 MGB - Detailing and bring paint back to life-img_2750-jpg

1976 MGB - Detailing and bring paint back to life-img_2751-jpg

1976 MGB - Detailing and bring paint back to life-img_2749-jpg

Like I said, I'm not trying to make this a showcar (that would require a full repaint). I'm just wanting to bring the paint back to life as much as I can and protect it. I'm having to replace the side mirrors and the chrome trim so that will all come off and make it easier to detail as well.

Mike Phillips · 07-14-2016, 10:55 AM

My experience is the paint that came on these cars from this era isn't good to start with.

I'd tread carefully and machine polish with the compound to remove the swirls.

**mossyoakglock** · 07-14-2016, 11:06 AM

Would you use low speed and light pressure to avoid burning through the paint? I'm sure that with it being 40 years old is pretty soft considering that I had green paint residue on the pads with just compounding and polishing by hand.

Would it also be a safer bet to use a white pad with the compound and polish or should I be ok with using an orange pad?

**GSKR** · 07-14-2016, 11:54 AM

With mikes years of experience he has laid out the precautions.on that paint I would go with HD adapt polish with a micro polishing pad,use just the weight of the machine with slow passes on speed 3 or 4. Tape up all the body lines and top it with some jescar.

**GSKR** · 07-14-2016, 12:00 PM

Or just continue by hand with mikes #7 hand glaze and top it with some wax.seems like it's single stage paint.

**mossyoakglock** · 07-14-2016, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by GSKR

Or just continue by hand with mikes #7 hand glaze and top it with some wax.seems like it's single stage paint.

Would I replace my Ultimate Polish with the #7 or use it in conjuction? Wash, Clay, Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish, #7, Wax (Ultimate Wax) or don't use the Ultimate Polish and replace with #7? I also have 105 and 205 as well.

Using the products I already have, what order/product would you use? I'm also not opposed to getting a different/better wax too. I use all the Ultimate products on my '08 Silverado with results that I'm happy with but if the #7 is that much better than Ultimate Polish, I'll try it on the truck too.