Mustang Mach 1 detail help

[Locutus]

I will be detailing my new car soon. First question I can think of before I start is: Mach 1's have a matte black sticker stripe down the center, and i am not sure what coating is on the spoiler, but it is a satin finish.

[5.4 Shelby]

I will be detailing my new car soon. First question I can think of before I start is: Mach 1's have a matte black sticker stripe down the center, and i am not sure what coating is on the spoiler, but it is a satin finish.

Nice, I love the Mach 1s. Almost bought a blue one once.

Don't polish the decal with regular paint polish. I am not sure about the decal on your car. I have Ford Vinyl decals on mine though. I have had good luck with Griots Garage plastic polish by hand. I use it on a microfiber polish applicator. It wont take out all the swirls, but, it will take out the minor ones. I then follow up with Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. As always Do a test spot to make sure it works for your car.

Not sure what to tell you on the spoiler. Usually would not want to polish a matte finish. Not sure about waxing it. Is it smooth or textured? Plastic or paint?

[Locutus]

The spoiler is like black aluminium. I don't know the finish, kinda like it has been anodized, to where if you scratch it, your actually scratching he metal.

[O.C.Detailing]

Heya Shelby, you actually can use a light paint polish on the decals. I detailed that exact car a while back and we had to polish the decals a bit to get them to look nicer.

Here's a link to it: O.C.Detailing and Hill City Auto Detail (Lynchburg, VA.) - 2004 Grey Mustang Mach I

Hope that helps a bit. Good luck. They're super nice cars.

[Locutus]

Thanks, that write up helps a bunch. What did you guys use on the spoiler?

[O.C.Detailing]

Actually, that gray one was okay, but try this one:

O.C.Detailing and Hill City Auto Detail (Lynchburg, VA) - 2004 Mustang Mach I

It actually lists what John used on the spoiler. He tried 2 things and only one came out looking really good. I believe you can use 205 and get it a bit darker though. If it's anodized metal, it should polish out a bit. At the time of this writing, we weren't sure what was covering the spoiler, so we used protectants designed for vinyls and plastics. lol

[5.4 Shelby]

Thanks Adam. I have asked that question on multiple forums and have always been told not to polish them including Mike Phillips. So, I will try some mild polish in mine in some inconspicuous spot.

[5.4 Shelby]

Adam,

I dont have #82. I do have #205 and SwirlX. I also have Griots #4 and XMT #1.

I have LC white and Gray pads (among others).

I have GG 6in ROP and an old PC 7424 (nonXP).

What would you suggest?

[detailjohn]

Swissvax Opaque is for flat finishes. Probably the best product for the stripes.


John

[memnuts]

After working 14 years as a tool and die maker and dealing a lot with Anodized aluminum. I would never ever use an abrasive of any sort on anything anodized. Especialy something that is supposed to be flat black.
First you have to understand what anodizing is in the first place. Essentially anodizing changes the exterior few thousandths to aluminum oxide with a pigment. Also the surface texture is rough and that aluminum oxide is rock hard. It beats the day lights out of even carbide tools.
If you use and abrassive you're going to do two things. You're going to remove some of that paper thing al. oxide which is a protective layer. Secondly the anodizing will trap the abrassive much like textured plastic when you don't mask it off when you polish paint.

If anything I would use something like PB's Trim Restorer or anthing you would use on trip. All you can really do even out the color and ame it darker. If the anodizing fades the only thing you really can do it sand down the anodizing and have it sent out to be re-anodized.