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

[Roman92]

Thank you so much for this write up! It has helped me so much! If the finish was great after the hand conditioning step with #7 could you use #3 machine glaze with a foam cutting pad instead of the speed glaze?

[BillyJack]

I do the #7 soak every year on my Camino before show season. I've done exactly that, using #3, with a variety of pads and it works well when you don't need as aggressive of a process as #80.

Bill

[Roman92]

I do the #7 soak every year on my Camino before show season. I've done exactly that, using #3, with a variety of pads and it works well when you don't need as aggressive of a process as #80.

Bill

Thanks! I'm actually doing my grandfathers truck. He passed a few years back and my grandmother passed earlier this year and my parents inherited his 88 ford ranger. I'm not certain restoring the paint on a truck like this will increase the value but I just wanted to detail it for sentimental purposes at the least. Anyway I got such good results after one round with #7 that I think the #3 should be aggressive enough
Before #7 soak

And after

[Harsh]

No. I would not use a paint cleaner after rubbing antique paint down with #7.
To put this in context and because so many people read this thread and too many people now days are "scanners" (not saying you are just saying people in general are scanners).

As a recap, the paint on this car I used for this write-up has single stage METALLIC paint.

What I wrote and what you quoted me as saying is VERY accurate.

What I mean is because the aluminum flake in the paint on this car bleeds BLACK RESIDUE I chose the LIGHT cleaner/wax to clean up any of the black residue on the surface and also because it does leave a dry, hard shine. Something I wanted for this paint and after all the oily applications of the #7.

In most cases and especially if the paint in question was NOT a metallic I would have sued a finishing wax. That is a wax without any cleaners or abrasives. Also called a show car wax.

Mike,

First of all, thank you for your responses, we are all very fortunate to have access to your knowledge via this Q&A.

I want to be sure I understand your answer completely, when you say you would use a Show CarWax after the #7, would you also skip the step of Wolfgang Finishing Glaze? Also, from what I have read and understood, the Fuzion Wax makes a car look great (a very deep shine) but it is not the most durable, that being said I usually use Deep Gloss Paint Sealant prior to the Fuzion.

Below I will revise my original steps to see if it matches what you are suggesting given my great condition original 1993 single stage paint and current stock of Wolfgang products. If you could review and let me know if I have understood you correctly, that would be great.

1. I plan to wash with Wolfgang Autobathe
2. Plastic baggy test - then Clay Bar with Wolfgang products
3. Meguiars Show Car Glaze #7, following your directions of leaving it sit over night.
5. Wolfgang Finishing Glaze with a foam pad.
6. Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0.
7. Wolfgang Fuzion Wax.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

First of all, thank you for your responses, we are all very fortunate to have access to your knowledge via this Q&A.

Thank you. Just to note... while I'm a huge fan of Facebook the weak point of Facebook is the interface, that is the tiny little boxes everyone types in does not lend itself well for teaching. Teaching meaning relaying helpful information in the way of,

1. Text - info
2. Text - conversation
3. Pictures
4. Videos
5. Future reference via Google search engine

And again, thank you.

I want to be sure I understand your answer completely, when you say you would use a Show Car Wax after the #7, would you also skip the step of Wolfgang Finishing Glaze?

That's something you decide. Here's how...

Look at the paint after you're all done with the #7 treatments. Ask yourself...

Does it look good?
Amy I happy with the results?

If so then simply seal the surface with a coat of wax or a synthetic paint sealant. Both do the same thing, they SEAL the surface. Choose one and go for it.

If you look at the paint and now the color is back but it still has BELOW SURFACE DEFECTS - that is swirls and scratches then if you like you can abrade the surface to remove some paint and thus level the top of the surface with the lowest depths of the defects you're trying to remove to make them visually disappear. Be careful, you don't have a lot of paint to work with.

Then re-polish with the #7 and seal with a wax or sealant.

Also, from what I have read and understood, the Fuzion Wax makes a car look great (a very deep shine) but it is not the most durable, that being said I usually use Deep Gloss Paint Sealant prior to the Fuzion.

My comment when people talk about how long a product lasts is always the same....

It depends on how the paint is "touched" into the future. Wash a car carefully using the careful approach and a wax will last a long time. Wash a car with a brick and no wax will last very long. It all comes down to micro-abrasion and that's what I mean in the forum world when I use the words or concept of "touching the paint".

Below I will revise my original steps to see if it matches what you are suggesting given my great condition original 1993 single stage paint and current stock of Wolfgang products. If you could review and let me know if I have understood you correctly, that would be great.

1. I plan to wash with Wolfgang Auto bathe
2. Plastic baggy test - then Clay Bar with Wolfgang products
3. Meguiars Show Car Glaze #7, following your directions of leaving it sit over night.
5. Wolfgang Finishing Glaze with a foam pad.
6. Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0.
7. Wolfgang Fuzion Wax.

I would add an application of the #7 after the Finishing Glaze nd before the sealant.

Note: Wolfgang Finishing Glaze is NOT a glaze it's a fine cut polish. There are no laws regulating the words used to describe what a product is and what a product does in the car wax world. so you need forums like this to help you understand these types of issue.

Have fun...

[r_henry]

thanks for the write up, Mike. one thing though, wiping off m7 after it dries of is TUFF. guess im getting old

[Mike Phillips]

thanks for the write up, Mike. one thing though, wiping off m7 after it dries of is TUFF. guess im getting old

It can be a little tacky to wipe off.

There's both a secret and a technique to removing #7


The Secret
The secret is to use clean soft terry cloth towels. What I do is find some really soft old 100 percent cotton terrycloth bath towels that have a larger loop or NAP and cut them up into smaller sections.

The nap or loop of cotton fiber will slice into the layer of #7 and break it up making it easier to wipe off.


The Technique
The technique is simple and goes against your normal inclination and habits. Real simple... don't try to remove 100 percent of the #7 film all at once. Just aim for about 80 percent removal.

Break open the layer of #7 and wipe most of it off and then move on. After you have gone around the car once go around it a second time and remove about 90 percent of what is left.

If you're going to re-apply a second, third or fourth application then it doesn't matter and it's not important to remove 100 percent. Don't be a "perfectionist" when doing this kind of rough work.


I'm writing a new book for this age-old process. Look for it in 2016

[Harsh]

Perfect, thanks Mike for the personal attention. My car is still in another state, but as soon as I get it in my hands I will start working on it and post some before and after photos.

[Mike Phillips]

Perfect, thanks Mike for the personal attention.

My car is still in another state, but as soon as I get it in my hands I will start working on it and post some before and after photos.

That's how we roll on this forum!

[1967 Cutlass]

Hi Mike. I just got done studying your Restoring Single Stage Paint series, finally an expert instruction for my car exterior. I have a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme convertible with the original acrylic Provincial White (flat non-metallic) exterior. The exterior detraction is the 48 years of micro scratches, some deeper minor scratches and dings, some of them poorly touched up painted before I got it. There are no apparent thin spots. I wish keep the car as original as much as possible, so a repaint for now is not in the picture. I am satisfied with it being 10-footer without perfection for I drive it often during the summer. Several years ago, the exterior was clayed and then carnauba waxed. The exterior has not been managed since except for wiping it down after every drive with very frequently water-only wringed microfiber. I do not hose down the car. Finally, I am prepared to execute your Restoring Single Stage Paint process with the suggested products.

Before starting, I wish to address the scratches and dings, some with rust barely starting around some chips (probability from humidity) and some of the old chip paint repair is coming off.

My exterior questions are how and when do I repair the chips/scratches, before, during or after performing your Restoring Single Stage Paint technique? Also, what type of chip repair do you suggest for my original exterior? What is your carnauba wax recommendation for my finish?

Slightly off subject, what type of cleaning and preservation do you suggest for the original interior and convertible top to keep them pliable? Finally, what do you suggest for the chrome?

I will post before and after pixs when I get going.