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

[Mike Phillips]

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.

Great intro to you car! Since this is your first post...

Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

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?

After.

You need and want to bring what's left of the original paint back to its maximum potential and then take full inventory of where your at. Then start in with any repair work like touch-up paint.

I cover this question in this how to article here,


How to use the Dr. ColorChip Paint Chip Repair Systems

Also, what type of chip repair do you suggest for my original exterior?

Call Dr. Color Chip direct, tell them the year and color of the paint and see if they can help you get the right color. You really want to go with Dr. Color Chip because their system works so well. Read my above article (don't scan it), and I think you'll understand why I like their system and whey Autogeek sells their system.

What is your carnauba wax recommendation for my finish?

If this is a garage kept car which I'm sure it is, then I'd go with the Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Wax. Apply a thin coat. Let it dry for about 15 minutes and the wipe it off. The easiest wax you'll ever wipe off and it will make you paint slick and shiny.

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

I'd get the Pinnacle Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. This is a liquid spray-on product but don't spray it onto the leather, spray it onto a microfiber applicator pad and then work it into the leather and then use a clean, dry microfiber towel to wipe off any excess. Start using it and keep using it and you'll take what's left of the original leather to its maximum potential.

For the top, if it's vinyl then get 303 Aerospace Protectant. Check out this article,


How To Restore and Protect a Vinyl Top using 303 Products

Finally, what do you suggest for the chrome?

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

Get the Pinnacle Exhaust Cleaner & Brightener. We showed it today at our Cars & Coffee Tech Session. It will clean the chrome and restore the shine. Keep in mind if there are scratches in the chrome... nothing will remove them. Just shine up what's left.

I run a buffer over all chrome as it works better than working by hand. See my article here,

How to use a one-step cleaner/wax to maximize profits

[Xsquid]

Just want to say hello as a new member. I found this article and set out to bring back the paint on my 1973 Ford Bronco. I just started a thread detailing my progress as I run through these steps. Here is the thread Restoring Single Stage Paint on a 1973 Ford Bronco

R/
Jim

[Mike Phillips]

Just want to say hello as a new member.

I found this article and set out to bring back the paint on my 1973 Ford Bronco. I just started a thread detailing my progress as I run through these steps.

Here is the thread

Restoring Single Stage Paint on a 1973 Ford Bronco


R/
Jim

Thanks for posting to this thread Jim and sharing your write-up. I've been so busy with our TV show, Detail Fest and so many other projects it's hard to stay up on all the activity on the forum and I definitely like to be aware of any single stage paint restoration projects.

[onza100]

Thank you Mike for your excellent write up.

I wanted to register and thank you for helping me make my Wolseley and beetle look much better.

One question I have is about the Meguiars ultimate compound. Is it similar to speed glaze #80?

[Mike Phillips]

Thank you Mike for your excellent write up.

I wanted to register and thank you for helping me make my Wolseley and beetle look much better.

You're quite welcome and thank you for joining the best car detailing forum on the net.

Welcome to AGO!

One question I have is about the Meguiars ultimate compound. Is it similar to speed glaze #80?

No. It's nothing like the old M80 Speed Glaze.

M80 Speed Glaze was like #7 on steroids because it contained the same TS polishing oils that #7 contains PLUS some type of diminishing abrasive technology.

If you're restoring antique single stage paint or trying to maintain antique single stage paint then stick with #7.

[BigBillM]

Awesome write up Mike! This is exactly what I needed for my next project, a 1968 Dodge Charger that has been sitting in the garage for just over 30 years. It has been my father in law's car since he was in high school, and it needs a few things to be road-worthy again, but for years he has believed that it needs new paint and body work. He is going on vacation next week, and I intend on surprising him when he gets home with a car that looks better than the day he bought it. I will post plenty of before/during/ and after photos once I start Tuesday after work. Since he doesn't know about this, I was only able to get a few pictures ahead of time, and they don't show too much.





Sorry for the quality of the pictures, once I get it outside I will take plenty more. I didn't even want to wipe away any of the dust yet. Hopefully when he sees what a nice car he actually has, he'll let me help him get it back on the road again.

[r1lark]

Hi Mike, have been using #7 for about 5 years to help maintain the early '70s cheap repaint on my '54 Studebaker (and on other cars way back to the '80s). About 4 years ago I purchased a couple of large jugs of #7 online for a really good price, and have been using them since. Recently (last year), knowing I was getting low, I ordered more #7 so I wouldn't run out. Had to break out the new stuff yesterday, and was shocked when I started using it. The newest #7 is white, instead of the familiar brownish-green color. It also does not seem to have as much 'oils' in it either, which is very obvious when applying it.

When I looked on the back and compared the ingredients, they are indeed different according to the label:
"old" bottle ingredients: water 7732-18-5, hydrotreated heavy naphtha 64742-48-49, diatomaceous earth 61790-53-2, hydrotreated middle distillate 64742-46-7, processed castor oil trade secret, glycerin 56-81-5, and conditioners trade secret

"new" bottle ingredients: water 7732-18-5, petroleum distillates 64742-14-9, calcined kaolin 92704-41-1, petroleum distillates 8042-47-5, conditioners trade secret, and glycerin 56-81-5

Surely others have noticed this? Mike, if I remember correctly the value of the #7 was from the oils it had that soaked into the paint. Have we lost our magic formula forever? The new white #7 sure doesn't bring the paint color back like the old brownish-green formula. I've attached a picture below showing the difference in color out of the two bottles..............

What happened to our #7 Mike?

[Mike Phillips]

Awesome write up Mike!

This is exactly what I needed for my next project, a 1968 Dodge Charger that has been sitting in the garage for just over 30 years.

Incredible!

What a cool car and an even cooler project! I'm so jealous!

Take your time and have fun with it. My recommendation would be to carefully remove the clutter BUT DON'T remove the decades of dust build-up. Get the best pictures you can of the car covered in dirt and dust. These are the before shots or the UGLY SHOTS.

These will make the AFTER shots so much more powerful. See my article here,


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

It has been my father in law's car since he was in high school, and it needs a few things to be road-worthy again, but for years he has believed that it needs new paint and body work. He is going on vacation next week, and I intend on surprising him when he gets home with a car that looks better than the day he bought it.

I will post plenty of before/during/ and after photos once I start Tuesday after work. Since he doesn't know about this, I was only able to get a few pictures ahead of time, and they don't show too much.





Sorry for the quality of the pictures, once I get it outside I will take plenty more. I didn't even want to wipe away any of the dust yet. Hopefully when he sees what a nice car he actually has, he'll let me help him get it back on the road again.

Again... incredible story and incredible project.

Can't wait to see all the before and after pictures. I hope you can carve out the time to do a full write-up.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike, if I remember correctly the value of the #7 was from the oils it had that soaked into the paint.

Have we lost our magic formula forever? The new white #7 sure doesn't bring the paint color back like the old brownish-green formula. I've attached a picture below showing the difference in color out of the two bottles..............

What happened to our #7 Mike?

To answer your questions and lay your fears to rest you really need to read each word of this article I wrote to explain the change.


Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze - Goodbye to an old friend - hello to a new friend!



If I were truly concerned I would be rushing out to purchase every bottle of the old formula I could find in the stores across America. But I'm not concerned and I'm not rushing out hunting down bottles of the old formula. I take the word of my good friends at Meguiar's. They have always been my friends and I trust them and what they told me.

Click the link above and read what I've written.


It's all good....

[Mike Phillips]

Hey Bill,

Here's the full size version of your pictures uploaded to your free gallery here on AGO








Remember what I wrote above and keep us updated.