How-To: Opti-Coat 2.0 - 1977 Can Am Corvette with Rainbow Metallic Black Paint

[Mike Phillips]

How-To: Opti-Coat 2.0 - 1977 Can Am Corvette with Rainbow Metallic Black Paint


Time Stamp for this article: September 22nd, 2011



Optimum Polymer Technology Opti-Coat 2.0








BEFORE





AFTER






Autogeek's Car of the Week!




We're all set-up and ready go... Dave said he'll be here right around 5:00pm




[B]Dave's 1977 CanAm Corvette[/B

]


It has a wild custom paint job with a beautiful multi-color metallic flake under the clearcoat and our goal will be to restore 100% clarity to the clear coat to really get the metallic flake to *pop* when you look at the finish.

We're going to have roughly 4 hours to remove the swirls and get the paint perfectly prepared for a coat of wax so I'm looking for a team of people ready, willing and able to lend me a hand.











We'll be using the brand new formulas for Optimum Hyper-Compound and Optimum Hyper-Polish





Along with a combination of tools and pads...

[Mike Phillips]

The Can Am Vette has arrived...

Robert and Adam inspect the paint...



Prepping the car for rotary buffer work...



Robert is my "Test Spot Guy", he's very good at dialing in the pad, product and process for the paint system at hand...



Here's Robert using the new Optimum Hyper-Compound with a Flex PE14 Rotary Buffer and a Hydro-Tech Cyan Foam Cutting Pad








Anytime you're working on a clear coat the only color you want to see on your buffing pad is the color of the pad and the color of the compound, polish or wax. If you see the color of the paint... that's a bad thing... a real bad thing...




[IMGAfter testing and inspecting the results we start buffing out the paint...
]http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1261/CanAmCorvette030.jpg[/IMG]





Here's Adam aka Harleyguy working with Robert aka Impressions as Chavron watches and learns a few tips and techniques. In the background Chavron's wife gets caught up on her own projects...



There's no glory in buffing out the side panels. It's important to be able to look directly across from the paint you're buffing...






Here we sizing up some experimental small pads for use with rotary buffers, note the extension to create some wiggle room by extending the pad away from the buffer.



After the rotary work, Chavron helps by re-polishing using a Griot's Garage DA Polisher with a Crimson Finishing Pad and Optimum Hyper-Polish



Adam using a Crimson Finishing Pad and Optimum Hyper-Polish on a Flex 3401



There was some thin looking paint and rough edges that needed a light touch around the T-tops...






Small buffing pads enable you to do precise buffing close to edges or emblems...






More to come...

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

Here's Robert doing some finish polishing...



Adam working the Flex PE14





Chavron was a huge help and drove all the way from Orlando with his lovely wife Alisia...



Check out this shot...



Robert buffs out the plastic headlight covers...






If it has paint it gets polished...






Rick using the Griot's Garage DA Polishers



Dave using the Griot's Garage DA Polishers




This is Adam testing out the experimental Crimson Finishing pad on the Flex PE14





Surgical precision buffing...







More to come...

[Mike Phillips]

Continued....


After wiping the paint down to remove any polishing residues Adam starts in applying the Opti-Coat II





Next up Chavron will give it a try...











Here's the owner Dave checking out the application of Opti-Coat II on the T-tops...






Before we stated we covered the windshield and the wiper arms and fresh air intake vents using an Autogeek's Microfiber Cover-up Towel



All work done using 3 products form Optimum Polymer Technologies



And now some beauty shots...













More to come...

[Mike Phillips]

Continued....


























More to come...

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


1977 Can Am Corvette modeled by Jana and Amy

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


Optimum Polymer Technologies Opti-Coat II
Opti-Coat II is a permanent coating and before you apply it you need to remove as many of the below surface paint defects as you can and then you'll need to wipe any polishing residues off the paint in order for the Opti-Coat to properly bond to the paint.








Check out the results on this 1977 Can Am Corvette with multi-color metal-flake black paint!

[Mike Phillips]

All products used for this extreme makeover can be found on Autogeek.net

Power Tools
Flex PE 14 Rotary Buffer
Flex 3401 Forced Rotation Dual Action Polisher
Porter Cable 7424XP Dual Action Polisher
Griot's Garage Dual Action Polisher


Products
Optimum Hyper-Compound
Optimum Hyper-Polish
Optimum Opti-Coat II


Pads
Lake Country Hydro-Tech Pads


Misc
Kreepstool Utility Chair
Racedeck Tiles
Extension for Rotary Buffer


Autogeek's Customer Care is top in the industry, if you have any questions about any of the products used to transform this diamond in the ruff into a glistening gemstone call during business hours where are staff is always ready to answer your questions.


1-800-869-3011

[Harleyguy]

Wow almost looks like I knew what I was doing . I just wanted to thank Robert and Chavon and a big thanks to Mike and Auto Geek for putting this all together . I live just about an hour away so it's an easy trip for me . I missed the last two makeovers due to my full time job .

What I really enjoy doing these makeovers is the one on one time Mike spends with anyone who participates in one of these projects .As Mike mentioned I was able to use some new HT pads so being one of the first to use it was a big thrill . If and when these pads come out I can only say buy them you will be glad you did .

Other then that I look forward to another makeover and spending time with Mike and Robert again it's always fun to get together with them we had plenty of laughs and plenty of cold drinks .

[Jenn1270]

Adam,

I've been asking Mike to put a picture in with a hot guy showing off the cars. Thanks for being in the one with you and the girls. I am now satisfied and will stop asking Mike.