My first attempt at single stage paint

[Mike Phillips]

If you left the Megs #7 on the car overnight intentionally, it wasn't doing anything while it was sitting there.

Only mean to answer you in the kindest manner as I always appreciate your contributions to this forum.

In my original article on this topic here,

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


I used a very simple demonstration to show how the oils in the #7 work on porous single stage paint to migrate into the paint when you leave apply a heavy application to the surface and AFTER working it over the paint with terry cloth allow it to soak overnight or for hours.

This is key...
Saturation Application --> The First Application
This is a mostly unknown technique and that is to let the first application penetrate and soak into the paint for up to 24 hours before wiping the product off. The idea being to really apply the product wet and work it in really well and the walk away.

The idea is to allow the heavy concentration of oils to penetrate and seep into the paint for maximum saturation before removing the product and continuing with the process. In this case I finished applying the first application of #7 around 9:00 pm and then left the #7 to soak in until the next day. I started wiping the product off then next morning right about 10:00am.

Some will argue if this works or not but my experience is that with a porous single stage paint it does in fact help. One thing for sure it can't hurt.

Paper Test for Capillary Action
If you place a few drops of #7 onto a piece of paper and then monitor it over a few days you will see the oils in the #7 migrate or seep away from the actual drop of product. It does this through capillary action and the same thing can work to your car's paints' advantage if it's a single stage lacquer or enamel paint.

I placed a few drops about the size of a nickel on a piece of standard printer paper around 3:00pm.



The next day I took these pictures at approximately 10:00am, (19 hours later), note how the oils in the drops of #7 have migrated outward via capillary action.



Feeder Oils penetrate or feed the paint
This same effect can take place in a single stage paint but not only will the oils travel horizontally, they will also travel vertically, that they will penetrate downward "into" your car's paint and this is where the term feeder oils comes from as the oils penetrate into or feed the paint. The result is they will condition the paint restoring some level of workability as compared to just working on old dry paint, and they will also bring out the full richness of color, something that will showcase the beauty of your car's paint.

Being a polish, it only does its job while you are actively working it, either by hand or with a machine.

That's true for abrasive polishes as it's only when the abrasives are moved over the paint that they are abrading the paint.

#7 is non-abrasive. It's what Meguiar's calls a pure polish. It's not for abrading it's for multiple other things that I think I share in my article on how to restore antique paint.

Your Merc will look great once you get the paint cleaned up. Then I'd suggest putting on some Collinite 845. A perfect match for that paint color. We'll want to see pics!

Good advise. Collinite or any quality traditional carnauba paste wax seems to work well with classic single stage paints.

Thanks Brett. I was going by the article Mike Phillips posted on the subject.

Here is an excerpt from a post earlier today where someone else used his technique on an old Volvo.

"According to Mike Phillips’ article, Meguiar’s #7 Show Car Glaze contains restorative feeder oils which can be drawn into a permeable paint surface via capillary action, conditioning and rejuvenating the color.

He suggests a vigorous, liberal application of Meguiar’s #7 Show Glaze be left on the car for a period of 12-24 hours to feed important oils back into the paint. "

You did the technique the correct way, that is to apply a liberal amount, work it really well over the surface and then leave it to sit and soak into the paint via capillary action.

Here's the article I wrote just this morning with yet one more person that has used my technique to bring the dead back to life.

Detailing tips for vintage single-stage paint by Steve Berry at Hemmings Motor News

[brettS4]

Then I stand corrected! But I'm glad to know that now.