Got me a new Project 77 Caddy

[627PCFan]

So I think I have my next project for later this summer. A 1977 Cadillac Deville. Its my FIL's car, was bought by his Aunt, driven and put into a shipping container circa 1980. It was occasionally checked over the years for damage but never driven or started. It was pulled in 2018, refreshed with fluids, brakes, tires and belts and then driven cross country from Montana to the current location where shes sat. The paint is what I would call "semigloss", but remarkably not swirled. Any guidance or suggestions would be appreciated, never touched single stage paint before and I would assume it's a special circumstance to have paint that old, undamaged but dull.

[Bill D]

Paging Eldo! He's gonna LIKE this!

[2black1s]

1977 Cadillac... That is the first year for Cadillac to start downsizing their vehicles. The factory paint used by GM back then was acrylic lacquer and as such is a fairly hard finish as far as single stage paints go.

By the pics the paint looks pretty well intact. Does it have any lacquer checking (micro cracking)? If so then the checking will have some affect on your final results. If not, you should be able to make it look really, really good!

I think it would respond well to a fairly high-speed rotary/wool compounding/polishing. Obviously a test spot is in order but I think your best results will come from a rotary as your initial step. Lacquer requires a fairly aggressive product/process to achieve its full potential... But its potential is as good as it gets.

If you do go the rotary route, pay particular attention to performing as uniform a polishing as possible. If you get carried away you can cause some "tiger striping" or other "metallic orientation" issues. Avoid using too much pressure on the polisher - light pressure will be your friend. This really is a scenario where you want to let the machine do the work - Do not force it.

Have fun. I wish I had that car to work on.

[Mike Phillips]

So I think I have my next project for later this summer. A 1977 Cadillac Deville.

Barn Find! Nice!

The paint is what I would call "semigloss", but remarkably not swirled. Any guidance or suggestions would be appreciated, never touched single stage paint before and I would assume it's a special circumstance to have paint that old, undamaged but dull.

If you want to keep it simple, use a great one-step cleaner/wax.

1. Wash and dry
2. Clay for sure
3. Machine apply one-step cleaner/wax - BLACKFIRE One Step or 3D Speed

Then enjoy the ride!


Do you own any type of car polisher?

[627PCFan]

Ive still got my trusty Dewalt rotary from 2004 and I had a 3401 inbound until my order got canceled this AM. Inventory looks low everywhere. I saw your video on the comet rub down, not sure I need to go that hard. Got some surgery coming up next week that will sideline me until August. I like the wash/clay bar (iron decon????) and might go old school wool pad with some Menzerna 400.

[2black1s]

Ive still got my trusty Dewalt rotary from 2004 and I had a 3401 inbound until my order got canceled this AM. Inventory looks low everywhere. I saw your video on the comet rub down, not sure I need to go that hard. Got some surgery coming up next week that will sideline me until August. I like the wash/clay bar (iron decon????) and might go old school wool pad with some Menzerna 400.

What kind of surgery?

I'm in the same boat... Currently recovering from hernia surgery performed on 4-26. In fact, I'm off to the surgeon's office for follow-up this afternoon.

[627PCFan]

Torn labrum in my hip, hockey injury from 3 years ago. Tis time, the arthritis is already a problem and Im just 41. Straight 29 years of hockey will wear you down I guess. Hope you have a quick recovery.

[627PCFan]

Update: Surgery got canceled but rescheduled for Friday so I took the opportunity to do a test spot on the trunk. Meguiars spray clay, then clay bar, and hit the spot with my rotary with a 5 inch Lake city purple foamed wool pad and Menzerna 400. Holy crap did that pad bite and fight. Anyway, 2 passes later that paint was pristine and its has sparkles which you can't even see in daylight outside so that was a pleasant surprise. I think there's more shine to be found but my Flex 3401 orders have been canceled and I don't have any other pads in the house despite a supply for Menz 2500 and 3500. So it sits until late July when I'm up and around enough.

[2black1s]

Good luck with the surgery. I'm back to nearly 100% after mine.

I thought the lacquer paint on that thing would like a rotary. Just don't get too carried away... You don't want to screw up the metallic orientation.

[luckydice]

Sounds like an exciting project. The paint looks great for an old car.