The dieback was killing me...

[Bryan@AzDPC.com]

The dieback on my 69 Camaro has been bugging me for several years. But, I've put off wet sanding it out to let the Arizona heat work on it for three summers. Hopefully it won't come back.

3M 2000 grit by hand. 3M 3,000 & 3M 5,000 discs with PC7424. Menzerna FG400 with PE14 and 3M wool compounding pad.

Here's a before and after of the decklid at the FG400 stage. I still have SI1,500 SF4,000 and Power Lock to go.

[dcjredline]

That'll WORK!

[GSKR]

Looks great is it single stage,I had the same promblem with a old f100 ford pickup especially the tops.

[irvsmith]

Wow! So you took out the orange peel?! That is a skill! Looks great. I would be so worried about taking too much clear.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Yes sir! Looks great Bryan! Interested to see as many pictures as you would like to share of this project.

[Bryan@AzDPC.com]

That'll WORK!

Looks great is it single stage,I had the same problem with a old f100 ford pickup especially the tops.

Wow! So you took out the orange peel?! That is a skill! Looks great. I would be so worried about taking too much clear.

Yes sir! Looks great Bryan! Interested to see as many pictures as you would like to share of this project.

Thanks guys.

I guess I should have given more info. The 69 Camaro is my daily driver (good weather only). We got it on the road about 3 1/2 years ago. About 30,000 miles driven since then.

It's a 3-stage paint; BASF Valencia Orange. 5 layers of clear. I've compounded it twice so the vast majority of clear is still there.

It isn't really orange peel. It is dieback/shrinkage. I'm thinking that it's done "shrinking" as the Arizona heat has beat on it pretty good for three summers.

I'll post pics of the remainder of the wet sanding as I get to it. I've got to work on a customer's car first.

Thanks again for the compliments.

[Paul A.]

I am unfamiliar with the term dieback. You mention it in terms of paint shrinkage but i like the science of this hobby and just want to understand a new concept. What does that refer to? Looks phenomenal, though. Is that the original paint? I would love to see it after 1500 and 4000 Menzerna's although, again, it looks phenomenal after FG400!

[Bryan@AzDPC.com]

I am unfamiliar with the term dieback. You mention it in terms of paint shrinkage but i like the science of this hobby and just want to understand a new concept. What does that refer to? Looks phenomenal, though. Is that the original paint? I would love to see it after 1500 and 4000 Menzerna's although, again, it looks phenomenal after FG400!

Puckman,

No, it's not the original paint. It was repainted the Valencia Orange after we media blasted it and did all the necessary body work. Shrinkage and dieback are used synonymously and really just look like micro orange peel. As you see above for my car, there is also solvent pop to go along with the dieback.

Being a scientist myself, I understand your frustration. In the detailing world many terms are used loosely and not well defined. I have a friend who owns a very successful customs shop here in Phoenix. He'll be painting my car if I'm not happy with the outcome of the wet sanding. He too was unfamiliar with the tern dieback. He calls the phenomenon "cottage cheese".

Maybe Mike can chime in here. Rather understanding the term better, I'm more interested in how the phenomenon arises in the first place.

[Paul A.]

Thanks Bryan! Like you said, i like understanding the behaviors of paint and that was a new term to me.

[MikeC]

By the looks of that after shot, I don't think a repaint will be needed!