Rupes and Antique Single Stage Oxidized Paint

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Rupes and Antique Single Stage Oxidized Paint


Had a gentleman e-mail asking me about using the Rupes paint polishing system on antique single stage paint.

I prefer to answer questions on our forum because it's so much easier to include,

• Pictures
• Links
• Videos

Plus all of the rest of you can chime in with your comments, questions, feedback and suggestions....


So what can the Rupes do for antique single stage paint?




1978 Trans Am - Original Single Stage Lacquer Paint
This is the version that Burt Reynolds made famous in the movie Smokey and the Bandit. It was not in the movie but is the correct engine, transmission, T-tops, colors, wheels, etc that are the same as the car Burt drove in the movie.

Lets throw a little light on the paint...

Those of you who attended Detail Fest or regularly attend our Saturday Cars & Coffee have seen this car in person since I restored the paint and I think you'll agree it looks like it has a brand new paint job.


Rupes tools, pads and chemicals are top notch quality and a very capable system approach for detailing cars.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Also just to note... I machine polished the screaming bird using the Rupes 21 with their Diamond Ultra Fine Cut Polish and their White Ultra Soft Foam Finishing pad.

It peeled away decades of road film and dirt build up and restored a clear, bright colorful appearance to really complete the work done to this rare and valuable car.

:xyxthumbs:

 

[dlc95]

The power of least aggressive + test spot can be surprising!

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Holy cow, Mike, I remember you were going to do that car but I guess I never read about the outcome. I'm flabbergasted that you were able to polish over that decal on the hood--fantastic work!

 

[Don M]

That bird was TRASHED, good thing you were there to nurse it back to health.

 

[ihaveacamaro]

So this is what you were talking about yesterday!

Looks amazing Mike! Nice transformation

 

[SonOfOC]

Wow! Amazing turn around! That can't be the original decal and pinstriping. That paint and decals were thrashed.

Can you let us know what Rupes combo and LSP was used?

 

[bigez]

This is awesome. I know you buffed the whole bird decal (lightly) but how exactly did you polish (more aggressively) around the decal? Did you tape it off? Or just polish up to the edges carefully?

 

[Meskhov]

Mike:
Thanks for the reply. Actually, I have the 79 10th anniversary version in silver metallic!
Can you recommend an approach for catalyzed Centari acrylic enamel on my other vehicle?
Same problems, dust scratches, swirling and some orange peel. Basically, it is an as sprayed finish, never buffed or wet sanded at all.
Thanks!

 

[Pinpoint_Precision]

Also just to note... I machine polished the screaming bird using the Rupes 21 with their Diamond Ultra Fine Cut Polish and their White Ultra Soft Foam Finishing pad.

It peeled away decades of road film and dirt build up and restored a clear, bright colorful appearance to really complete the work done to this rare and valuable car.

:xyxthumbs:

This picture says it all. American muscle. Awesome work Mike.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Wow! Amazing turn around!

That can't be the original decal and pinstriping. That paint and decals were thrashed.

Can you let us know what Rupes combo and LSP was used?

I was surpriszed and impressed in how the color on the hood graphics came back to life. The graphics, like the paint, had years of dirt build up plus road grime and normal oxidation.

To machine polish I used the Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Cut Polish with the 7" Rupes White Ultra Soft Foam pad on the Rupes Bigfoot 21 and a slow speed with a light touch.

This is the same tool, pad adn product I used on the Autogeek graphics on Bruno's COPO Camaro a day or two before Detail Fest.

COPO Camaro - Flex vs Rupes - Carbon Fiber Hood Extreme Makeover


To clean and brighten the Ivan graphics a softly machine polished and then machine waxed the graphics using the Rupes Bigfoot 21 with the super ultra soft white foam polishing pad and the NEW & Improved Diamond Ultra Fine Polish.

The Trans-Am will be back in the future, my buddy Mark owns it and he's always around when he's not flyin guy like Wayn Carine around South Florida.



Wayne Carini's Helicopter Tour of Sunny Stuart, Florida the home of Autogeek

Local Helicopter Pilot and Instructor Mark Lewis gave Wayne a eagles eye view of South Florida with a tour over the coastline in a helicopter!

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Paul_no_Longer_uses_this_account]

Beautiful car and the paint restoration makes it look even better. I would like to comment on one thing and I hope I won't get hammered for this. But the car isn't exactly like the one in Smokey and the Bandit. Two and possibly three things are different. The hood decal, wheels and possibly T-tops (hard to tell from picture) are different. The car in Smokey and the Bandit had 15 x 7 wheels, Hursts T-tops, and the hood decal looks completely different. This one has 15 x 8 wheels and judging from the picture it looks like it has Fisher T-tops. I'm not taking anything away from the car because like I said it looks great and I'd love to have it in my garage.

 

[SonOfOC]

Mike P,

Thanks for answering my question. I would never in a million years believe that was Rupes Diamond Ultrafine with Rupes White pad. Amazing! Thought for sure it was gonna be the Rupes blue or green.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

***Bump***


Just to note, the Bandit Run will be taking place here in Florida this year. Mark Lewis, the owner of the Trans-Am featured in this thread will be participating. Because it's been 3 years since I detailed his Trans-Am I've offered to warm it over to restore it to its full glory for the Bandit Run.


Stay tuned...

 

[supercharged75]

The photos are gone for this one.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

The photos are gone for this one.

They're back.

icture: Im the MAN