this car is in the line up for paint correction

jamores23

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what can i use to restore this?
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will optimum metal polish work good for these?
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what grit wet sand should i start off with here?
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what should i use to restore this trim?
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would this need wet sanding?
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Looks like you've got your work cut out for ya! Can't wait to see the after shots!!!!
 
On the trim, UTTG or PB WTR. Same for Mirror.

Rims - I think Optimum Metal Polish would look great. It doesn't look like they are clear coated, but check first.

On the scratches, if you can catch a nail on them, they may need wet sanding - be careful though and judge your customer. On factory paint it can be pretty dangerous to try and get out deep scratches, there have been a few instances recently of clear burned or removed that come to mind.

The headlights do not look like they are in that bad of shape. I would start with 1000 and if that does not work, bump down to 800.
 
Megs Ultimate Protectant is good on trim..i like it..plus its pretty thick kinda like lotion so its easy to apply.

I agree with being careful on those scratches....you may be able to get them BETTER but i dont know if you can totally remove them...they look pretty deep.

Headlights between 1000-1500 id say...cause they dont look to be in too bad of shape...compound n polish...i seal mine when im done with a 50/50 mix of spar urethane/mineral spirits. Makes the clarity last a lottt longer. Looks like you've got some work cut out for you. Mind me askin what you're chargin the guy for all this work? Only thing it doesnt look like you're doing is the engine lol.
 
this is my girlfriends car that is a scratch magnet lol, its a 03 gmc envoy that needs some TLC :) its going to be a long process i know. I will be using a rotary with menzerna super intensive po83, super finish po106fa, and final polish po85rd. i also have mg 105. i have purple foam wool pads, LC ccs orange,green,white,gray,red,and blue. As for sealants i will be using WGDG 3.0 and as a wax i will be using WG FUZION. im thinking about getting some 2500 grit and 3000 grit wet sanding papers for some spots. any suggestions :)
 
Megs Ultimate Protectant is good on trim..i like it..plus its pretty thick kinda like lotion so its easy to apply.

I agree with being careful on those scratches....you may be able to get them BETTER but i dont know if you can totally remove them...they look pretty deep.

Headlights between 1000-1500 id say...cause they dont look to be in too bad of shape...compound n polish...i seal mine when im done with a 50/50 mix of spar urethane/mineral spirits. Makes the clarity last a lottt longer. Looks like you've got some work cut out for you. Mind me askin what you're chargin the guy for all this work? Only thing it doesnt look like you're doing is the engine lol.

yeah its going to be alot of work, im doing this for free for my girlfriend that i been with for almost 4 years and is about to give birth to my child. I will be doing interior work to but that iwll be easy leather isnt in great condition and its dry but i used the optimum protectant plus last night on a job i had and i loved it! i will post some pictures on another thread of my weekend jobs i just did. I have a cl 500 coming in for a paint correction as well i will get photos of it and post it.
What do i use as lubricant for the wet sanding?
 
this is my girlfriends car that is a scratch magnet lol, its a 03 gmc envoy that needs some TLC :) its going to be a long process i know. I will be using a rotary with menzerna super intensive po83, super finish po106fa, and final polish po85rd. i also have mg 105. i have purple foam wool pads, LC ccs orange,green,white,gray,red,and blue. As for sealants i will be using WGDG 3.0 and as a wax i will be using WG FUZION. im thinking about getting some 2500 grit and 3000 grit wet sanding papers for some spots. any suggestions :)



looks like you got your head right on this some of the other guys with more experience in wet sanding should chime in with more info!
 
yeah i've done a few cars already that were in bad condition. I remember doing a 2008 black maxima where the guy bought it from the dealer looked pretty nice and 2 months later it was full of webbing and light scratches. It seemed to me that they more than likely put a glaze over it to sell it and it eventually wore off!
 
On the trim, UTTG or PB WTR. Same for Mirror.

Rims - I think Optimum Metal Polish would look great. It doesn't look like they are clear coated, but check first.

On the scratches, if you can catch a nail on them, they may need wet sanding - be careful though and judge your customer. On factory paint it can be pretty dangerous to try and get out deep scratches, there have been a few instances recently of clear burned or removed that come to mind.

The headlights do not look like they are in that bad of shape. I would start with 1000 and if that does not work, bump down to 800.

how could i tell if the rims have clear coat on them and if they do will optimum metal polish be no good?
 
On the trim, UTTG or PB WTR. Same for Mirror.

Agreed.

Rims - I think Optimum Metal Polish would look great. It doesn't look like they are clear coated, but check first.

YES those wheels ARE CLEARCOATED. You do NOT want to use metal polish on them. Stick to regular paint correction products.

On the scratches, if you can catch a nail on them, they may need wet sanding - be careful though and judge your customer. On factory paint it can be pretty dangerous to try and get out deep scratches, there have been a few instances recently of clear burned or removed that come to mind.

As long as you stick to 2000 grit or above and check your progress frequently with a PTG wet sanding factory GMT360 paint is not usually a problem, especially on an older one like the '03 we're talking about here.

The headlights do not look like they are in that bad of shape. I would start with 1000 and if that does not work, bump down to 800.

Agreed.


jamores23: I'm a bit of a specialist when it comes to dealing with Envoys and Trailblazers (I have owned 3 Envoys and a Trailblazer, and have done work on at least a dozen other Envoys and Trailblazers over the years for customers) so if you run into any major snags, feel free to PM me and I'll do what I can to help you out.
 
thanks for the help. How can you tell when the wheels are clear coated? what is a PTG?? and for trim restoration opt protectant plus wouldnt work shiny?
 
thanks for the help. How can you tell when the wheels are clear coated? what is a PTG?? and for trim restoration opt protectant plus wouldnt work shiny?

Q: How can you tell when the wheels are clear coated?

A: Put a small bead of paint polish or rubbing compound on a towel and work it by hand on a "test spot" on the (cleaned) wheel. If you see black residue coming off onto the towel, the wheel is not clear coated and you can move on to a metal polish. If there is no black residue, you have a clear coated wheel and should proceed using paint correction products.

Q: What is a PTG??

A: PTG is an acronym for "Paint Thickness Gauge" which is a device used (in this instance) to determine how much paint is being removed by a given sanding and/or compounding procedure. While you don't HAVE to use one, it is a good idea for a margin of safety if you're not sure how what you're doing is affecting the finish you're working on.

Q: For trim restoration, Optimum Protectant Plus wouldn't work?

A: It would most likely work well, but also it would not be likely to last. As soon as the vehicle gets rained on or is washed, the dull finish may return. Your best bet would be to use a trim restoration product like those mentioned by LegacyGT, or something like Black Wow, or Forever Black.
 
so i should be safe with a 2000 grit ? pressure wise, how hard do you sand down?
 
yeah its going to be alot of work, im doing this for free for my girlfriend that i been with for almost 4 years and is about to give birth to my child. I will be doing interior work to but that iwll be easy leather isnt in great condition and its dry but i used the optimum protectant plus last night on a job i had and i loved it! i will post some pictures on another thread of my weekend jobs i just did. I have a cl 500 coming in for a paint correction as well i will get photos of it and post it.
What do i use as lubricant for the wet sanding?
soap
 
so i should be safe with a 2000 grit ? pressure wise, how hard do you sand down?

Yeah as long as you stop and check your progress every 2-3 swipes over an area, I think you're taking a fairly low level of risk. Don't use much pressure at all, just let the paper and sanding block glide across the surface.

You should look up Mike Phillips' articles on sanding before you get started, he goes through the technique in great detail.
 
Yeah as long as you stop and check your progress every 2-3 swipes over an area, I think you're taking a fairly low level of risk. Don't use much pressure at all, just let the paper and sanding block glide across the surface.

You should look up Mike Phillips' articles on sanding before you get started, he goes through the technique in great detail.

:iagree:Let the sandpaper do the work, apply enough pressure that the sandpaper is always in contact with the paint. As far as a lube, I use just plain water. I also soak my sandpaper in water for about 15-20 min before I use them.
 
You're definitely gonna need to wet sand some of those scratches for the best results. Good luck, it's gonna be a while! lol :xyxthumbs:
 
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