1978 Chevy Corvette help

mfrickman

mfrickman

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I have a few questions in regards to single stage paint and I'm wondering what would be my best option to prep the paint for something like Megs No. 7 and whether or not I can use a light abrasive polish or have to go straight to a LSP. I know I have a little leverage since white single stage paints are a little harder due to their pigment, Titanium Oxide. (Thanks, Mike! :dblthumb2: Made me sound smart right??!) We were planning on repainting but money got in the way and we needed another vehicle so restoring is going to be the only option for a couple years. I know some of the spots are etched through paint and are hopeless but I'd like to restore what I can.

I really want to get some sort of shine back to this car because the whole restore means a lot and it's taking a long time to get each little bit done.

Thanks for the help in advance, everyone! :dblthumb2:

Rear:
uVSk6ho.jpg


Etching from young kids egging the car and it sitting in direct sunlight: :dunno:
9JD1Ghc.jpg


Hood/Quarter panel: (I think a majority of this will come off with claying.)
RpIQKWJ.jpg


More hood shots:
U3Dsiea.jpg

FvQnVou.jpg


T-Tops:
syfBlte.jpg


Roof:
TtmUz1O.jpg
 
I have looked at the thread but I'm trying to figure out if a very low micro-abrasive polish will be beneficial or if I'm stuck with a non-abrasive polish like the M07. Also, if there is anything I can do with the metal trim that is on this car. Much of it is faded like the roof picture.
 
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...-original-paint-restored-mike-phillips-3.html

Im not sure if you have seen this thread but its a good one about a 1954 Hudson hornet Mike helped restore the original paint. He used two coats of M07 to bring back the shine.


Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
2 coats.

One on Tuesday night, this was a heavy and wet application applied using the cotton wash cloths from my hotel.

Removed it Wednesday morning and the re-applied again, wet and heavy.

The guys I was training though I was crazy Wednesday night but Wednesday morning after wiping the first application off and seeing the green turn a deep, dark, richer green color they were impressed and all done without abrasives.

After we applied the second coat we let her soak and dove in on the Ferrari F430 followed by the 1957 Corvette and after both of these were finished we removed the second application of #7 and started in with machine AND hand polishing with Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover and Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish.

I rubbed the entire hood and tops of fenders out by hand while I let Darius and Brandon machine polish the rest of the car. The hood and the tops of the front fenders had incredibly thin paint, 2.0 mils and less...


Just to note, with thin paint like this Hudson had, the oils in the #7 will migrate "throughout" it fairly easily as there's not much paint to migrate into...


:)
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Also if you haven't a long but good read all about white paint.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...ions/22982-lesson-white-paint-teaches-us.html
 
Not for sale, but thanks for asking. Sentimental value. It is the L48. 25th Anniversary edition with red interior. We were going to paint it black but like I said we needed a new pickup so it's on hold.

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mfrickman said:
Not for sale, but thanks for asking. Sentimental value. It is the L48. 25th Anniversary edition with red interior. We were going to paint it black but like I said we needed a new pickup so it's on hold.
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I painted a L82 25th silver anniversary edition back in the 90's. It was the two tone silver and charcoal model. I sprayed it in BASF Diamont BC/CC and instead of ordering the decal pin stripe kit I masked off and sprayed them in charcoal/silver. It was a lot of stripes even had them on the mirrors and around the gills. Beautiful Corvette!
 
Know any painters in NC?

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mfrickman said:
Know any painters in NC?
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I painted out of Charlotte before I hung up my guns. I still paint projects for myself now and then. Most the painters I've worked with are about the same, retired, passed on, or I've lost touch with. My nephew does paint & body out of his late fathers shop in Wadesboro, but I only see him around the holidays.
 
mfrickman said:
I have looked at the thread but I'm trying to figure out if a very low micro-abrasive polish will be beneficial or if I'm stuck with a non-abrasive polish like the M07.
Click to expand...


trashed 94? paint on its last legs - AutogeekOnline Gallery

mfrickma said:
Also, if there is anything I can do with the metal trim that is on this car. Much of it is faded like the roof picture.
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Any quality metal polish will clean and brighten SS and Al. trim. Just be careful to mask off, or not allow the black oxidation residue to come into contact with paint. May stain paint.
 
Would it be best to polish the metal prior to washing to get remaining residue off the SS trim and to be able to clay any possible areas where the polish may bleed around tape lines?

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It looks to me that you will have your hands full trying to restore that Vette. Just figure out a test panel like a gas cover first then move on to other panels slowly.
 
Optimum Poli-SealTM is the most unique and versatile all-in-one product ever introduced! This easy to use, zero dusting, buttery smooth formula is so much more than a typical one step product. The micro abrasives in the Optimum Poli-SealTM will ensure light paint correction and not just the hiding of imperfections. Poli-Seal can be used as a light swirl mark remover, a final polish, and a true wax and sealant……All in one step!
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Tell ya what. I'd bet dollars to donuts that OPS will out perform on this paint as it sits, its competition...with less steps ( no need for #7). The durability when toppped with a premium topper such as Col. 845 can only add to the end product.

Been there, done that, saw the truck last week when lawn guy came by to cut the grass.
mfrickman said:
Would it be best to polish the metal prior to washing to get remaining residue off the SS trim and to be able to clay any possible areas where the polish may bleed around tape lines?

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If it were me, I'd research possibility removing it from the vehicle so as to do a deep cleaning/inspection behind the metal.

If not, then of course wash first.

My two cents...and sorry for the bolding. It followed the AG store description when I inadvertantly missed the "]" in [/quote].
 
Big nice project , look forward to some updates buddy ! sub d by the way .
 
Vegas, how much OPS do you utilize per job. Am I looking at needing to pick up a 32oz bottle for multiple coats or is OPS a single layer application?

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If its anything like other single stage white paints, best of luck. I spent 3 days buffing, using number 7 etc on my white 88 crown vic, and nothing worked.

I say give it a good wash. Clay the heck out of it, and then use #7 and see what you have after that. White single stage is an extremely hard paint.
 
piranah said:
If its anything like other single stage white paints, best of luck. I spent 3 days buffing, using number 7 etc on my white 88 crown vic, and nothing worked.

I say give it a good wash. Clay the heck out of it, and then use #7 and see what you have after that. White single stage is an extremely hard paint.
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What was your process if I may ask? I can't recall the last SS white paint j that I worked on, but by coincidence I have one lined up Tuesday. It's in very good shape. Just stained and oxidized Toyota.

mfrickman said:
Vegas, how much OPS do you utilize per job. Am I looking at needing to pick up a 32oz bottle for multiple coats or is OPS a single layer application?

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Looking at that paint, and seing that you're going to repaint in the near future anyway, being me, I would not want to go down the long road of multiple steps .
The pick up paint is trashed. Is very thin. Is very soft. Almost to the point of being unstable.
I filled one 16 ounce bottle from the gal., but don't remember how much was used. If I recall, there were only 3-4 panels that were SS.

I'm no paint expert, far from it. I just know what has worked for me on trashed SS paint that would not benefit from polishing/compounding.
 
So am I just looking at wash/clay/OPS/LSP and call it a day?

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If you want quick and thorough, Yes.
But OPS has limited correction ability~it's an abrasive cleaner sealant.
I'm betting that the paint is soft as compared to CC/BC.

If you want to go whole hog for the experience of polishing out this vehicle, No.
Also, not sure that I would remove the trim as I previously suggested looking into. Not neccesary at this time.

There a hand from Pa., with an El Camino type avatar that I just can't recall at this momement. Anyway, when it comes to paint resto, he's the one that I pay attention to when he responds to thread paint issues. If I come up with his forum name, I'll post it. Maybe you can send a pm.
 
I'm not looking to go crazy. There are spots that are reduced down to the primer from etching but the paint that is still good, I want to doctor that up.

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