560SL Paint Protection
Hello Everyone,
I have a 1986 Mercedes 560SL, the paint is single stage and red.
I've buffed out a number of these in my life. Here's an example of one such detail job.
Pictures - 1989 Mercedes-Benz - Low Mileage Beauty All Original Beauty!
I believe the factory paint is Glasurit, a very high quality brand of paint. I've always loved how the Glasurit paints buff.
In fact, I made this same comment back in 2013 here,
Looking for Pebble Beach shine on a 300SL
I did a light polishing with chemical guys V36 & V38, it still had some heavy swirls but I'm not sure how thin/thick the paint is so I didn't get very aggressive.
I talk a LOT about abrasive technology on this forum, in videos and in the real-world. I would recommend the Wolfgang line of polishes for your Mercedes-Benz. I think you could do everything you ever want to do with just the Total Swirl Remover.
The Wolfgang Four
Here are four products that will take care of about 99.9% of
any exterior paint correction product you'll ever have in your garage.
The Wolfgang Four
After that I used a glaze, wax, and sealant to protect the paint and reapply wax every few weeks and reapply all 3 every 2 months or so. The issue is when I left the car outside in the rain it left some heavy water spots that I had to buff out.
Yup. Old single stage paints can get a very unique type of water spot where after the water penetrates INTO the paint it fades it to white. Here's my article on water spots and I actually have a picture of this type of water spots.
3 - Types of Water Spots - Type I, Type II and Type III
Type III Water Spots
Type III Water Spots are spots that look faded or dull and are found primarily found on
single stage paints after a water source lands on and then pools on the paint and is usually left to dwell on the surface for some measure of time before it evaporates or is wiped-off the surface.
Modern clear coat paints tend to be harder and impermeable, that is non-porous, so liquids don't penetrated easily and thus stain spots tend to be topical, that is only affect the very upper surface and are easier and safer to remove with a compound or polish.
Older single stage paints tend to be soft and permeable, or porous, it's common for liquids to penetrate into the paint and stain the paint below the surface. Removing stains out of single stage paints can be risky because in order to remove the stains you have to abrade the paint and if the stains penetrated deep then you risk removing too much in an effort to try to remove them completely.
Also spilled brake fluid on the paint and stained it.
Ouch! :wowwow:
Brake Fluid on single stage paint tends to turn the paint purple or blue.
Did this happen?
Other than not driving in the rain does anyone have any good ideas how to protect the paint from water spots/gas/brake fluid...?
I was think of going with ceramic coating or using a clear wrap on the horizontal surfaces but I'm not sure whats best, this is the first car I have owned that's single stage...
Here's what I would suggest. Try the new
303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating, this stuff is pretty stout.
You can apply it over the paint just like it is now or you can re-polish the paint and then apply. You don't have to use a Panel Wipe before use.
Panel Wipe = Solvent of some sort which will tend to dull down single stage paint.
You can use a ceramic coating on single stage paint the issue is getting the paint clean without dulling it. One option would be to machine polish using the Dr. Beasley's NSP 45, (a dedicated fine cut polish), or the Dr. Beasley's Z1, which is a one-step Ceramic All-in-One. The thing about these products is you don't have to chemically strip before applying the coating.
For a coating - I'd recommend the
BLACKFIRE BLACK EDITION. Apply 2 coats. This stuff is freaking bullet proof.
The 303 option would be quick, fast and easy. The ceramic coating option will take time and multiple step.
Hope that helps...
