LC Yellow pads or LC MF Cutting pads?

[ebrammer252]

My parents need a new hood for their 2003 Chevrolet S-10, so they snagged one out of a junkyard for relatively cheap. They initially told me that it needs to be repainted because the hood is lighter than the truck, turns out that it's the same color, the hood just needs some major paint love.

The paint is almost matte from how neglected it is, not to mention the pock marks of tree sap (black splotches in photos) that had sat on it forever. They're already on the train of thought of getting it resprayed, but I figured I'd take a crack at cleaning it up first to see if it can be salvaged. (picture doesn't do it justice right now since it's wet from rain, but even wet you can see it lacks reflection and depth). Apparently they gave it a wash with some dawn soap doh and it didn't do much in the way of removing the matte-ness or bringing back any shine, just cleaned up the dirt that was on it.

View attachment 69293

On hand I have my Griot's G9 DA, M105, Ultimate Compound, Meg's #21, and M205. I also have a smattering of LC pads, but no yellow pads or MF pads.

My question is should I order some LC yellow pads or just jump straight to a MF cutting pad for attempting this?

Edit: Also, should I tape over the wiper nozzle openings? Do I need to worry about the foam pad catching on that and ripping it?

 

[Eldorado2k]

What kind of polisher do you have?

 

[ebrammer252]

What kind of polisher do you have?

Griot's G9 DA.

 

[Eldorado2k]

I’d say jump straight to the LC Microfiber pads using your M105. But 1st make sure to thoroughly claybar the paint 1st until it’s completely smooth and clean.

I transformed my hood using LC Microfiber pads using Megs D300 & Megs M205 w/Griots Boss G21 polisher.

Before:

After:

 

[ebrammer252]

Thanks! Would I need more than a single MF Cutting pad to do the whole hood?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Thanks! Would I need more than a single MF Cutting pad to do the whole hood?

My hood in those pics is on a Cadillac Deville, so basically that’s an extra large hood and in that condition it required 2 microfiber pads for the cutting stage.

Could you possibly do it with just 1? Yea.
Worst case scenario you’d have to stop and wash the pad, allow it to dry and use it again... Certainly not impossible if you don’t want to spend extra money.

 

[noorth]

I’d say jump straight to the LC Microfiber pads using your M105. But 1st make sure to thoroughly claybar the paint 1st until it’s completely smooth and clean.

I transformed my hood using LC Microfiber pads using Megs D300 & Megs M205 w/Griots Boss G21 polisher.

Before:

After:

Great job! can't wait to get home and start polishing! What is the year and mileage on your car?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Great job! can't wait to get home and start polishing! What is the year and mileage on your car?

Thanks! The car in those pics was my 2002 Cadillac Deville DTS with 128,000 miles.

Unfortunately that car was totaled in a car accident last year...

I replaced it with a 2000 Cadillac Deville DHS. This 1 currently has 133,000 miles on it. I purchased it from the original owner about 7 months ago.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

When I first did our 2004 Corvette w some etched waterspots, Megs D300 w their microfiber cutting discs outdid (quicker and more effective) M101 w LC Yellow flat pad using Griots 6" DA.

Never used LC yellow foam again, microfiber always does better for me. Dunno about using 105 with it though, have only used 105 for about 2 minutes before I chucked the (new) bottle right in the garbage. What a PITA. Many folks can work magic with that stuff...I ain't one of them.

 

[noorth]

When I first did our 2004 Corvette w some etched waterspots, Megs D300 w their microfiber cutting discs outdid (quicker and more effective) M101 w LC Yellow flat pad using Griots 6" DA.

Never used LC yellow foam again, microfiber always does better for me. Dunno about using 105 with it though, have only used 105 for about 2 minutes before I chucked the (new) bottle right in the garbage. What a PITA. Many folks can work magic with that stuff...I ain't one of them.

I just went with sonax cutmax and perfect finish . hopefully all I need for a compounds.

 

[Bruno Soares]

Microfiber pad should do it but it will create lots of heat as that hood needs lots of love. Maybe consider wet sanding with something like 3000 grit and then the pads will need less time to finish it and create less heat? Just a thought.

 

[acuRAS82]

I use yellow LCs except for spot correction... mostly because I’m scared to go over a whole car with MFs. Not a valid fear, but it’s there nonetheless. Someday I’ll go MF for a beat finish.

 

[ebrammer252]

UPDATE: Sad to say, there's nothing I can do for this hood.

I washed it down today, as I dried it my drying towel kept coming back dirty. I started to clay it, no matter how many times I wet it down with QD, kneaded the clay over and clayed it always came up black. Hell, I even broke out a kitchen sponge and scrubbed to see if it was just that gunked up. I figured I might as well give it a shot, primed an LC Orange pad with 105 and then added a few pea sized drops of product and got started. Didn't even make it through one pass before it was painfully obvious my orange pad was now brown/bronze and the painter's tape marking the test spot were covered. It would appear the clear coat is just 100% gone and we're either just on paint now, or this was a poor poor home done re-spray with rattle cans.

 

[Preachers Sheets]

Thanks! The car in those pics was my 2002 Cadillac Deville DTS with 128,000 miles.

Unfortunately that car was totaled in a car accident last year...

I replaced it with a 2000 Cadillac Deville DHS. This 1 currently has 133,000 miles on it. I purchased it from the original owner about 7 months ago.

Looks great for the mileage!

 

[noorth]

When I first did our 2004 Corvette w some etched waterspots, Megs D300 w their microfiber cutting discs outdid (quicker and more effective) M101 w LC Yellow flat pad using Griots 6" DA.

Never used LC yellow foam again, microfiber always does better for me. Dunno about using 105 with it though, have only used 105 for about 2 minutes before I chucked the (new) bottle right in the garbage. What a PITA. Many folks can work magic with that stuff...I ain't one of them.

Hi budget, is it best practice to use the same pad and compound for the whole vehicle - after a test spot your happy with. Then finish down with a finishing polish, for 2 stage correction?

Or do most people treat every section/panel differently? To me that seems to be a more practical approach, once you know the general condition and what it takes to correct it.

 

[acuRAS82]

Hi budget, is it best practice to use the same pad and compound for the whole vehicle - after a test spot your happy with. Then finish down with a finishing polish, for 2 stage correction?

Or do most people treat every section/panel differently? To me that seems to be a more practical approach, once you know the general condition and what it takes to correct it.

Not Budget here.
I typically use the same compound/polish for the whole vehicle OR maybe slightly more aggressive only in high traffic areas (upper doors, hood, roof, trunk). Or a cheaper polish choice for bottom panels if I’m in a cheap mood.
But going panel by panel trying different test spots will take significantly more time and might be considered extensive, but your car, your call.

 

[noorth]

Not Budget here.
I typically use the same compound/polish for the whole vehicle OR maybe slightly more aggressive only in high traffic areas (upper doors, hood, roof, trunk). Or a cheaper polish choice for bottom panels if I’m in a cheap mood.
But going panel by panel trying different test spots will take significantly more time and might be considered extensive, but your car, your call.

thanks, I was just wondering about the whole car being uniform so to speak. it's a flexible process..

 

[Eldorado2k]

Looks great for the mileage!

Thank you very much!
I tend to think of it more so as it looking good for its age... 20yrs. is no flash in the pan. The most common remark I get from strangers about this car is “what year is it”?

As far as the mileage... This is how many miles it had the day I bought it.

So over 20yrs. it’s only been driven an average of 6,500 miles per year, making it fairly low mileage overall compared to most vehicles on the road.

And over the 7 months I’ve owned it, I’ve put less than 3,000 miles on it so far.. So hopefully it continues living a long life.

[here’s the odometer today]