Show season is close. Could you use some tips for getting my stang ready

[Mark Preus]

With show season right around the corner im about to start getting the stang all prepped up and ready. The color is a PPG candy over a House of Colors gold underbase. Could use some tips on what to use on the underhood hoses etc... Also im gonna wetsand the whole car and re-clear it so the paint is super slick with in the next week or two. Since the car isnt going to be exposed to weather until after these few indoor shows I take it to should I just glaze it? No 7 show car glaze? Or would you just go ahead and wax it? Also looking for some good aluminum polish for the wheels. They were painted black and I stripped the black paint off and been polishing them back out. There getting close but still not as shiny as I would like. Any advise or tips would be great... Thanks guys


When the wheels were black

How it looks now

 

[david79z28]

Check with the manufacturer of the clear you used. Most urethane clears require 90 days to gas out. So, DO NOT wax or seal the paint during that time, if recommended by the manufacturer...

If you are going to wet sand now why not go ahead and polish it out to get the look you are after? If it looks good now and something goes wrong when you reclear, you will be kicking yourself!! I have learned that the hard way!! Know when to stop.

After wet sanding I have used a rotary with 3M's perfect II compound with a wool pad, then their perfect II machine polish by rotary with a foam pad, followed by Meguairs professional hand polish. Works great on new clear. Looks AWESOME!!!

I like PPG's 2021 and 3000 clears. I don't go near it with a wax or sealant for at least 90 days!!!

Good luck at the shows. Post pictures of your trophies!!

BTW: Nice Mustang looks like an 86?

 

[Mark Preus]

Thanks for the reply! Yes it's a 86. No problems if something happens when re clearing it. I'm a painter and I can just fix before it ever leaves the booth. The clear is ppg 2021. I was just curious though I think I read an article mike wrote on that paint was it's best looking in natural form. That glazes and wax only make it look duller??? I can't remember exacly what it said I will have to do a search and re read it all

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

was just curious though I think I read an article mike wrote on that paint was it's best looking in natural form.

That glazes and wax only make it look duller??? I can't remember exactly what it said I will have to do a search and re read it all

I've never written anything like what you've stated above. I have read those kinds of remarks by others over the years but have never said or typed them myself.


A quality wax or paint sealant will at a minimum maintain the gloss and clarity you achieve from the spray gun or from polishing.

A very good quality wax or paint sealant can,

• Maximize gloss and clarity
• Give the paint a uniform appearance
• Create a slick surface, less prone to light towel scratching
• Provide a sacrificial barrier coating of protection

I've seen paint jobs by painters that come out of the booth flawless, as in no dirt in the paint, no runs or sags and no orange peel and for most people that's perfect.

For a true show car finish, even if it comes out of the booth perfect looking, the paint will still be sanded and buffed, this is where I aways say,

"It's the person that does the wet-sanding, cutting and buffing that makes or breaks the paint job"

 

[Mark Preus]

Sorry mike I wasn't sure what exactly I read. What products do y'all recommend for all this stuff? Bout to place another order to autogeek to get some more meguiars 205. Could use some input on what else to order

 

[TLMitchell]

Could use some tips on what to use on the underhood hoses etc...

Also looking for some good aluminum polish for the wheels.

I'm a big fan of CD2 Engine Detailer. After getting overspray places where I didn't think I wanted it I discovered it works great on everything under the hood... paint and all! I prefer a clean, black, matte natural-looking finish on hoses and wires vs high gloss so I wipe it down before it dries. If it's gloss that trips your trigger just let it dry. Long lasting requiring only future damp wipedowns for dust etc. It has decent cleaning properties as well so working it with a small brush around nooks and crannies you may have missed when cleaning works nicely. I usually get it at Autozone but it's sometimes hard to find. Sometimes it's mixed in with engine degreasers and other times you find it mixed in with brake fluid and lubes.

For polished aluminum I like red Wenol or Meg's Hot Rims Mag & Aluminum Polish to get the shine, Nevr Dull to maintain it. P21S/S100 Polishing Soap if it gets to the point it needs cleaning before polishing.

TL

Edit: Try 205 on those aluminum wheels. You may be pleasantly surprised! 105 works great on things needing serious polishing.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Sorry mike I wasn't sure what exactly I read. What products do y'all recommend for all this stuff? Bout to place another order to autogeek to get some more meguiars 205. Could use some input on what else to order

I'm a big fan of machine sanding whenever possible as compared to hand sanding...

The Nikken Finishing papers are very good for hand sanding here you can't machine sand and the Meguiar's Unigrit Sanding Discs are very good for machine sanding. They are meant to be used for "dampsanding", which is just a little water.

After sanding then a good compound for removing your sanding marks, M105 is currently the product to beat for cut and finish ability but we carry 3M, Mothers, Optimum, etc,

Masking tape
Squeeze Bottle to pour your bulk product into are nice
A good, fast cutting wool pad for cutting out your sanding marks

 

[arenared]

Sort of timely post, I guess.

I just finished wet-sanding and polishing my DD yesterday (Christmas project). When I was done, I could have sworn that the sealants and waxes were not as glossy as the paint, all polished-up, by itself. My calculating mind said that shouldn't make sense. Since mine is a DD, I absolutely coated it with sealants and wax, however.

A possible consideration if the car will not be exposed to the elements before the car shows is to leave it at the polish, but probably only if you can keep it really clean and dust/dirt-free. I'm not a professional detailer, so do consider other opinions/experience here.

For mine, I finished polishing with Menz PO 85RD. Just when I thought it couldn't get any glossier, it did. Very happy with the product. Very easy application and very easy removal. It's so easy, you could also consider another application after the shows.

I will also agree with Mike on points like the sealant/wax absolutely provide protection/slickness.

Good luck and great PPG colors on your 'stang. Looks hot!!!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Sort of timely post, I guess.

I just finished wet-sanding and polishing my DD yesterday (Christmas project). When I was done, I could have sworn that the sealants and waxes were not as glossy as the paint, all polished-up, by itself.

Polishing and/or Polishes
Your finishing polish can and will make the paint very clear and glossy by itself, this would be the polishing oils or lubricating agents, that you often times see people trying to get rid of by wiping the paint with IPA.

Most if not all professional grade finishing polishes are water soluble, so the clarity and gloss they create won't hold up over time, that is when the car is exposed to water in any fashion, such as a rainy day, a car wash or a wipe down with any quick detailer or waterless/rinseless wash.

A quality wax or paint sealant will hold up to water in any form and give the "entire" car a uniform appearance.


Nothing at all
Mark also brought up paint with nothing whatsoever on it. Overtime... this isn't going to look good unless the paint, in other words the "car" is placed into a museum environment where it is never drive or touched in any way.



After wetsanding, cutting and buffing a paint job, if the paint is still fresh, that is less than 30 days air cured, then stop after your finishing polish or application of a fresh paint safe glaze like M07 Show Car Glaze or 3M Imperial Hand Glaze.

After the paint is past the 30 days, then minimum recommended by most paint manufactures, then you can decide if you want to seal the paint with a wax or a paint sealant and this is where you want to,

"Find something you like and use it often"

The "often" part is based upon how the car is used and your expectations for the appearance level you desire.

If the car is truly a show car that is in a garage most of the time then common sense tell you that you don't need to apply or do anything to the paint or the car because it's not seeing any use.

If the car is a black daily driver that sits outside all the time and you "expect" it to look Concours-ready all the time then you'll have to use something a little more often than the guy that parks his rig in a garage all the time.

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

I heard Pinnacle Souveran Paste has been on a show-winning vehicle or two. :dblthumb2:

I was just curious though I think I read an article mike wrote on that paint was it's best looking in natural form. That glazes and wax only make it look duller??? I can't remember exactly what it said I will have to do a search and re read it all

I could have sworn that the sealants and waxes were not as glossy as the paint, all polished-up, by itself. My calculating mind said that shouldn't make sense.

Regarding wax/sealant vs nothing, the following linked thread is interesting.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/24844-9-waxes-unbiased-review.html