Single Stage vs Modern Paint

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Hey Mike/Everyone!


Looking for some additional guidance on SS paint.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/79935-how-restore-single-stage-paint-advanced-detailing-class.html

I am guessing I am going to run into SS paint, and need to know if there needs to be any additional steps/precautions taken? I have polished plenty of cars, but never SS paint.. Still need to get more info from the owner because he is wanting touch up paint as well.

Here is what I am working on this week -- would appreciate some advice! Thanks everyone!

 

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1972 Chevrolet Chevelle(blue)
1964 Chevrolet Corvette(red)
1967 Pontiac GTO(black)
1974 I think Chevrolet Corvette(silver)

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

With the exception of single stage white paint, most other colors of single stage paint will tend to be softer than modern clearcoat paints and thus easier and faster to correct.

I've always VERY careful around raised body lines for these reasons,

1. Paint tends to be thinnest on high points due to gravity causing paint to flow downward when it's sprayed.

2. All the OTHER PEOPLE that have buffed on the paint BEFORE you might not have been as careful as you will be and for this reason, the paint on raised body lines might already be whisper thin.


Here's a recent muscle car we buffed out here at Autogeek that had a single stage urethane paint job.

Pictures: 1966 Orange Chevy Nova Super Sport Extreme Makeover


In the below picture, look at the single line of 3M Blue Vinyl tape about a foot long coming from the tailing towards where you see the guy holding the Rupes TA50. That's tape on a raised body line and it's there because I didn't trust the paint to be safe on ANY of the raised body lines on this car because I don't know who's buffed on it in the past or what they used.

If you read the thread you'll see we taped-off ALL the edges and raised body lines just to be safe...


How to tape-off a car

This Nova has single stage urethane paint which will tend to be softer than a urethane clearcoat.

This Nova also has a LOT of raised body lines creating the design of the body panels hard edges forming the shape of the body panels.

Soft paint and raised body lines mean we have to be carefully when machine compounding or we could burn through. To avoid any mistakes, we taped-off all the raised body lines and edges of body panels using 3M Blue Vinyle Tape.

Tip
When taping off a car, start by anchoring the end of the tape to the area you want to protect and then pull out 2-3 feet of tape in your other hand. Use the hand that's holding the roll of tape to steer the tape as you use your other hand to press the tape firmly against the paint. This is how steer tape follow curves and also straight areas.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Besides being careful around edges and raised body lines you can treat the paint like clearcoat paints.

My best advice is to always use products that use good abrasive technology. While some guys say technique is #1 I wholeheartedly disagree.

The most important factor as it relates to the end results is the abrasive technology. After that comes the right tool for the job, the right pad for the job and then good technique.

So use quality compounds and polishes and dial in your process by doing a test spot.