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First Cleaning Question


CowboyConnor

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I have finally gotten the ol' girl on the road after sitting for 20 years and am now on to making her shine!  I started this project so that I would have a car I could be proud of leaving my wedding in, in October.  I am now on to cosmetics.  It is the original Salvador Blue paint and has some character.  I do not plan to repaint it.  I am needing some very detailed instructions on how to bring this paint back to life seeing that I am a beginner in taking care of a paint job to such an extent.  I'd like to know what you did to bring your paint back from being soft and what you do to maintain it.  it's getting down to the wire and I've got to get her clean!

(also I have never buffed a car...)

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I would get online and go to www.Autogeek.com in Florida.  Their finish guy has a 50 page paint restoration paper on the products(which they sell) and technique for restoring a finish.  I have a 1938 Plymouth that I had restored in the 60's and the paint was pretty sorry after years in storage.  In his paper he recommends Maguire's #7 which was created in the early 1900's for paint restoration.  I used this product the way he describes and managed to get the finish looking much better and no machine buffing. 

So it's a waterless cleaner first with their cloth towels to remove the dirt, then the Maquire's.  It will make the rag look like the color of the paint but it is not an abrasive.  This is not rubbing compound, it is emulsifiers and oils that restore the paint.  I think I spent about 100.00 on all the products he described and a lot of elbow grease and got a good shine back on the finish.  I would not use a buffer unless you are really good at it.  Also the method of buffing has changed now to very slow speed buffers, not the old style buffer/grinders.

Good luck.

Greg

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OK I will go with my old standby for projects.  BON AMI powdered feldspar based cleanser found in the houshold cleaners section of your grocery store.  I have used it on multiple vehicles.  After a good wash, re wet about two foot square sections of painted surface, sprinkle generously with the BON AMI and scrub the section with a wet cloth turning it frequently and rinsing the cloth between areas.  At less than three dollars whaddya got to loose?  try it on an inconspicuous spot first. But it will not scratch and unlike rubbing compounds won't leave swirl marks.  Even works great on chrome, stainless, and glass.  If not impressed then go with dedicated automotive products but I think you will be pleasently surprised.

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Start  with a good washing. I was recently pleased with Maguire's "Ultimate Compound", 16 oz. liquid, $9. Applied by hand it produced a nice quick shine. Did the whole car in no time. Polished up shiny with soft clean cloths. Top it off with a coat of your favorite wax. I'm using Carnuba. Your ride will be spiffy and ready.

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2 hours ago, greg g said:

OK I will go with my old standby for projects.  BON AMI powdered feldspar based cleanser found in the houshold cleaners section of your grocery store.  I have used it on multiple vehicles.  After a good wash, re wet about two foot square sections of painted surface, sprinkle generously with the BON AMI and scrub the section with a wet cloth turning it frequently and rinsing the cloth between areas.  At less than three dollars whaddya got to loose?  try it on an inconspicuous spot first. But it will not scratch and unlike rubbing compounds won't leave swirl marks.  Even works great on chrome, stainless, and glass.  If not impressed then go with dedicated automotive products but I think you will be pleasently surprised.

 

Having seen Greg's car up close and personal on several occasions I believe he is on to something here. I just ordered the BON AMI product from Amazon and will try it on my D-24.

 

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43 minutes ago, Don Coatney said:

Having seen Greg's car up close and personal on several occasions I believe he is on to something here. I just ordered the BON AMI product from Amazon and will try it on my D-24.

I'm pretty sure that Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend have identical stuff in them. If you grocery store doesn't stock one it will undoubtedly stock the other. Not sure why you have to order from Amazon for something you can pick up the next time you buy groceries.

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11 minutes ago, TodFitch said:

I'm pretty sure that Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend have identical stuff in them. If you grocery store doesn't stock one it will undoubtedly stock the other. Not sure why you have to order from Amazon for something you can pick up the next time you buy groceries.

I am sure you are correct. But I get free shipping from Amazon and frequently there prices are less than retail.

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I would recommend Meguiars #7 show glaze first followed by a protective coat of Meguiars #26 wax. It really brought up the old style paint on my 1949.

http://www.autogeek.net/meg7showcarg.html

 

I have seen it stocked in Harbour Freight if there is one near you

 

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Bartender's Friend's owner is a female medical doctor in Indianapolis, IN.  I had a packaging machinery business appointment with her some 20 years ago.  She is also the owner of Saturday Evening Post Magazine. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here goes. Greg G requested some before and after pictures. They are posted below. Make note that there is no change, both before and after are the same. History. I do not know the history of any paint jobs on this car other than there were at least 2-3 paint jobs done. At some point in the history of this car someone went wild with a buffing wheel and made several burn marks in several locations all over the car. Some spots on the car are very shinny and some spots are not so. There are a couple of spots of surface rust but most of them I have brush primed and painted. The underside of this car is very solid with no structural rust. 

So I have gone over the car with a hand job of rubbing compound. I have gone over the car with a hand job using a clay bar. I have gone over the car with a hand job of BON AMI. I am hand jobbed out. The car photographs very well from a distance. Mechanically the car is very sound. It is a pleasure to drive. I have come to the conclusion that I will drive and enjoy this car and no longer worry about the areas of dull paint.

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Don says: " I have gone over the car with a hand job of rubbing compound. I have gone over the car with a hand job using a clay bar. I have gone over the car with a hand job of BON AMI."  Mr. Don, why didn't you do all this testing on one fender? I'm not too smart, but.......  Of all the paint jobs, is it still original color, and you were able to get matching touch up paint? Some aren't happy without a perfection shine. Then mine is a reject, but a great beach cruiser. Keep enjoying it.

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It takes a bit of-  Wax On, Wax Off. These are the results I got with Meguiar's #7show glaze, I think it suites the old style paints as oils it as it removes oxidation. Follow up with a protective wax like Meguiar's #26.

Get one of the neighborhood kids to do it.

Only work on an area at a time, notice the roof had not been done yet at time of picture

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Edited by 1949 Goat
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