Single stage paint is notorious...
Single stage paint is notorious for fading and oxidizing in the sun if not cared for with regular polishing and waxing, and our hood was a prime example with a dull and lifeless red finish.
In the December '10 issue, we showed you that it's possible to take a faded, chipped, water spotted, and generally neglected looking basecoat/clear paint job like found on late model muscle cars and bring it back to respectable standards with over-the-counter Mothers products. But, what if you've got a single stage spray job or a vintage jewel with original paint that needs some revitalizing? The good news is that it's just as easy and the same products we used to make our Mustang glow with a rich deep blue again can bring back just about any paint.
To prove the point, we headed over to Classic Industries in Huntington Beach, CA and raided their stash of vintage parts. Actually, we stole the hood off one of their Chevelle parts cars. The paint was a budget single stage paint job performed approximately 20 years ago, and from what we could tell, it hadn't been polished since. Nevertheless, Jeff Jeppesen at Classy Cars Detailing (www.classycarsdetailing.com) brushed the 1/4-inch thick dust aside and set about showing us how to return the hood to respectable shine within 10 minutes.
For this quickie resto, Jeff...
For this quickie resto, Jeff determined Mothers' Pre-Wax Cleaner, SynWax, microfiber towels, and the PowerBall for Paint on a cordless drill would be the right combo for this finish.
After wiping away the dust,...
After wiping away the dust, Jeff sprayed the hood with Mothers' Showtime and wiped it down with a microfiber towel.
This is sooty grime that the...
This is sooty grime that the Showtime pulled away.
After spraying more Showtime,...
After spraying more Showtime, Jeff used Mothers' Clay Bar to remove bonded contaminants and remove the paints rough surface.
Next it was time for the Pre-Wax...
Next it was time for the Pre-Wax Cleaner on the PowerBall for Paint
Just as with the basecoat/clear...
Just as with the basecoat/clear on our Mustang, Jeff recommended a medium speed with the Powerball and to keep it moving.
The shine was starting to...
The shine was starting to look good, but to really bring out dimension in the red the Pre-Wax Cleaner was followed by Mothers' SynWax.
Look at that shine! Without...
Look at that shine! Without exaggeration, this was a 10-minute polish job
The difference between the...
The difference between the oxidized and polished sided is even more dramatic in the sun. Now, if we can just get the rest of that Chevelle to look this good.
Want step-by-step instruction on how to care for your car? You're in luck; Mothers has created an entire series of videos on You Tube dedicated showing you the proper way to get every aspect of your car gleaming.