Polishing/waxing question

[Andy Illes]

Hi all.  Now back home... having smooched my horsies.... having just won my year-long suit against the "Good Hands (around your throat) People" about hurricane damage to my spread last year... having taken care of and settled other biz... having finished mowing 40 acres.... I'm ready to set off on yet another adventure with Fred, to unwind from NYC.... a Key's trip (think the "road trip" in "Animal House"... heeeeee).  Well, ok... as close to that as an ugly, single, retired (but not lacking in hope) old coot can get.  Would any horny such person set off in a dull-looking chariot?  I think not.  I think ya gotta SHINE!!!!  Right?

Here's my problem.  Fred's finish - which, apart from washings, seems to have received about as much attention during his 29 year lifetime as Al Gore has since he discovered the Blessed Power of Palm Beach/Broward Counties' butterfly ballots and hanging chads - needs attention.  Yes fellow Clipper devotees, I ashamedly admit that Fred's chads are hanging a bit too.  

So I pulled him to a shady spot early this morning... lathered him up, rinsed him down, Soft Scrubbed him, and started treating him to Maguire's finest, rare carnauba waxes (from Brazil, it sez - I thought they had a lotta that stuff down there.  Hmmmm).  He seemed to like that - I SWEAR his grille curved up a little!!!  Anyway, shouldda made Fred shine like Mayor Giulliani without his comb-over, right?  Not!

So how come?  How much gloss is it possible to get?  Did I not Soft Scrub hard enough... not apply enough rare carnauba wax?  I went over several spots with increasing degrees of vigor - think test-strips - and only see minor improvements.  The best I managed was sort of a dull, hazy gloss.  Am I just expecting too much... to see a reflection that even vaguely resembles me?  Using the wrong stuff... not enough elbow grease?

Ideas & suggestions???  Thanx
Andy

[Rodney]

You got it Andy--- the last thing you said. Elbow greese a lot of it!! :wink:
My clipper is in the same situation I buff every auto I repair and paint at the body shop so I guess I know what I need to do :cry:  I just haven't had the time or energy but it is getting closer.
I will be using my variable speed electric polisher and I have a product sold by Malco called Rapid Cut. I will be running the buffer at 1800 - 2000 rpms depending on how the material cuts. It will take some work to remove the oxidation so I am not planning on doing it all at once. I will do a few feet square section at a time-- about as far as I can reach while standing in one spot apply a gererious amount of compond to begin with to get the WOOL pad working like it should. you want enough compound on the pad to cut but not so much that the wool isn't helping cutting. it is a good idea to clean the pad from time to time with a spur or rinse it out with h20
after taking it off the buffer of course. then put it back on give it a spin to dry it and begian buffing some more. When buffing with a high cut compoud a person needs to relize that you are removing marerial, in this case gel coat { asumming OEM} so stay away from edges and corners as you can buff through and make an ugly spot. Gel coat is hard to it would take some time to buff through but can be done.  
after I have the thing buffed with rapid cut depending on how bad the swirl marks are I may go back over the coach with a foam pad and another product to remove the swirls.  
After I have spent a few days at it I may be ready for a coat of wax.
also take care when buffing the cab as the paint on that part of the body if OEM will be as thin as a dollar bill is thick only a few mill's and believe me you will go through in a second with a heavy cut compond. And the stripes need to be handled with the same care.  
Have fun Andy
I just about talked myself out of doing this project-- Again :lol:
Rodney

[Andy Illes]

Thanks Rodney

Know what?  Think I'll wait 'till you get yours done, read how it went and what all you actually wound up doing, and how it turned out, before I do Fred.

[Rodney]

Thanks Rodney

Know what?  Think I'll wait 'till you get yours done, read how it went and what all you actually wound up doing, and how it turned out, before I do Fred.

ok Andy. It will look like a million bucks when done and worth the time.
IF you know of a good detail shop have them do it for you.. having all of the right equipment and knowing how to use them makes for a better chance of success.
I have been trying to talk our detail guy in to doing mine but he said I don't have enough money LOL he is just kidding. He has to keep 2 Beaver coachs shinned up for the bosses. and those things are HUGE!!
take care
Rodney

[bigray]

I tried and tried. I tried soft scrub, boat wax, etc. I tried until I was plum out of elbow grease and I still wasn't unsatisfied so I had it painted. She shines now!

[Rodney]

I tried and tried. I tried soft scrub, boat wax, etc. I tried until I was plum out of elbow grease and I still wasn't unsatisfied so I had it painted. She shines now!

Big Ray is right a fresh coat of Urathane paint will do the trick. If you don't mind me asking what was the final cost for the paint job? Was Urathane paint used? Clear Coat over top of the paint? I wouldn't spray anything but Urathane and if doing the job at the shop for a Customer I would guess the bill to be close to a couple thousand $$.
When I paint just about any rig it all comes apart.. door glass, door handles, key locks ect. This makes for a much nicer job but also takes more time. For now I am going to go for the heavy duty buff and touch up the stripes were they are weathering off of the hood. When I priced materials for painting the white it was over 500 $$. Ouch I will have 40 - 50 $ in buffing and a few days of labor. The gel coat is in good shape and not to many scrapes or I wouldn't spend the time buffing and go for the paint job.
Rodney