Which wax do you use?

[richard1]

Sometimes ago I posted a question on the board about waxes.

Is anybody has ever use Liquid Glass? It is a tin can of about 14oz and cost about twenty bucks.

What is the best product to bring a glass shine to a 34YO original paint job?

[Hrududu]

What is the best product to bring a glass shine to a 34YO original paint job?

Can you do that? If so I need to know.

[JimmyZ]

If you want true perfection then finesse sanding and a multi step process are required. What follows is a description of a process which has many opinions but the same principles. Older or abused paint jobs may be too far gone to salvage with finesse. My single stage enamel job was pretty much beyond after 17 years. Seventeen years ungaraged in Florida is quite a long lifespan for a daily driver!

Don't apply wax/polymer over oxidized paint. To this end you'll need to polish the paint and remove the oxidized layer. Finesse sanding then polishing will give the best results. The goal is to remove as little paint as possible when polishing etc so this extreme approach should only be done two or three times in a paint jobs life. (Pref once) Simply polish and wax otherwise.

Some quick but important rules...

A shaded dust-free area is a must when doing any work on paint. The paint should also be completely clean, cool and dry before applying polishes. One speck of debris caught in a polishing head/bonnet can wreak havoc on the paint. Any sanding should be done wet with a clean flow of water used to keep the paper flushed. When sanding avoid edges or going up to the edge. Don't sand corners unless you want to break through and see primer or basecoat. If you sand too close to an emblem you can use hand polishing to remove the scratches.

To Finesse sand...

Start w/ 1500 grit sandpaper and a semi-hard tri fold pad to knock the peaks off and flatten orange peel. Go easy on the 1500 and just do enough of it to remove 70% of the peel. Follow with 2000 grit (soft pad) to make the sanding scratches from the 1500 less deep. By now you should have only 10% orange peel left. If the body work isn't so hot then leave a little more peel in the paint because it diffracts light and hides errors.

Next comes the polishing step.

Most production shops shun orbital buffers but I like them because of how slow they work. If you are impatient then get a rotary buffer with a set of foam pads. Being "old school" I use a commercial orbital buffer which is very heavy. Cloth bonnets or foam pads are used for each succesive polish/compound.

I've used 3m and Meguiars but like the Meguiars better. Your local paint jobber can get the stuff. Ask for pints of each product because you'll never use a gallon soon enough.

For removal of heavy oxidation/ finesse sanding scratches etc.. start with. Meguiars#1 (Med cut cleaner)

Follow with #2, #7 , #9 and carnauba wax.

For normal maintenance I like to use.. (In order of app)

#2 Fine cut cleaner

#7

#9

Carnauba wax

My feeling about Carnauba is that it's oils slow oxidation more than polymers. Polymers are more durable and offer more chemical resistance in harsh climates. Regardless of claims all protectants should be applied once a month or when water stops beading IMHO.

Repeat "normal maintenance" once a month and use the proper soap when washing the car at least once a week. (Not dish soap) Avoid having dust or foreign materials set on the car. Mineral deposits, bugs and tree sap are the worst!

I like to use Liquid glass if I know that it will be a while before I get around to polishing again. It's a very nice product but needs good prep before application. Follow the directions though! Don't apply it in sunlight or slop it on the paint and spread it around unless you want it to make streaks/stains in your paint.

I could and will write a lot more about this on my personal page. There are books about the specifics of detailing/ using equipment.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[sblake01]

What is the best product to bring a glass shine to a 34YO original paint job?

New paint :classic:

[JimmyZ]

OMG that's a GREAT post!! I should have just typed that instead of the short novel!

I thought he said a three year old paint job. Your'e right a thirty four year old is beyond saving.

Jim

[richard1]

Thanks Jimmy. Yes it is the original paint and I have been pretty good at keeping it shiny.

I am just wondering about the result of this product named "Liquid Glass" which is quite expensive at twenty bucks a tin can.

[JimmyZ]

Liquid glass is awesome! It has an extremely fine polish which should nix anything that is too fine for prior polishes to get. In the final years of my paint job's life I used to use Meg #2,7,9 then liquid glass. By the time I was done you could only count 4 radial cobweb scratches/ three foot area using the sun. (You would need a clean room to get a better polish job) This is my measure of just how well a car is polished. I'm sure others use it too. Just stand in dif places and use the sun's reflection in the paint to spot any scratches from wash mit, towel, etc...

Make absolutely sure hat there are no oxides on the paint or it will haze. (properly prep before app) Apply it evenly with an extra soft cloth and stroke in a straight line one panel at a time. If you apply it in sunlight it will stain the paint. Same goes for a hot surface so make sure everything is cool. This is really noticable on dark colors. Lighter colors aren't as big a deal. Try and keep it away from cracks/joints as the stuff dries hard and stains those areas.

Post a picture of your finished product. It's possible that a garaged/tended car might have servicable paint. I would just like to see the old enamel shine. It's a challenge.

Cya,

Jim

[mars23z]

try Zymol Im told it used to be sold only through the Porsche Performance catalog but you can get it anywhere now. It works really well

[richard1]

Yes I also saw Zymol at Pep Boys.

For now, I have used TR3 which is also a tin can and sold as a cleaner, desoxidizer and polish. Good results but I believe I can obtain more gloss after this TR3 treatment.

[Marty Rogan]

I use Zaino Brothers: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

This stuff puts down a phenominal shine and it is very durable.

There are a lot of good tips on their website too.

Marty

[texasz]

I have always used Meguiars as well and love the stuff!!

[CoastGuardZ]

I've used a bunch of products over the years, but can't say that I've used Liquid Glass. Typically I use Meguiars, outstanding results and readily available almost everywhere. Jim has pretty much laid out the best way to go about restoring the shine... but if you're looking to do a little less work try a clay bar, polish, and then follow up with wax... typically I use Meguiars Carnauba but recently I gave their NXT Generation Tech Wax and this stuff is awesome! I'm not usually into synthetic waxes but this stuff worked great!

Nate