Black car w/swirls--Help!

R

richanton

New member
Hey, this is my first post. I've been lurking and learning for months now, and decided it is time to post because I need some help.

I have a black 2001 Cadillac that has a bunch of swirls and fine scratches. This winter was murder, and now in direct sunlight the paint is really a mess. I am getting ready to detail my car, and I need some input. I want to remove all the swirls and get the best shine possible, I don't really care how many steps or how long it takes because I will just spread it out over a couple of weekends. It is my daily driver, so I do need some level of durability. I don't know how to use a buffer, but a friend of mine is really good with one and he will be helping me out.

Here is what I was thinking:

clay
wetsand with 1500
compound with rotary
polish with rotary
glaze with pc (or rotary?)
multiple coats of sealant
multiple coats of polymer wax
multiple coats of S100

I really need some suggestions on products and process to make this car right. I have been researching for a while and I am just getting confused. I have a bunch of products laying around, mostly Meguiars and some 3M. I also have a good rotary and a Ryobi orbital with 4800 opm speed. I will buy whatever else I need. I will post some before pictures when I get a chancee, and when its done I'll post some after pictures.

I appreciate the help, thanks guys.
 
I would try just buffing before resorting to wetsanding. Start with the least abrasive approach and move up if its not working.
 
I wanted to wetsand to remove the factory orange peel, I don't think buffing will do that. I had my 55chevy wetsanded a couple of weeks ago, and it came out perfect. I've never wetsanded a black car, though.
 
richanton said:
I wanted to wetsand to remove the factory orange peel, I don't think buffing will do that. I had my 55chevy wetsanded a couple of weeks ago, and it came out perfect. I've never wetsanded a black car, though.
Click to expand...

Let me know how it comes out. I've never wet sanded except prior to painting ... not for detailing efforts.
 
If you just have to wet sand, get some Meguiars Uni-grit 2000 to do it with. I had to wet sand some scratches and touch ups on a 02 Yukon yesterday and the 2000 was more than enough. It polished up perfect to a wax ready finish with Poorboy's SSR2 using a Meguiar's cutting pad on a rotary. It would have taken forever using the PC.
 
You're right, if I go through with the wet sand I will use 2000. Any opinions on what other products I should use?
 
You might want to take your Caddy to a good pro detailer the first time and then buy just what you need to maintain the finish. Wetsanding a car with factory paint is a rather touchy endeavor. The clearcoat is not all that thick.

Tom :cool
 
Well, if you friend knows how to use the rotary buffer well, I think the sanding/compounding/polishing steps you have there will work nicely. I would also recommend the Mequiar's Uni-grit 2000 paper, or 3M's Imperial WetorDry paper in 2500, or 2000 grit for the color sanding.

Also, I think the "multiple coats" of sealant/polymer wax/S100 might be a bit of an overkill? :dunno
All those coats of products won't do much to prevent new swirls, spider web marks, or scratches from happening again.................... minimizing that will take other precautions.
 
Won't the wetsanding basically remove the clear? - the orange peel will be in the paint color level not the clear level?
 
I might not wetsand, I haven't decided yet. I want to remove all of the swirls, and give the car a nice, deep, wet look. I also want to have some durability, that is why I was going to throw on a couple coats of sealant.

My friend (who is also my bodyman) will be working the rotary for the compound and polish, I will be doing the other steps. I am going to buy everything we need, and he is going to help me out. I am still not really sure what I need to remove swirls and really bring the depth out of a black car. I am sure many of you have worked on black cars with great success, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
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