Correcting very soft plastic back panel (Mustang)

WaxAddict

WaxAddict

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Hello friends. I`d like to get some recommendations on how to correct this back panel of a recenetly aquired used Mustang. Perhaps the pros here have tackled this exact job before?

I`d like to get the job done with one (or more) of the polishes I have on hand:
Menz 400, 2500, and 3800, Uber Compound, M105, PB PWS, FK 215.
and pad(s):
LC Black, White, Green, Orange and all three Hydrotech colors.


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Smallest pad and polisher you have, start with lightest polish and use a bit more than normal that way it doesnt run dry. A dry pad will be the worst to deal with. Ild also say to use b&s yellow pads for the heaviest pads.

Also use some waterspout remover to remove the water spots before polishing.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Here`s how I typically do piano black plastic.

3in Adams swirl killer mini 12mm machine.

Meguiars microfiber cutting pad with either M100 or 3D ONE.

Followed by Rupes yellow pad and either hyper polish or 3D ONE. If needed I`ll finish again with Hyper polish and Rupes white pad.


I would say menzerna pf2500 with a med/heavy cut

Follwed by Menzerna 3800 with a polishing pad and or finishing pad should get you close or a good starting point.
 
Good advice. I actually didn`t realize I could use such heavy polishes and pads with this material.

Last night, my first try on this area was with a black pad and 3800, and I was like "well, time for some advice". It just does NOT respond like paint or even B pillars typically do to 3800 alone.
 
You’re polishing plastic, you’re going to pick up a lot of residue from it. Clean your pad after each pass so you don’t work backwards. Don’t use any of your products or pads. I generally use Griot’s finishing Sealant on a microfiber pad followed by the same on a finishing pad.
 
Menz 3500 on a black pad might work but you don’t have 3500. Try 2500 on a black pad and see how it looks. I’m surprised it doesn’t act like b-pillars plastic. I guess every manufacturer uses a different supplier.
 
There are endless combinations that will work but I like using Fast Correct Cream with a MF pad followed by Hyper Polish on a tangerine LC hydro pad.

You best bet will be to wrap that panel in PPF though. ;)

 
WaxAddict said:
Nice work! Same car/year I got... HOW did you get in-between those lenses. WOW.
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That *was* impressive work!

FWIW, on my `93 Audi I got in the tight spots mostly with MFs wrapped around thin sticks, a few areas went OK with swabs. In some places I could only get the MF in there by itself and those areas sure took a while.

And yeah, it can be hard to tell what "black plastics" really are. The door pillars on my (terrible, terrible..) Mazda MPV were some kind of applique where the "black layer" was incredibly thin; I wore through it a bit on the second light pass with the old 3M Machine Glaze 05937 on a light polishing pad at a low speed...oops :o
 
Correct with whatever and then finish it down with Carpro Essence. It`s what I always use on that piano black gloss plastic trim
 
WaxAddict said:
Hello friends. I`d like to get some recommendations on how to correct this back panel of a recenetly aquired used Mustang. Perhaps the pros here have tackled this exact job before?

I`d like to get the job done with one (or more) of the polishes I have on hand:
Menz 400, 2500, and 3800, Uber Compound, M105, PB PWS, FK 215.
and pad(s):
LC Black, White, Green, Orange and all three Hydrotech colors.


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Me personally I would not touch that area between the lights. We tried correcting that area on a Mustang and it`s so soft, not like the material around the tail lights, that we removed the black top coat. This was with a soft pad and Sonax Parfait.

It cost me almost $500 to replace that piece. Now, we just cover them in PPF film.

Anthony
 
Anthony O. said:
Me personally I would not touch that area between the lights. We tried correcting that area on a Mustang and it`s so soft, not like the material around the tail lights, that we removed the black top coat. This was with a soft pad and Sonax Parfait.

It cost me almost $500 to replace that piece. Now, we just cover them in PPF film.

Anthony
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Must have been an OEM decklid with the "GT". You can get a plain one for $180 and transfer the "GT"

Thanks for the warning!! I still haven`t gotten around to this area - kinda glad now. I`ll go easy on it, maybe even whip out the Black Hole and cheat a bit, especially since black and 3800 didn`t do much.

Shame, that other car that Rasky posted, is a 2018 and is already THAT jacked up. Shows you how soft this area is.
 
Yep, had real trouble with this rear decklid panel, it`s not a typical coating and can easily fracture with a light finishing polish. Black B&S pad on the GG6 speed 3.5 with Griot`s Perfecting Cream did us in and we were left with micro fractures all over the place. I believe someone else on the forum documented that he was able to sand off this top coat and get it acceptable, my neighbor and I stopped once we saw the fractures and didn`t investigate further correction.
 
I have a similar area in the dash above the glove compartment of my Macan.
What about hand polishing the Mustang rear fascia?
 
Welp, I got it done, and will post pictures soon. I used a Griots 3" orange pad with Menzerna 2500 and it worked great, but was a bit harrowing. As I was carefully polishing on speed 4, I could smell the foul odor of melting plastic. I was applying almost NO pressure. I can see how this decklid could easily get mucked up. I followed with a black CCS pad and 3800, which made a tiny difference, but really the 2500/orange got the job done. These two pads went into the trash afterwards. Sealed it with Collinite Detergent-Proof Super Double Coat Permanent Clear Coat Safe Auto Wax.

This was odd in that it did not respond to hand polishing at all, and in fact hand polishing would mar it. I think the DA melted off a layer, which luckily resulted in shine.
 
Not the best two photos, but hopefully you can tell it`s defect-free and undamaged (I hope).

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Accum: I used 476 because it was closest to me, thus requiring the least effort. Not to sound snarky, 476 is probably a "decent" choice, but best for this would be a coating or many layers of Klasse. This area needs some "real" barrier between itself and the hands and fingers shutting the trunk, and the inevitable waterless wash (microfiber towels).
 

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