Oh, those lovely surprises when you detail...

[Rae]

Finally got warm enough weather to start prepping my '93 Probe for sale. Step one was a full detailing to restore the car back to something resembling its original color. I'm embarrassed to admit that this car has never been (cosmetically) taken care of in the time that I've owned it... and I'm sure that it hadn't had any love before I owned it. Before beginning the car was a wonderful flat pink (oxidation, anyone?). Washed the car twice, claybar took forever to remove the contaminants, and I was ready to start learning to use the PC.



Because I was working with some pretty severe oxidation, i decided to start out with DACP. It works pretty well, but there's still some rather flat spots that need worked over a bit more.



I only managed to get the hood most of the way done Tomorrow will be much easier now that I know what's going on with the PC and application of the products....



But what horrified me as I worked to the front of the car was that the oxidation had been covering up some pretty impressive clearcoat problems on the car. First noticed it when buffing off the DACP and saw these funny white marks showing up all over... classic pattern from rock damage on the hood, and upon closer inspection, it was the clearcoat and its lovely spider-webbing marks.



So I think I need some advice here. I need to make those marks as un-obvious as possible since the car will be for sale shortly. Is there any product that might help to just reduce the contrast between the red of the paint and the white of the clearcoat? Or would a prospective buyer even notice?



Lesson learned: do NOT neglect your car! Oh, wait.. I already knew that

 

[Nick T.]

Farmers often wipe down a for sale tractor with diesel fuel to make it look more attractive to prospective buyers. For your neglected paint Blackfire might do the same trick. :nixweiss

 

[imported_edschwab1]

Is the car clear coated? I did not think Ford used clear on Solid colors in the early 90's. Did your pads turn red when using DACP, if so the paint is single stage and not clear coated. What steps do you have planned after DACP? Which pad and speed do you use DACP with? if the car was heavily oxidized, maybe the only to really fix the problem is a repaint.



Since you are selling the car go buy Meg #7, Meg Hand Polish #83 or 3M IHG which should cover up the defects. Top with wax, to make the glaze last a longer. The glaze may need to be applied weekly or just when a potential buyer is coming to look at the car.



Good luck with selling the car.



Eric

 

[thevolvoguy]

Since you are selling the car go buy Meg #7, Meg Hand Polish #83 or 3M IHG which should cover up the defects. Top with wax, to make the glaze last a longer. The glaze may need to be applied weekly or just when a potential buyer is coming to look at the car.

If it was me buying the car, I know I would want the defects repaired, or at least know they are there. I would be very angry if I bought a car and found out the seller was just covering heavy oxidation with glazes.



Rae - It sounds like you are progressing well. DACP is a great product for oxidation. Pictures would be awesome if you have them!



Good Luck, and be sure to let us know how it all turns out. :xyxthumbs

 

[Rae]

Rae - It sounds like you are progressing well. DACP is a great product for oxidation. Pictures would be awesome if you have them!



Good Luck, and be sure to let us know how it all turns out. :xyxthumbs [/B]

Thanks... I had to finally give up, though, and say that I did the best that I could since I didn't want to risk damaging the clearcoat any further with more use of the DACP or anything more aggressive. I used it at varying speeds and pressures in several passes, then moved on to a polish and wax. Nothing terribly special in what I used, since the goal was to learn the application process and get familiar with the PC... and make the car look better in the process. It's easy to get frustrated that it doesn't look *perfect* right now, but I'd have to say that it's a 90% improvement over what it looked like when I started. And I learned why it's a bad idea to use too much SMR



I'm not going to worry about covering up the degradation of the clearcoat completely.. it's not *as* obvious by the end of the process, but it's still there. Yes, the car has clearcoat... the pads didn't turn red. To be sure, before I started I looked up the original factory paint specs - they indicated the clear as well.



I'll get pics up as soon as I take pics of the finished product.. from a distance.



I think it's all perspective, though.. I look at the paint coat and see the flaws that I couldn't repair and swirl marks that're too deep to get out completely, but apparently some people just can't see them! My neighbors waited until I'd left on some errands before approaching my SO to ask about my new car. It took some convincing, apparently, before they believed him that it's the same car. So maybe whoever is looking at it to buy won't be an autopian... I can hope, right?



~Rachel

 

[Rae]

BF II and Poorboys :xyxthumbs

I have some Poorboys stuff all ready here to use, but I couldn't bring myself to use it on this car (hey, it's special stuff for my special cars!), but I did make use of the Spray and Wipe. That stuff's GREAT! It has a pleasant smell, and best of all wasn't greasy or streaky - very impressive since I can't stand products that do either, or the ones that make everything glossy. :xyxthumbs