Restoring a Beater

V

VroooomCrash

New member
I've picked up a new beater car, a 1991 subaru with 170k miles. The car is fairly straight and clean, but it hasn't been maintained by an autopian. The only rust I can find is the rear wiper... So I guess I'll repaint that or something...



Any tips on restoring a car?

I am going to try to use a PC for the first time so we'll see :)

Here's what I have in mind.



Wash in the local touchless (it does a good job of cleaning underbody/most grime off).



Wash with dawn to strip all the gunk off.



Clay like a mofo (I think I want to try Mother's this time)



Wash with more dawn



Fill in a billion chips with touchup



Polish with some sort of polish (haven't done this before..what polish?)

Do the plexus polishing of the yellowed headlights...



Wash some more :)



Do a PC application of Zaino (the car is silver/bluish, and I want a durable finish....as far as I know Zaino is still the champ for that).



The interior is _very_ clean. So just standard 303 and whatnot was my plan.



Any other tips/tidbits suggestions? I'm not really married to the above other than I want to give the PC a whirl... Just keep in mind this is a beater car, and not an Enzo or even a Miata ;)



Steven

The Six Headed Detailer
 
Wooh-Hooh! I love fixing up beaters! I did an Audi loaner for my mechanic a while back that was even more, uhm, "used" than that Subie sounds. It was fun and made a world of difference in its appearance.



Start with something aggressive, like a cutting pad and #83. Maybe even a wool pad. Maybe even go to #84 if it's REALLY scratched up, but I'd use a foam cutting pad with that. Then back to #83 on a polishing pad, then something like #82 or #80. Or try the Ultra Polish/Paint Polish/Metallic Polish from 1Z. Or 3M stuff, startng with a Medium Cut RC, then a Fine Cut RC (like pn 05933) and ending with their PI-III MG (pn 05937).



Use it as a learning experience with the PC. You'll have to be more aggressive than you might first think (I've done ratty Subies).



*I* wouldn't use Zaino on this one, I'd use the Klasse twins topped with a "heavy wax" like Meg's #16 or Collinite. That would give a LOT of protection (many months!) and HIDE the remaining marring pretty well. If you want to simplify this, skip the Klasse and just use the #16/Collinite. Oh, and if you use the 1Z polishes, I'd skip the Klasse step then too- just add wax.



Have fun!
 
Yeah it should be fun, and there should be some definate improvement seen. What areas am I missing. I definately need to do the engine too and maybe some rust prevention...
 
As someone who drives a 'beater' I would recommend identifying exactly what the problems are and then find a solution. Do one part of the car at a time. The same applies to restoration, do your homework on parts and you can save a fortune.
 
I also have a beater, a 1988 Buick Century dark red in color.

When the weather warms up I will work on it. I will start with 3m compound and a wool pad with a rotary . Next I will use a foam pad with s.m.r.. The wax will be Meg.#26. That should do it . The wax will be put on by hand.If the finish comes out very good after the buffing I may use NXT.
 
Have fun Steven. :) I think older cars with more "problems" can be interesting learning experiences... but can be humbling to do.



I may have a beater to do sometime this year too (depending on if someone gets a learner's permit or not...) but I seriously doubt I'll be able to restore it beyond a certain point simply because things are cracking and wearing out.
 
Yeah this will be my playground. Anyone have tips for redoing anodized black aluminum trim?

wgn.jpg
 
I'll be posting a full set of "before" pictures. Mechanically fairly sound. Might have an oil leak or something but *Shrug*. Interior is fairly good. I just coated everything with fabreze cause it kinda has a funk to it (not too bad, just smells like kids or something). A few scratches in the vinyl dash and the door handle on the passenger side is disconnected. I'm also hearing excessive wind noise from passenger door so I'll be looking at the seals. If the engine blows, I guess I'll be forced to either junk the car or put in an EJ20T :) (2.0 Liter Turbo)
 
VroooomCrash said:
Anyone have tips for redoing anodized black aluminum trim?

wgn.jpg
Click to expand...



Not much you can do unless you want to get it redone (didn't think so ;) ). Just clean it with something MILD (NOT something abrasive, it'll make it worse, take off the anodizing) and protect it so it doesn't get worse.
 
VroooomCrash said:
Interior is fairly good. I just coated everything with fabreze cause it kinda has a funk to it (not too bad, just smells like kids or something).
Click to expand...



Now that is funny! :D



Vroooom,



Thanks for the humor and keep us posted on your progress. I'm starting a 96 Accord (with lots of scratches and cruddy interior) project soon.



Joey
 
:welcome to the crazy Autopian world of fanatical/anal detailing! :D



VroooomCrash said:
I've picked up a new beater car, a 1991 subaru with 170k miles. The car is fairly straight and clean, but it hasn't been maintained by an autopian. The only rust I can find is the rear wiper... So I guess I'll repaint that or something...
Click to expand...

Be sure to use a rust-converter after you remove all the rust you can. :up



Here's what I have in mind.



Wash in the local touchless (it does a good job of cleaning underbody/most grime off).



Wash with dawn to strip all the gunk off.



Clay like a mofo (I think I want to try Mother's this time)



Wash with more dawn
Click to expand...

As one of our pre-eminent Autopians regularly says: "Dawn is for dishes." And it's for removing oils, particularly in a nearly-final step before applying Zaino. You don't need it!!! Just use a good carwash; Mothers and Meguiars both have good ones that are readily available at Autozone etc.



Fill in a billion chips with touchup
Click to expand...

I think there are a couple of threads/articles here on touch-ups. Check the Hall of Fame forum and the articles David has posted (click the Learn icon at the top of the page).



Do the plexus polishing of the yellowed headlights...
Click to expand...

Plexus will not touch your problem there. You might want to check this thread I posted awhile back.



Do a PC application of Zaino (the car is silver/bluish, and I want a durable finish....as far as I know Zaino is still the champ for that).
Click to expand...

Yep, Z is the champ for durability, but it's so good that it may magnify any remaining paint defects. I'd agree with Accumulator: go with Klasse or some other option.



BTW, when you post your pix, you may want to put them in your Autopia gallery. They'll be easily accessible to all of us there, and you can easily link to them when you want to put particular pix in the forums. :up
 
The purpose of the DAWN was to strip the car bare of all the wonderful "WAX" that had been deposited on the car by the previous owner in automated washes (which resulted in all glass being micro-marred or "swirlled"



Here is an updated photo after I dawned it, it looks much better!

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/10656wagon-med.jpg





Here is a photo of the nasty roof rails that I really think would help the appearance of the car if I fixed :)

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/10656rail2.jpg
 
VroooomCrash-OK, much as I rant against Dawn, all's well that ends well.



Those ARE some nasty roof rails :scared So THAT's why you asked about anodized aluminum, huh? I think you'll have to remove the anodizing that's left and repaint them. Do plenty of research first!
 
Accumulator said:
Those ARE some nasty roof rails :scared So THAT's why you asked about anodized aluminum, huh? I think you'll have to remove the anodizing that's left and repaint them. Do plenty of research first!
Click to expand...



Yes, and the anodizing is flaking off and bonding with the nearby paint so there are little black specs embedded in the roof. Oh and usually I do use a real car wash :)
 
VroooomCrash said:
The purpose of the DAWN was to strip the car bare of all the wonderful "WAX" that had been deposited on the car by the previous owner in automated washes
Click to expand...

Aha! Now I get it. :doh I made the mistake of *assuming* the previous owner didn't car enough to wash it. Obviously, you did the right thing.
 
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