The black Vette is back home. (With lots and lots of swirls.)

[schoi]

Little traffic accident in the black `Vette - required just about all the front panels to be replaced (the apparent damage was less than that suggests). Anyway, somebody decided to leave lots and lots of swirls all over the hood and fender(s) that were brand-new and freshly painted.



#9 w/ yellow pad took care of most of them. This was my first use of #9, so I`m not sure about its filling capabilities... anyone clue me in?



Anyway, while I`m really glad to have the car back and in great shape - I NXT`d it tonight (the bodyshop told me that it is fine for me to wax over their paint) - there is some weird film over all the horizontal surfaces... like it`s dirty, but it`s not. AIO isn`t touching it, #9 isn`t, Scratch-X isn`t, clay isn`t. I haven`t a clue what that is. Sorry I don`t have any pics, but that`s pretty much what it appears to be... like the paint is dirty or stained (which it is, obviously), but it`s not dirty. This is not visible unless you`re about a foot or less away. Any ideas?

[imported_mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by Polaris

Anyway, somebody decided to leave lots and lots of swirls all over the hood and fender(s) that were brand-new and freshly painted.



there is some weird film over all the horizontal surfaces... like it`s dirty, but it`s not. Any ideas?

I would recommend that you talk to your bodyshop.



Also, in most cases, it is recommended that you wait 30 to 90 days before waxing fresh paint.

[Jesstzn]

I wonder if they didn`t haze it when they buffed it and thats what the dirty film is. #9 prolly isn`t agressive enough to remove it .. #9 will fill some .. if you want to see your progress when using it spritz the surface and wipe it down with 50/50 IA/ water.

[schoi]

Nah, the haze is on other panels, like the hatch lid and along the top of the rear fenders / tops of the doors and whatnot - all areas completely and fortunately untouched by them.



So #9 *does* fill some. Bleh. I`d think #9 on a yellow CMA pad @ 4 on the PC would do a decent job of actually getting rid of the damn things... they weren`t SEVERE, just a lot of them.



I know about the "waiting period."

Me: "Do the traditional rules apply? Like, no waxing or anything for 30 days or so?"

Him (guy we were working with at the shop.): "No. You can do whatever you want to it." Also mentioned a different "system", which makes it sound like some sort of catalyst system of some sort.

[LouisanaJeeper]

Originally posted by Polaris

Nah, the haze is on other panels, like the hatch lid and along the top of the rear fenders / tops of the doors and whatnot - all areas completely and fortunately untouched by them.

That is bodyshop dust and oversprayed clear coat on those surfaces. You might need to use the more agressive overspray clay, not just std. clay. It may require mulitple claying sessions.

[imported_mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by Polaris

I know about the "waiting period."

I recently contact four or five major auto paint manufacturers and they all specified to wait somewhere between 30 to 90 days before waxing.

[schoi]

Oh, that`s lovely. I dunno, man... the guy told me it was fine to do whatever, whenever. It`s all also guaranteed for the time that we have the car, so... yeah.



And that `haze` - product suggestions?

[LouisanaJeeper]

Originally posted by Polaris

Oh, that`s lovely. I dunno, man... the guy told me it was fine to do whatever, whenever. It`s all also guaranteed for the time that we have the car, so... yeah.



And that `haze` - product suggestions?

"You might need to use the more agressive overspray clay, not just std. clay. It may require mulitple claying sessions "



I know Meg`s makes an overspray clay

[schoi]

I cought the overspray clay part.



Just wondering if there was something *other* than an overspray clay that might work... I ask because this hazy stuff doesn`t feel like something clay would remove. It`s perfectly smooth and even-feeling with the surrounding area, unlike the contaminates that you would expect your average clay to take off. I also noticed this prior to the visit to the bodyshop. Seems like some sort of etching or staining rather than something clay would remove...

[LouisanaJeeper]

Slight etching due to acidic rain or mineral deposits? A light polish would take that out. It is hard to tell w/o a picture.

[schoi]

Yeah, I figured it`d be a bit confuzzling without a pic.



Well, I just tried to take a pic or two - really hard to capture, so I`ll probably get one a little later. #9 doesn`t faze it, which isn`t terribly surprising... the fact that Scratch-X and AIO have the same crappy results is kinda surprising, though.



I`ll try to get useful pics later.

[jimmybuffit]

I think you have an issue with the shop.

YOU should not have to deal with their errors.

Is an insurance company involved? They should act as your agent in this matter.



Frank is correct. Aftermarket finishes require curing tim, whether they `bake` it or not!



Jim

[Don]

Originally posted by Polaris



I know about the "waiting period."

Me: "Do the traditional rules apply? Like, no waxing or anything for 30 days or so?"

Him (guy we were working with at the shop.): "No. You can do whatever you want to it." Also mentioned a different "system", which makes it sound like some sort of catalyst system of some sort.

I agree that if an insurance company is footing the bill for the repair on the `vette they should be contacted and informed of the substandard work.



They might send you straight to a detail shop (of your choice) since it would be far cheaper than a repaint.



The insurance company can be a powerful ally in that they can make life miserable for shops that do crap work. Ins Co`s are in it for the money and they sure don`t want to keep paying out if they don`t have to.



If you decide to handle it yourself use a paint shop safe polish and apply it frequently to the paint until after the "cure period" (30-90 days) then go at the finish from scratch (no pun intended).

[Accumulator]

Polaris- Aw man, I`m sorry you`re having troubles like this. Bad enough that you bent the car. Anyway..



What Mirrorfinishman and others are saying about letting the paint cure *IS CORRECT*. Really. The shop is wrong on this (I doubt that they have some miracle paint that no one`s ever heard of). Their guarantee/warranty? Do you really want them doing the car again? Didn`t think so. Just stick with bodyshop safe stuff for a little while. It`ll be worth it. Get something like Meg`s #80 Speed Glaze or some good old IHG. This isn`t a good time to be impatient



Am I understanding you right that the "weird [stuff] on horizontal surfaces" was there BEFORE you took it to the shop? As in, not their fault, right?



*IMO*, you`re using awfully mild stuff (like the #9) for the problems (marring, possible etching, etc.) you`re working with. I wouldn`t hesitate to use 3M`s PI-III RC (05933) jor even something stronger. The shop that does my good cars uses 05933 on virtually everything and so do I. It`s not like you`re gonna use aggressive measures all the time, just bite the bullet and do what you have to do to get it nice, then just keep it that way.

[Mike_Phillips]

Originally posted by Polaris

And that `haze` - product suggestions?

You might give ScratchX a try?



Just by coincidence, I`m getting ready to work a black 1999 Corvette. A new detailer tried to demonstrate his product and skills to the owner by hand applying some type of compound.



Here are the results,







Just for fun, I`ll try hand applying ScratchX and see what it will do.



After that I`ll machine buff the area as well as the rest of the car in an effort to take this Corvette`s finish to it`s maximum potential.



If ScratchX works, I`ll post pictures. Either way, I`ll post some after pictures and write-up tonight here,



1999 Corvette - Repair compound scouring in finish