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Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:47 pm

Well... I just got a hold of my friend's buffing wheel and I want to polish the old paint on my bus and make it shine 8) It is the original velvet green. Any good, easy to use, and forgiving polishes that you would recommend that are available to purchase at the local autozone or other parts store? I want something that will give a nice polish, but gentle enough that it will be a little forgiving to not cut up my paint. I used to be an auto detailer, so I have some experience behind the wheel!

Thanks

Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:06 pm

Try polishing compound or rubbing compound. Or you could always just buy the generic car wax stuff like Turtle Wax or some other rub in, buff out, thing.

Good luck, Max.

Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:16 pm

Nothing at autozone or anything like that will do the job right...You will need to find a auto paint store and by something that is dual purpose: Medium cut that will polish at the same time...This will save you a lot of time and will remove most of the oxidation and leave a good shine behind.

Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:28 pm

volkscafe wrote: Nothing at autozone or anything like that will do the job right...You will need to find a auto paint store and by something that is dual purpose: Medium cut that will polish at the same time...This will save you a lot of time and will remove most of the oxidation and leave a good shine behind.

let's see, Medium cut and polish #-o oh yeah, how about Meguires medium cut?? I just bought some at Kragen for $9
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.asp?T1=MEG+CUT+16&.

I'd follow up with some ultra cut too

Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:02 pm

Remember, just like with color-sanding, don't do any polishing at edges, i.e., doors, or narrow bends because it can go through the paint to the primer. To make sure that you don't forget, you can put blue masking tape along any edges.

Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:55 pm

What sort of auto detailer did you used to be if you cant answer this yourself? :?

Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:47 am

I used 3M Perfect-It III and II and then Meguiars wax on my Double Cab. All by hand.

It looks pretty good but a machine buff might have been better/easier.

I did my '63 15-Window twice by hand, but in my opinion it needs a complete removal of the Deluxe trim and to be hit with a machine all over to look top quality. It has some rain junk build-up around the trim and window seals from years in Washington state.

Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:48 am

krusher wrote: What sort of auto detailer did you used to be if you cant answer this yourself? :?
I think he is asking what is best for old VW paint, which he is not familiar with.

Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:51 am

EverettB wrote: krusher wrote: What sort of auto detailer did you used to be if you cant answer this yourself? :?
I think he is asking what is best for old VW paint, which he is not familiar with.

I specifically detailed Jeeps at a Used Jeep Dealership/Offroad shop. The paint on the bug is completely different plus the supplies were given to me there. I did all the grunt work.

Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:44 pm

White99z wrote: EverettB wrote: krusher wrote: What sort of auto detailer did you used to be if you cant answer this yourself? :?
I think he is asking what is best for old VW paint, which he is not familiar with.

I specifically detailed Jeeps at a Used Jeep Dealership/Offroad shop. The paint on the bug is completely different plus the supplies were given to me there. I did all the grunt work. BUG? [-X :wink:

Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:57 pm

I used 3M finesse it and an electric buffer/polisher. The results were amazing.

Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:25 pm

Dave24 wrote: White99z wrote: EverettB wrote: krusher wrote: What sort of auto detailer did you used to be if you cant answer this yourself? :?
I think he is asking what is best for old VW paint, which he is not familiar with.

I specifically detailed Jeeps at a Used Jeep Dealership/Offroad shop. The paint on the bug is completely different plus the supplies were given to me there. I did all the grunt work. BUG? [-X :wink:

Haha... oops! My mind must have been on a VW in my future...

Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:57 pm

you guys got any pictures of your finished products? i would like to do this to my og paint dove blue kombi

Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:51 pm

I used califdornai gold precleaner first then californai glod wax cleaner and then californmai gold clear coat to get a real shine out on the dormobile i use to have .

Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:15 pm

EverettB wrote: I used 3M Perfect-It III and II and then Meguiars wax on my Double Cab. All by hand.

It looks pretty good but a machine buff might have been better/easier.

I did my '63 15-Window twice by hand, but in my opinion it needs a complete removal of the Deluxe trim and to be hit with a machine all over to look top quality. It has some rain junk build-up around the trim and window seals from years in Washington state. I went to a paint store and they thought I should use 3m Hand Glaze. It works but it is very slow by hand to polish the big areas o the bus. Should I buy a more aggressive compound? The other ones they sold all said they are for using a machine. The guy thought a machine would hurt the paint. It is getting shiny but man is it hard work.

Thu Jun 04, 2015 3:49 am

Red Fau Veh wrote: EverettB wrote: I used 3M Perfect-It III and II and then Meguiars wax on my Double Cab. All by hand.

It looks pretty good but a machine buff might have been better/easier.

I did my '63 15-Window twice by hand, but in my opinion it needs a complete removal of the Deluxe trim and to be hit with a machine all over to look top quality. It has some rain junk build-up around the trim and window seals from years in Washington state. I went to a paint store and they thought I should use 3m Hand Glaze. It works but it is very slow by hand to polish the big areas o the bus. Should I buy a more aggressive compound? The other ones they sold all said they are for using a machine. The guy thought a machine would hurt the paint. It is getting shiny but man is it hard work.

With a machine I use the 3M process Everett suggested followed by a wax, be very careful if using a machine but it can be done with care. The Hand glaze you have is likely not aggressive enough.

For a less shiny og paint look I use TR3 by hand. in my opinion it looks perfect with og paint and brings it up just right, not too shiny. Two applications by hand usually looks great.

Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:22 am

I did my old original paint bus by hand..
The California gold system worked perfect it took longer about 4 hours to polish the hole upper half of the bus worth it though. The paint was brought back to knew just like it had never sat fading in the sun..
The way i did it was i did my original paint bus by hand one small section of about 30 minutes a day till it was done ..
definitely use the cali gold cleaner saves hours of polishing time.

I still have that bus i could do a small section to show you if you want..

Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:35 am

On my original paint SWR '59 DD panel, after sitting in storage since 1964 it was heavily oxidized. I used a electric buffer and hand work and a Maguire medium cut to attack the oxidation about five years ago.

To illustrate the before and after I taped a panel off in the middle and buffed away, then removed the tape.

Pretty striking difference in before and after. Just be prepared to see a lot of your paint color in your pad or rags as you buff, so go slow and like others have mentioned, be careful on panel and door edges and curved metal.

Lotta work, but worth the shiny results. I did not wax over the finished result back then, and it has started to oxidize/dull a little again. So I went back over it all again in the last few days with a Cornwell 3" pneumatic polisher and more Maguire product. Much easier the second time.

My question for you experts: will following up with a coat of wax slow down/stop the oxidation process? It'll certainly protect the paint finish against rain and car washing, but will it slow down oxidation?

Bill

Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:49 am

Beware waxes. Check ingredients carefully as many productions contain silicone. Pure carnauba wax is one of the good options.

Also, from my experience buffing old paint can produce great results, but the results are not permanent. You may end up rubbing off ancient paint again and again, so be careful and don't remove too much.

Thu Jun 04, 2015 7:52 am

buseric wrote: For a less shiny og paint look I use TR3 by hand. in my opinion it looks perfect with og paint and brings it up just right, not too shiny. Two applications by hand usually looks great.

I've been using TR-3 lately, just to bring back a shine.

It's not very aggressive so if your paint is super faded, you might need to start with something else first.
Or go over the car more than once as stated above.

Since you are in AZ like me - They have TR-3 at O'Reillys