VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Auto Buff Question

I purchased a car from an estate. The car had just been painted before the previous owner untimely death. The car has not had a good buffing and or cleaning :( :( . When I polished the hood I had a large amount of color residue on the rag. There are many areas still with another color over spray dusting. My question is what would be the best procedure and product to use to buff out the finish and give it a super shine.

You really need to know what procedure was used to paint the car. Depending on the method used will dictate the finish method.

It is unknown to me as to what procedure was used to paint the car. The only information that I have is the type of paint that was used. It was PPG Duracryl, Acrylic Lacquer, a Ditzler Finish.

if you've never buffed out lacquer, you're safer in having a professional do it for you as it doesn't take much to buff thru to primer, then ya got to repaint.mike

If you don't learn or understand the principle you can never become proficient in the art of auto restoration. There will be times that you will have to yeild to the professional, but in the process you will have obtained the knowledge and understanding to make that decision.

Your next step is to find the original painter that painted the car and obtain some of the paint he used. If you intend to get serious about this you will also purchase a paint gun, several grits of sandpaper, a buffer, cutting compound, finishing compound and then a sponge buffer pad and liquid polishing compound.

Expect to make mistakes, however when using lacquer, mistakes are fairly easy to correct.You may also consider books on painting or a visit to the local library.

You have lot's of fun ahead of you.

Is there any "orange-peel" in the paint?

If 'yes' then you need to wet sand the car first.

If 'no' then you can go to the polishing step.

It all depends on where your paint process stopped.

I agree "find the painter".

I do have some of the original paint. The car was purchased in Virginia, it now resides in L.A.,(Lower Alabama). No "orange-peel". Good smooth surface. I just need to go to the polishing step.
That is the process I need to know about.

Purchase PPG DRX-25 (hand rub) and use it on a variable speed buffer with a soft cutting pad. The speed should be set to three. After your initial cut, then switch to a fine polishing pad on the buffer and polish the paint with PPG Finesse II. Finally, hand wax with a high quality wax.

All of this advice is coming from the people that have done this before, and I have done my share over the past 38 years from a 1899 Mobile steam car to cars in the 1970's but there is one factor that no one knows except for the painter how much paint was put on the car to begine with. If you are a first timer, and you have never used an electric or air buffer on a lacquor paint job your chances of burning or rubbing through is pretty good.I use several products to get off over spray, and to wax and polish the cars that I paint, along my own most of them are for claer coats they have less abrasives in them and this does not remove much of the lacquor paint here is another product that I use, and you most likley will laugh at it but it does work Bluemagic Metal polish cream I have used it on our 1919 490 and it is painted with Lacquor, and on a 1977 Vette that is done in base coat clear coat, and on a 1905 National Touring car it is painted with acrylic enamel, the cloth that I use is a baby diaper it does take a lot of time but the end result is a fine looking Chevrolet when you are done. Good luck

The major issue with the car is that it was in storage uncovered for over fifteen years (not in a controlled environment). :( The car had many years of dust and dirt. I have noticed there a lot of drip stains on the finish. I will try Grinch's and JYD's product suggestions and see how it works. I believe that a lot of elbow grease will also be required to bring back the luster that was once there.

It is best to start any buffing or cleaning in an area that is out of sight. If you damage a spot under the bumper or behind the license plate it is not as visable as the middle of the hood or front door.

If you use a power buffer--STAY AWAY FROM THE EDGES--that is where you will burn thru. If you have a regular car that isn't as important you could practice on it or them...or an old fender laying around, etc.