Author Topic: black paint tips  (Read 8245 times)

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Offline johnny86convert

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black paint tips
« on: January 05, 2004, 10:34:48 AM »
OK...first  dumb  question  of  2004,how  do  you  get  the  headlights  to  stay  up   on a  C4  so  you  can  wash  the  surrounds.  I.E.  with  the  lights  off!!  also  quick  easy  tips  for  cleaning    and  detailing  of  engine  bay.  ;);););)

Offline Vette Obsessed

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black paint tips
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2004, 08:47:30 PM »
Hi JH,

Hope you had a good Chrissy and New Year. ;)

After raising the hood, you will see on each side of each headlight assembly (towards the centre of the hood - just above the radiator surround) a small (about four or five inches long) black cylinder with a knob on top.  If you twist the knob you can manually raise and lower the headlights.

As far as engine bay cleaning tips go I am probably not the one to ask as I seem to do it the hard way (ie: removing things to clean them).
"Life's tough.  It's tougher when you're stupid"

Offline ben73

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black paint tips
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2004, 08:56:55 PM »
The other way is to turn on the headlights, then push the switch back to the 'parking' light position and the headlights will stay up until you push the switch all the way in.
Ben.
Red/Red '84  12.4@111.6mph

Offline johnny86convert

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black paint tips
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2004, 10:24:26 PM »
VO/BEN  thanks  guys,happy  new  year,yes  I'm  still  cleaning  black  beauty,found  out  lots  about,blocksanding,polishes,dewalt  buffers  waxes  etc   and  still  progressing  slowly  on  the  road  to a  killer  shine  and  black  must  be  the  hardest  colour  to  play  with  LOLOLOLOL

Offline 77CVT

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black paint tips
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2004, 09:45:59 AM »
Share your "care for black paint" tips!

Offline johnny86convert

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black paint tips
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2004, 10:56:45 PM »
hiya 77CVT ,  first  one  is  don't  try  to  get a  better  polish  with  those  BLACK  polish  crappola  u  bute  polishes  there  more  like  polish  strippers  than    enhancers.started  off  with  prepsol/polish  remover .  Scared  the  crap  out  of  me  cause  it  sent  my  paint /car  section  grey.Then  went  to  2000  wet  and  dry  lottsa  water  with a  plastic  block  but  just  got  stuck  on  duco.Best  result  for  first  stage  after  prepsol  to  remove  swirls  and  light  scratches  was  to  use  4000  wet/dry/water  sanding  pad  with  plastic  block,lottsa  water  and  just  glides  over  the  surface  made  the  whole  process  easier,still  hard  work  but  really  made   the  basis  of a  good  polishing  process  something  to  build  on.Then  came  my  DEWALT  849  polisher  set  on  1000  rpm  with a  good    lambs wool  pad,System  One  Polishing  Compound  shady  cloudy  cool  day  finished  about  5  PM  took  me  5  hours  for  the  first  step,then  came  yellow  pad  on  the  dewalt  and  system  one  polish  took  me  nealy  all  second  day.Third  day  was  system  one  polish  with a  finshing  Black  foam  pad.then  a  special  sponge  with  polish  ,  finally  buffing  whole  car  with a  open  weave  polishing towel/wipe.  After  that  Maquires  Canubra  WAX,all  in  all  with  rest  brakes  cause  the  buffer  aint't  light  it  took  me  four  days.I  wish  I  hadn't  started  with  the  2000  wet  and  dry  first  cause  the  4000  with  the  pad  is  so  effective  and  takes  all  the  swirls  out  if  your  just  patient  and  don't  rush  the  job.I'm  a  bit  of a  perfectionist  so  it  took  a  bit  of  practice  with  the  buffer  on  the  last  to  stages  to  realise  your  buffing  the  polish  ON...........I  was  pushing  to  hard  even  on  1000RPM  and  was  burning  the  polish  on,  so  you  don;t  need  to  search  for  a  killer  shine  at  this  stage.....you  should  be  just  trying  to  leave  the  polish  on  as  they  say.IN  the  end  I  found  out  to  get a  killer  shine  on  black  cars  comes  in  stages, A  great  polish,Magiures  or  mothers,a  great  buffer<variable  speed  is a  must  and  I  did  mine  on  cloudy  days  so  I  could  see  my  progress  better.  If  this  helps  I'm  real  glad  because  my  shine  is  truly  trial  and  error.  ;);););)

Offline 77CVT

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black paint tips
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2004, 10:15:02 AM »
Jesus - you're as anal as me!  :mmm

Agree on the black polish stuff -  already wasted my $$ on that.  Haven't tried 4000 wet and dry but someone told me to use 1200 and it dulled the finish too much and took a lot of polishing to bring it back.

How much was the buffer?  I have only used a proper one once and it does take practice not to get swirl marks even using it lightly.

I use meguires and found the swirl reducer stuff used with a buffer gets the paint super smooth and comes up like glass.  It doesn't get the deeper swirls out but if you used the 4000 and then this stuff it would be magic!

Are there any anti static polishes out there?  I'm sick of "dusty black".

Offline johnny86convert

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black paint tips
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2004, 05:38:16 PM »
77...........don't  know  about  anti  static  polishes,but  your  so  right  about  1200  wet  and  dry,just  too  uncontrollable  for  me.If  you  can  find a  sanding  pad  thats  2000 (  use a  plastic  block)  then  4000  sanding  pad  With a  block  then all  the  other  steps  I  reckon  you'll  end  up  with a  mirror  finish.The  buffer  was  $345.00  but  well  worth  the  cost  in  years  to  come  and  of  coarse  its  variable  speed  too.I  went  down  to  my  local  tip  and  got a  bonnet  for  free ,bought  it  home  and  practised,  masking  up  the  middle  and  trying  different  polishes  and  techniques  on  either  side.it  was  dark  blue  and  ok  but  I'd  look  for  a  black  next  time!!;);););)

Offline Grand Sport #357

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black paint tips
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2004, 02:45:15 PM »
Thought I might ask if any of you have ever tried Zanio products ? It is not a wax and does not attract as much dust. They have a whole line of products out and many people swear by them (not at them). I have used Zanio on my admiral blue GS and it is awesome.  Also use a  wax by Pinnacle that is the best yet. You might look into it...www.pinnaclewax.com .    Zanio is www.zainobros.com  .  Do you all ever clay bar your vettes?  Really makes a big difference.  ;)

Offline 77CVT

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« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2004, 03:18:08 PM »
Meguires has their clay bar here but that's about it.  Someone on this forum is looking into Zaino but might be hard to import through customs.

I now believe preperation is this single most influencing factor for a polish/wax job!

Offline Grand Sport #357

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« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2004, 04:05:00 AM »
Meguires is as good as anyones for clay bars. I was reluctant to try clay barring at first but after reading so many good things, I tried it and it does make a difference.All points up to what you said about prep time before appling finished products.  Hope the Zanio comes thru for you all, you will swear by it also I think:luv