Well, we all know how 1980s GM paints are, especially when it comes to the hood of the car. Mine was a bit worse for wear. My dad suggested using rubbing compound, polishing compound, a power buffer, etc to bring the paint back to a better luster, and get rid of the sandpaper feel it had. The secret ingredient we used, for when the compounds were drying too fast was a good old can of my dad's Natural Ice he was drinking. I know how we all love pics, so I had ma take plenty of 'em. I know it ain't perfect, but as you can see, it was one heck of an improvement.
Well, I still plan on re-painting and re-panneling it as my auto body project, as I am an amateur in it looking to go professional.
That is definitely an improvement! That is how my wagon started to look before the repaint. I tried every buffing/polishing/rubbing compound out there and it would not bring the original paint completely back to life. Faded paint, a sagging headliner, a cracked dash pad, and cracked bumper fillers are GM’s trademark!
Ha! I have all of the above, I had to re-glue half of the front bumper filler on, well the parts I could still find. The headliner was removed by the guy before me, and replaced with indoor/outdoor carpeting, which sags too and is no fun for 6 foot 1 me. And the dash looks like a dried up river bed.
Mine had/has all of those issues too. My sagging headliner is currently being held up with pins because it was starting to hit the top of my head, and my dash pad has cracks as big as the Grand Canyon. I was lucky with the bumper fillers though. Last year I was able to find a set of crack-free front and back bumper fillers on a caprice wagon in the local junkyard. They are one of the hardest parts that I have had to replace so far. In order to get them off, you have to take the bumpers off the car, and trying to remove 8 extreemly rusty bolts while laying down in rocks under the car in a junkyard is no fun at all. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to get them off of that wagon. It was definitely well worth it though. As for the dash pad, I found a dash pad cover on ebay that says it is designed to install over a cracked dash pad, and they say that it just glues over the existing vinyl. Has anyone ever got one of these and if so, does it look close to the original when installed. Ebay item number 250368548836
I can tell you that the Rustoleum (Tremclad in Canada) that I roller-painted on mine, is one tough, shiny paint. I waxed it just before winter and even the salt doesn't stick!
I've used the stuff with the green label, works great, it's a bit finer. Are you going to do it one more time?
I've been searching for new bumper fillers, and was wondering the same about the dash pad. I also need sun-visors as mine are gone.
i ripped wat was left of my front and back fillers off the other day...lol...im think of goin to home depot or lowes and seein if i cant find something flexable enug to use to put back in its place...just to cover the gap..im wondering if a piece of vynal siding cut and shaped to fit would do the trick....
When I get a hood or trunk that is of the seventy's and eighty's OEM paints I will wet sand it first with 1500 grit and then go to 2000 and 2500 wet....there are also pads that can be attached to an orbital air sander that you attach wet sandpaper to...then go to your compounds...a wool pad first gives you the fastest cut and then work up through the foam pads....you do have to be careful as you can cut through to the primer...even then it usually looks better....tread lighty on the eadges to help prevent breakin through....put a wax on after cause your paint is getting thinner and a little help will not hurt.. ......Hugh......
Agreed it's an great improvement but you can get it a lot better. The main issue is actually your tool. Get a real dewalt polisher, 3M pads/wool and 3M finesseit. -- what you are using now will never get it really good. The first time you use a real polisher and compound you will just go wow.. -- you can get that Chevy looking pretty darn good (although for a short time since the oxidation haze will come back pretty quick)... Cheers Dyna..
This isn't a bad idea in theory, but no offense, it just sounds like it should have started with "You know you're a redneck if...." Probably because I'm the biggest redneck around and would do something like that myself!
Deja Vue. I agree, the better the machine and discs, the better the results. I listed a bunch way back when I was at the buffing stage in my Roller Paint Job (page 16 of the thread): http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4068&postcount=156 http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711&page=16 Also did a thread on polishing aluminum with links to various DIY and commercial sites: http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1747 No matter what it still takes that rarest of ingredients, Elbow Grease!
