The woodgrain on my 72' Caprice wagon is still very good, but not shiny. I put some "black magic" vinyl protectant on it this evening and it looked excellent and like new initially, but then that shine went away... anyone know of anything better? I am hoping that the Black Magic does not damage it. I was once told Murphys Oil Soap.... tried it on my 89' Safari a few times, but its lighter woodgrain and did not notice if it was working or not.. Good thing to do? Thanks!
Way back in the olden days when I had a Pinto Squire I used lemon pledge with pretty good results. It had to be reapplied every time the car was washed. I don't know of anything that would last longer. You could try contacting 3M and see if they have any advice.
Thanks. Before I had read your response, I had went out and bought some Murphys Oil soap and applied it. Initially, the vinyl gleamed, but only for a few minutes, which I thought was odd. I had washed one side of the car after I had applied the Back Magic, because I was unsure if it would damage it or not and parts had turned white after I had washed it- which it was not when I first bought it. I am thinking the POs had installed something on it- it was obvious. It was still a bit shiny before I washed it. I am not sure what they used on it. I may try the lemon Pledge. I just hope that putting this array of items does not damage it. I am more interested in protecting it, rather than it shining. Thanks again!
I did some digging when I was looking for the substitute woodgrain for mine. Avery carries the original woodgrain for the big GM Wagons and they've got some 'feeding and caring' files. Basicly, you used a mild detergent, let it dry and run a soft cloth to give it a "fine furniture satin sheen". :banghead3: Avery Graphics Division carries the products, probably with new tweaks and development at this page: http://www.averygraphics.com/pls/av...site_name=CG_TG&p_product_application_id=1134 The Install and Care documents are right in that Product Box, below, under Documentation. IB110.pdf is the Cleaning & Prep document IB120.pdf is the maintenance document BUT the ACTUAL Installation Bulletin is found by clicking on Avery's Product-Sensitive menu above called Resources and clicking on Instruction Bulletins. The very first one IB400.pdf is the one for applying the Spartan Woodgrain Vinyl to the car body. The first two above merely instruct the user to prepare the metal (or other material) properly (cleaning up rust, priming and painting) - IB110.pdf. and the IB120.pdf talks about Longterm Storage and proper cleaning. But IB400.pdf is the INSTALLATION procedure document.
Jeep Wagoneer folks are spoiled rotten - 3M make the woodgrain trim pieces as replacements for the consumer! Discrimination!!!! This fellow sells a complete kit (Secret Molding Kit, he calls it that), and includes removal of old stuff from the trim and installation of the new! http://www.grandwagoneers.com/docs/parts/molding_refacing_kit.htm I won't pout! I refinished my own and they look great!
Thanks - well so far, the lemon Pledge seems to work the best.... it is holding the gleam/shine longer than anything else I have used... even longer than Murphys Oil Soap or the Black Magic protectant spray. Thanks again!
Shoe polish I use brown on mine but if your wood grain is in pretty good shape o I use shoe polish on my Cougar wagon, the wood grain was really bad and I had to use water based wood stain to get the color back and then a top coat of shoe polish and it shines pretty good. I use brown on mine but if your color is in good shape you could use clear. All polish is, is carnuba wax and it lasts a pretty good while. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima
I use Nu Finish "The Once A Year Car Polish" on mine. I recently purchased my wagon a few weeks ago and the woodgrain needed detailing, just a little dull. I did just one fender and difference was incredible, just the right amount of shine and brought the woodgrain color back too. I did it by hand and not by machine like I use on the paint, might get too much shine using a machine. Don't laugh at Nu Finish, it's great stuff! Once the shine has been brought back on the whole wagon, I use Maguires NXT spray detailing wax after that and never have to hand wax with Nu Finish again. Just My 2 Cents
Has anyone tried Armor-All? For years, it was all I used and it seemed to hold up. Never used wax or other conventional protectorants as I seem to remember my owner's manual (since lost) as advising against such. A 1987 Caprice Classic Estate Wagon.
My wagon, in one spot, where the guy I bought it from replaced the door, he needed wood for it. Well, as I may have hoped, he would have put new woodgrain on the entire thing. Unfortunately, this is reality, and in the boonies, we redneck rig things. He used woodgrain shelf paper, which we sell at the K-Mart I work at. The bad thing he didn't realize is, though it was a VERY close match when he put it on, it is now more of a birch from all the sun fading!
woodgrain I used to have a 76 Chrysler Town and Country...it was a beautiful original paint car from Winston Salem North Carolina.The woodgrain was pretty bad...checked and faded.I found an ancient can of Linseed Oil in the back of my Dads garage.Figured if it's good for real wood maybe its OK for Fake Wood. Put some on a rag and went over the wood and WOW it looked like new.My buddys thought I'd put new wood on her.Only problem was it was a little sticky and would pick up dust and of course had to be redone every couple of weeks but it was a cheap fix.Anyways the car was a beaut..typical cream with a parchment interior and I sold her when money got tight.This was 13 years ago.Last year the guy that bought it from me called up and offered it back to me for $500...I jumped and drove over to Barrie Ontario to pick it up...... unbelieveable....rotten up to the upper body side mldg in the rear qtrs ...looked like it had been winter driven it's whole life.Buddy had used it as a daily driver and it was completely rotten...even the roof.I left it there.It was completely trashed including the interior.I'll scan a pic of it when it was nice....did not take a foto last year.
Download their PDF on caring for vinyl woodgrain. Sharpline's product was the OEM for Ford and Mopar, until Avery bought them out in the 90's. Now they just make custom pin-striping: http://www.sharpline.com/auto.html Too bad about the old wagon. Love to see the pics. Out here, mainly in Sask and Alberta, they grow sugar beets. Now in the US and New Brunswick, they're using the beet juice instead of roadsalt mixed in with the sand. It doesn't rust the cars. There's still hope that they'll save the rice-rockets. :banghead3:
I use this wash wax I make... It's a liquid wax that mixes with water. I use it on the whole car. Basiclly equivelent to anyother quick detailer spray wax. I dampen the towel (just enough to make it moist) with it and wipe the car down... Changing sides as it gets dirty. use the same on paint and the wood. Also, I have used pledge. No problems from me other than the fact that when pledge gets wet it gets kinda runny. Since the wood on mine is like new I have no need to bring a shine to it, for the most part I just protect it. My dad has been using pledge for years as a detailer for painted and plastic surfaces that won't get wet. And one surface that will, the painted grilled on his 76 t/a. The only probelm he has is if the car gets wet he has to reapply the pledge to the grills. Which is fine because the car doesn't come out unless it's sunny.
In the summer months I use pledge also, on the wood and paint. I personally thing all that Megwires, Armourall carp is just that, CRAP! Onother product I use is leather cleaner/protectant on the wood and interiour, again not the "made for cars" stuff but from believe it or not a farm related pet store. I don't have the bottle in front of me but what I use is ment for horse sadles and riding gear. Does'nt make my leather seats, dash, interoir panels, and wood grain all greasy (witch atracts dust or in my case dog hair, so you have to clean it more, so you buy more CRAP....vicious circle ) Gives a real look shine, not that fake greased up with butter look, it moistends, protects, seals, and it lasts/holds up awile in rain etc. A lot less work for a better product for about the same price if not cheaper and it looks real
Meguiars is typically good stuff. Imo, Armorall IS ALL CRAP! I think all it is, is grease to slather over it and make it look "pretty" for about 2 days. Notice that's about how long the shine lasts...
