Best way to restore red paintwork?

[Jimbo_Jet]

My red MK1 has now got some very noticeable pink pastel like fade setting in on the wings and doors It's apparent to me now that the dealer I bought it off probably T-Cut it heavily prior to selling it to me as 90% of the paint work looked top notch when I bought it - hardly any visible fade whatsoever. So I guess 6 months down the line it's now regressed back to it's original state?

I saw this on a recent thread:

red looks quality buffed up,i used to be a valeter and my speciality was a restoration valet mainly on red cars,came up better than new.!

So, I'm going to give it the polishing of it's life this weekend to try and get the colour back to how it was when I bought it. I’ve already got some red T-Cut and AutoGlym wax to finish of with? Is there anything else anyone else could advise? Are electric orbital polishers worth considering?

Thanks

[Chunky Monkey]

Yes my red one is appaling, very blochy, if I cut & polish it, that helps but you can still see it & it'll only last a few days.
I think the only real way to 'cure' it is a full respray, the paint is a few years old now & paint technology has moved on leaps & bounds.
I know as soon as the bodys sorted on mine its getting a full blow over, maybe a bareshell job too (if I'm feeling really flush!)
I remeber seeing a guys Mr2 that was in the same Super Red II colour as mine & he'd had it resprayed in the same colour, looked completely different, so much so you'd say it wasn't the same colour. Just show how much the paint had faded.

[leicestermr2]

Right the best way is to get a deep cutting compound the coarsest you can get.Buff the car with a mop with that then you need to get a less coarse cutting compound,mop it with that.same again with another one even less coarse and then you need to polish it with cherry glaze or mirror image(autosmart)or whatever the equivalent is with autoglym.Just a hand polish will do and will give you a finish that will last for years.
I know as i was a valeter and still see some of the red cars i done 2 years ago looking superb!
I used a double headed buffer from Autosmart called smarttool and cutting compounds was R4 R3 R2 and R1 also from autosmart.They are brilliant,t cut is useless!
Look at the autosmart website for more details.Best thing is ring one of the Autosmart agents and blag them you are a valeter and buy the kit for £200!
Was a bargain but unfortunately i sold my business off with everythig included.Might have some cutting compounds about in one of my sheds!
Obviously you can buy a normal buffer for about £50 and then search for some cutting compounds.
Remember its no good just using one,you need to use 3 or 4 in a process to get the paint right.

[leicestermr2]

Heres the link
And it was R6 not R4 sorry!
http://www.autosmart.co.uk/Restore.htm

[Chunky Monkey]

Agree with the mop I used the old mans when I first got the 2 brought it up like new. I think there's not alot of paint left on the car tho! lol

[Jimbo_Jet]

Wow, cheers for that leicestermr2!

........then you need to polish it with cherry glaze or mirror image(autosmart)or whatever the equivalent is with autoglym.

Cherry Glaze - is that a red tinted wax polish like Turtle Wax Colour Magic is?
Mirror Image - Is that just like a high gloss finishing wax?

........ the cutting compounds were R4 R3 R2 and R1 also from autosmart. They are brilliant, t cut is useless!

Will this kind of stuff be available from my local Halfrauds or would I need a specialist shop? This may sound a really dumb question but when you say buff with a mop, do you actualy mean a kitchen floor type mop?? Just checkin' this aint terminology for some kind of valeting device

[luthor1]

Jeez Jimbo, don't you even know what a "mop" is? GOODNESS!!





(what is it again?)

[Jimbo_Jet]

Jeez Jimbo, don't you even know what a "mop" is? GOODNESS!!





(what is it again?)

I'm pressuming it's not a Vileda special!

[millentubby]

hehe I had no idea what a Mop was before recently (the valeting type...not the mop'n'bucket type!)

Now i've got an angle grinder but dont know what mop bits I need

Its a 115mm (4 1/2 inch) grinder...

Can someone point me in the right direction of the right attachments pleeease??

TA!

[Jimbo_Jet]

hehe I had no idea what a Mop was before recently (the valeting type...not the mop'n'bucket type!)

Ah-ha! So he's not just talking about using one of Vileda's finest then! Is this 'Mop' like a special head for an orbital polisher perhaps?

[millentubby]

hehe I had no idea what a Mop was before recently (the valeting type...not the mop'n'bucket type!)

Ah-ha! So he's not just talking about using one of Vileda's finest then! Is this 'Mop' like a special head for an orbital polisher perhaps?

Aye! like a big fabric pad or sponge pad with a fabric bonnet

Its used with a cutting compound (and water to prevent burning).

i'm looking for ones but cant find any

[un1eash]

My girlfriend bought me one of these for christmas.....

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId=31443#

Havnt been able to try it yet as its to cold.

I use autoglym super resin, seems to last a few months before i need to do it again.

[JMR_AW11]

My red MK1 has now got some very noticeable pink pastel like fade setting in on the wings and doors It's apparent to me now that the dealer I bought it off probably T-Cut it heavily prior to selling it to me as 90% of the paint work looked top notch when I bought it - hardly any visible fade whatsoever. So I guess 6 months down the line it's now regressed back to it's original state?

I saw this on a recent thread:

red looks quality buffed up,i used to be a valeter and my speciality was a restoration valet mainly on red cars,came up better than new.!

So, I'm going to give it the polishing of it's life this weekend to try and get the colour back to how it was when I bought it. I’ve already got some red T-Cut and AutoGlym wax to finish of with? Is there anything else anyone else could advise? Are electric orbital polishers worth considering?

Thanks

The best advice is to keep it garaged as much as possible. I've had my red mk1 since 1994 and the paint still looks original. No signs of fading.

I also use a wax with sun block (not sure how effective this is though).

I never drive it to work and leave it in the sun all day on very hot sunny days. I bought a second mk1 (mica blue) for everyday driving.

[un1eash]

My car's always been garaged according to the past few owners. And even though we have 3 cars in our house i get the garage
I wont even leave the car out in the rain.

[Karl_T]

My car's always garaged too, less than a third of the value of either of the two* on the drive so it would seem mad, but my Mk1 is special, the others are just transport. My Mk1 also has the genuine factory fitted leak so it kinda needs to be kept indoors......

Anyway it keeps the paint looking good.

One word of warning on the cutting compounds, go easy. The mk1 has lots of sharp corners and it very easy to wear straight through to the undercoat if you're not careful on these edges. It's white and it's noticeable.

*Anybody want to buy a mint Golf GTI Turbo?

[Jimbo_Jet]

One word of warning on the cutting compounds, go easy. The mk1 has lots of sharp corners and it very easy to wear straight through to the undercoat if you're not careful on these edges. It's white and it's noticeable.

Cheers for the tip!

So, I'm thinking about getting one of the larger halfrauds orbital polishers with a good few spare bonnets. Applying 3 or 4 applications of rubbing compound with it using decreasing coarseness of compound. And then a final polish up with Autoglym perhaps? Or am I best to use the autosmart cherry glaze that leicestermr2 suggested?

[Chunky Monkey]

mine sits out in all weather, sometimes the grass around it gets soo long it starts to poke through the rust holes
But fear not I am building a special concrete platform just for her & she'll be jacked up & put on caravan 'winter wheels' while I work on her!

[leicestermr2]

i would not recommend t cut as its too dry.
you could get autosmart stuff but you need to get the products from them directly as they dont sell to the public.they have franchised vans you buy from and are very cheap.i used to buy 5 litres of polish for about £15.
Autoglym super resin is excellent for a finishing polish.
You need to go and get cutting compunds of a bout 3 or 4 differrent grades.then finish with super resin.
If you have the cash for £200 double headed polisher and all the restore polishes from autosmart is a barhain,much better than anything you will find in any shop.

[leicestermr2]

also once you have cut back the paintwork i recommend polishing your car with silver seal from autoglym which will give you a protection layer on your paint.also you can warerproof your seats and also do your glass.gives it that deep shine that protects for a couple of years and only need to polish then every 6 months.Also protects from stonechips.

[RickXSi]

Best way to restore Red Paintwork..........



RESPRAY IN BLACK - YELLOW - BLUE - WHITE...........