Helping a neglected '72 Skylark

[MosportGreen66]

Hi Guys,

My brother and were hired to come to the aid of this poor '72 Skylark. Original owner car, female owner and very proud of her car. Was painted about 15 years ago. A true northeast body with some rust issues. When we got the car it had faded paint, a stained interior, was running poorly with fouled plugs and wires. Changed all the fluids, changed the intake gasket, added some NGK plugs and wires, rid the engine compartment of the heavy grime, installed some new KYB shocks, and topped off the job with a nice set of BFGs.

Here are some pictures of the work.

Day 1:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0032.jpg

50/50 shot of the mold removal on the canvas top
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0031.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0033.jpg

looking whiter now
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0036.jpg

Back to the body. After 3M clay and lube
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0023.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0024.jpg

More to come...

[MosportGreen66]

Moved her inside for the three day paint correction.

1) Mask your subject, mind your gaps and edges and begin compounding. I chose Menzerna Power Gloss compound (high cut) and a Lake Country yellow pad. I could have gone more aggressive with the pad but the paint meter was reading off the charts. The yellow pad offered just enough cut.

Note the swirls and hazing against the halogens.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0041.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0037.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0038.jpg

[MosportGreen66]

The paint was very tough to cut through but Power Gloss was great.

50/50 shots below of the corrected v. the untouched. Amazing results to follow.

corrected on the left, untouched on the right
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0058.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0059.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0061.jpg

A great trick when detailing is to use the light to guide your work.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0060.jpg

After compounding was complete. Hard to believe this was the same car. I forgot to add... this is single stage.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0044.jpg http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[MosportGreen66]

Fender 50/50 shot

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0014.jpg

I finished the detail with Menzerna Super Intensive Polish and a Lake Country White pad and then topped that off with Menzerna Nano polish (PO85rd) and a Lake Country black pad.

The Halogens don't lie

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0010-1.jpg

Last but not least, I capped off the detail with an even coat of Meguires paste wax to protect the polish. The detail took about 15 hours. I went through five pads. The end result looks good. Owner will see it tomorrow. I will report back the verdict.

What was:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0010.jpg

Is now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0041-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0040-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0049.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0050.jpg

[Smokey]

What made you choose that paste over using 3M's compounds and pads??

Now it just needs a set of Buick Chrome 5 spokes and the white letters popped out with a fatter tire in the back http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[MosportGreen66]

[ QUOTE ]
What made you choose that paste over using 3M's compounds and pads??

[/ QUOTE ]

A very similar result can be had with 3M's products. I love their clay and hand glaze but it just boils down to personal preference. Menzerna works just as good if not better than your run of the mill 3M, Presta, Megs 100 series compounds, etc.

-Dan

[agtw31]

car looks good

the paint was tough to cut through because you used the wrong product.

3M run of the mill??lol

[MosportGreen66]

[ QUOTE ]
the paint was tough to cut through because you used the wrong product.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really just posted the transformation here to be enlightened. Please tell me what I did wrong. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[agtw31]

[ QUOTE ]

The detail took about 15 hours.


[/ QUOTE ]

[Smokey]

Don't know if its true today anymore but we had 3M come into the shop back in 94. They taught us back to do the heavy cutting with a wool pad and then a black waffle with cutting to help melt it back. Then do the steps up from there. It also helped to wash the car between each step also.

Sad thing is that I would go through 5-6 steps to do a dead nuts nice black job. Here in MN we would have to have the shop around 30-40% humidity to make hand glaze work like it was suppose to. If I was at a show, it would take 3 times longer to hand glaze the car out. I loved black and had everything black up until 5 years ago.

I'm just trying to learn how to make it easier for all of us...or no more black cars. Cream is looking alot better each day!

Now I hear they have Trizac(sp?) process to remove swirle marks and such.

[MosportGreen66]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The detail took about 15 hours.


[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

Andy, buddy, you must not be into detailing. Or maybe you are but you don't strive for the level of perfection found here. This is not some base-clear job. 15 yr old single stage paint that is sun burnt to the point of cracking. You'd be hard pressed to find a single scratch, swirl or hologram on this car. Anything short of 12-15 hours is rushing.

[al8apex]

ummmm, SOS pads on the convertible roof ... really?

I had a nasty looking soiled white convertible roof (old but decent still) that I used whitewall cleaner on (NOT Wesley's, it was a paste applied with water and a scrub brush), not as abrasive as a brillo/SOS pad (which is basically steel wool)

Plus all those damn metal particles go everywhere and you end up with rust spots wherever they end up ...

just a tip

[agtw31]

[ QUOTE ]


Andy, buddy, you must not be into detailing.
[ QUOTE ]

you spent 15 hours buffing on an old enamel paint job,,scrubbed on a convertible roof with a frigging SOS pad,and i dont know about detaling?lmao

:

[markjohnson]

I really like the muscular-looking black-wall BFG's and even the hubcaps are kinda nice looking, being a little more attractive than your average Buick hubcap. I think the car turned out nice! I guess you could say that I spend a lot more time under the hood and laying under my cars than clay-barring and those kind of things. I've always been a Turtle Zip Wash (wax-in-the-car-wash-soap) kind of guy! I've tried everything and that particular product works great for me.

[wheelhop]

The car looks great Dan! Keep up the good work.

[Shevelle]

Another Buick!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[MosportGreen66]

The owner's husband saw the car today and was thrilled with the outcome! He said the car has not looked this good in 15 years. We have some parts to locate, some more to swap, and then the brakes will get some much needed attention.

Thanks for the kind words Jim, Mark, Jim and Jacquie! Much appreciated coming from you four!

-Dan

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0046.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Skylark/DSC_0047.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

You do great work. Looks night and day!

[mmcporter]

Dan,

When can you drive to Boston and help me with my original paint Buick? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif The car looks great and your efforts really show in the outcome. Must feel great also to be able to keep the car on the road and in the use of the original owner!

[CC Rider]

Looks great! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[x Baldwin Motion]

[ QUOTE ]
You do great work. Looks night and day!

[/ QUOTE ]

really nice, Dan. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[ORIGLS6]

Nice work Dan, but a bit of advice here. Don't park it crossways in the street or all that work's gonna be wasted! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Car looks great! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[MosportGreen66]

Thanks a bunch guys! I guess I might know what I'm doing after all. As long as the owner is happy, I'm happy as well.

[JoeG]

Real Nice driver...........Nice job Dan........Looks http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif..

[NEW]

Hey Dan..

I am sure the owner will like your work. It looks great. I for sure can imagine the 15 hour job, do it right the first time...

Brgds
Nils

[MosportGreen66]

Joe and Nils,

Thanks a lot guys!

-Dan

[agtw31]

what do you charge,$100?
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[wheelhop]

[ QUOTE ]
what do you charge,$100?
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Hey Andy,
is there some other website you can go and harass people on.
You've done nothing but add negativity to this post and you need to just be quiet.

[72-SS-L48]

[ QUOTE ]
what do you charge,$100?
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm fascinated to the fact that out of a three page thread, you are the only one who is bashing the work that my brother and I did. You have absolutely no business commenting on this thread unless you will add to the knowledge presented on this forum. Maybe you just feel threatened by the work we do, I don't know, nor do I care but I sincerely hope the moderators take control before you make yourself look worse on a public forum.

To everyone who enjoys this thread, and posted something positive or constructively criticized us, Thank You.

-Dave

[The Dude]

Baddd Andy is his name over at Realoldspower.com He is an expert valve cover polisher, or so he thinks.

A sample of his posts over there.

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=63727

[agtw31]

[ QUOTE ]


I'm fascinated to the fact that out of a three page thread, you are the only one who is bashing the work that my brother and I did. You have absolutely no business commenting on this thread unless you will add to the knowledge presented on this forum. Maybe you just feel threatened by the work we do, I don't know, nor do I care but I sincerely hope the moderators take control before you make yourself look worse on a public forum.

To everyone who enjoys this thread, and posted something positive or constructively criticized us, Thank You.

-Dave

[/ QUOTE ]

look,here is the deal.
i just said what i thought,based on my experience in the past detailing cars,retail and for resto shops.

i didn't come on here posting the pics,and saying what you did to this car,you did.

did you think everybody was just going to give you a pass and say good job,and not question why it takes that long to buff out a paint job?

you say you guys spent 15 hours on a 15 year old enamel paint job,using materials created for clearcoat paint jobs.
then you say you scrubbed the top with SOS pads.
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif
i was actually joking with you guys,but since you got so sensitive,ill quit picking on you.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Baddd Andy is his name over at Realoldspower.com He is an expert valve cover polisher, or so he thinks.

A sample of his posts over there.

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=63727

[/ QUOTE ]

what do you do,besides hide behind a keyboard?

[Steven J]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
what do you charge,$100?
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Hey Andy,
is there some other website you can go and harass people on.
You've done nothing but add negativity to this post and you need to just be quiet.

[/ QUOTE ]

This has been his style for years.

[MosportGreen66]

Edit - I won't go that low.

Dan