Baby got "new" shoes...

[86_olds]

I wet-sanded it (by hand) with 1500 grit. I used a 32 oz spray bottle with water and about 1 oz of liquid soap to keep the surface wet while sanding. I used light pressure while sanding and keep sanding until the surface begins to feel smooth and the friction drops off drastically.
I clean off the residue, then hand-polish with Meguiar's "Ultimate Compound".
there is no wax on it yet.

I could probably sand it further to get a better finish. There is a lot of paint on the car and I didn't try to get it perfectly smooth. There are still some peaks & valleys (orange peel) that could be leveled out for a better result.

But it looks so much better, I might just declare victory and move on!
Joe

would u recommend doing this on a newer car my mother jeep"s is looking kind of dull but am afraid of sanding thru the clear coat

 

[jmt455]

I doubt that it needs to be sanded.
It's always best to start with the least abrasive process that gets the job done.

This article is short, but does a good job of explaining what you need to do:
http://guidetodetailing.com/how-to-rest ... zed-paint/

Clay bar "kits" typically cost about $25 at most auto parts stores.
Then polish and glaze/seal/wax to optimize gloss and protect the paint.

 

[Longroof79]

Wow!! Looks great, man. I would definitely recommend a buffing machine to do the rest of the car. It can get pretty tiring...especially doing the whole body of a wagon. Keep up the good work. I wish my paint was that good to be able to polish out. I'll be sanding mine down, but it won't be with 1500 grit.

 

[beermonkey9417]

wow thats like night and day! id clear it and call it a win.

 

[jmt455]

Here it is after compounding and glazing:

I think I'm going to declare victory and enjoy it like this for a while.
I still have a lot of interior and engine compartment work to do, but it looks much better than it did a couple of days ago!

 

[86_olds]

thanks bro and ur car looks amazing!!

 

[shotgun]

You have now moved to the top of the "person I hate the most on this site" list.

 

[Longroof79]

I'm jealous...

 

[Blake442]

Come on over and do my wagons!

 

[jmt455]

Sorry, shotgun...I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone...