Polishing The Tercel...

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:44 pm

I keep the paint on my Tercel in pretty good shape, considering. I make that qualification because before I bought Harriet, her left fender had been replaced with an aftermarket one, and both her passenger doors had been repainted. Whoever did the work apparently did no prep at all on the fender, and the doors weren't much better. Still, the paint takes and holds a great shine, and because it's white, it hasn't suffered the thermonuclear breakdown so common on these old Toyotas.

Then came that assclown pinstriper, and I decided to really work the paint this weekend.

I've leaned heavily toward Meguiar's for years. Unfortuinately, the similarity between their consumer and professional lines has pretty much evaporated over the last few years. It used to be that Hi-Tech cleaner was the same product as Clear Coat Body Scrub, with the only real difference being the price and availability. Now the consumer product has changed it's name to Deep crystal Paint Cleaner. Great, it has the same system number as the old Body Scrub, but it is a purely chemical cleaner, with absolutely no abrasives at all. This means that while it does an acceptable job of cleaning stains out of paint, it adds no shine at all. Meguiar's has decided that this is the exclusive domain of the professional, and the average car owner can't handle the damage they could do with an abrasive product.

Oh wait... Actually I agree with their sentiment. I just know a little more than the average DIY'er about working paint.

This afternoon I spent some quality time with some Hi-Tech Cleaner, some #5 Glaze (I'd rather use #7, but I used what I had), and some Hi-Tech Yellow paste wax. I know I can't coax perfection from 22 year old paint that has probably never spent a night in a proper garage, but Harriet is looking better than she has in the entire time I've owned her. I still have some work to do on the sides, but I'd never worked the paint on the roof, and it's been a few years since I hit the rest with the buffer. I hand rubbed the entire roof, hood, window frames, and hatch, twice with the cleaner and glaze, and once with the wax. Now Harriet's paint feels absolutely like waxed glass. The difference is amazing. Even my wife noticed it as soon as she walked out the door, which is saying a lot for a white car.

Now if I can just get the semi-local striper to work his magic, Harriet will be starting the new year in style. I do need to get my set of factory alloys powder coated, and find a set of white letter tires.

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:36 pm

I noticed you did not mention anything about "clay-ing" the car (or did I miss it?).
I did this for the first (lengthy) time with Goldie last Summer, and was quite pleased with the results. I was really surprised at how not-smooth the paint was before the effort - and it was an effort...but not like using paste Simoniz when I was kid back in the '50s.
I'm sure the "commercial" version of the clay is different from the "amateur" version (I used Mothers version), but it worked pretty well. I was disappointed in the "wax" that came with the Clay Kit, though. I'll use something else next time.

Incidentally, I also used the bar on the glass and was even more amazed...HOWEVER...I would not do it again with the same bar as used on the paint, as it took FORever to get the wax off the glass to prevent mega-streaking (even with acetone, MEK, etc.). The clay bar is kinda expensive to have one dedicated to glass - but tempting...
Tom M.

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:33 pm

I've used a clay bar on other cars in the past, but not the Tercel. It does work well, it's just one of those things I've never done on this car.

As far as an amazing product to use on glass, have you ever tried Barkeep's Friend?

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:56 pm

Never heard of it - sources?
Tom M.

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:11 pm

I've lucked into finding it at some grocery stores, but nobody carries it locally. It's made for cleaning surfaces you don't want to scratch with something like Comet. It works wonders on removing mineral deposits from glass.

Mickey_D · Post by **Mickey_D** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:11 pm

Walmart carries it in the household cleaning aisle. If you can wait until Tuesday, I can get you the UPC and Walmart numbers for it so you can tell them to order it if your particular store doesn't have it.

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:12 pm

I really appreciate that. Our Wal-Mart doesn't carry all the stuff the larger stores do, and I'd like a local source.

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:40 pm

Would you mind writing up a guide on polishing sometime for those of us (read: me

) who have no idea how where to start with polishing a car?

I won't be able to do it anytime soon, with it being winter and all, but I think my car could certainly use it...

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:04 pm

I'll be glad to do that, of course there are about as many ways to really bring out the shine as there are cars out there. Still, having owned somewhere over 125 cars over the years, I have picked up a thing or two...

scotisha · Post by **scotisha** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:38 am

I too would enjoy a write up for polishing the terc.

Post by **Mattel** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:52 pm

We don't get the same brand names in Australia. Is there a way someone could explain without using north american brands? cheers

Mickey_D · Post by **Mickey_D** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:40 pm

Sorry I took so long to get back to you, I forgot I posted this here.

Bar Keeper's Friend Cleanser & Polish

21oz (595g) can

UPC # 0-71618-11514-1

http://www.barkeepersfriend.com

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:18 pm

Mattel wrote:We don't get the same brand names in Australia. Is there a way someone could explain without using north american brands? cheers

The basic techniques I'll outline here will work with a number of different brands, but you have to be careful. The differences between compounds can be as wide as the differences between 40 grit and 2000 grit sandpaper. One can really shine your car, the other can potentially damage your paint beyond repair.

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:10 am

I spent about an hour tonight polishing the roof. I've already worked it lightly a couple of times, but there's a cruel reality to polishing white paint. In sunlight, anything you do will look great, but at night, under some artificial light, you can see how much remains to be done. Dark colors are easy, you get rewarded immediately.

Of course, I'm the only person I know who cares about this much shine in white paint.