Entry One: Wet Sanding

There are probably thousands of threads written on how to restore your cars paint. However, to my knowledge, there aren't many on how to restore older Volkswagen and Porsche single-stage enamels. 

I want this guide to be easy enough that anyone can try it themselves. If you follow my instructions and take your time, you should have great results. However, If you are not comfortable doing this, please ask a professional for assistance. I'm not responsible if you mess up.

To begin, wet sanding is done to remove etchings, orange peel, or other blemishes from the finish. It is important to note that in most cases you should never need more than 1500-2000 grit. Any sandpaper below 1000 grit should only be used for prep, and never for correction.

Wet sanding is an extreme measure done to remove paint imperfections and is not required to remove oxidization. Also note that metallics were often clear coated, so be aware that these instruction are mainly for solid colors.

When taken care of, these alkyd enamels have some of the best color and shine found in a single-stage. However, by today's standards, these paints are very soft and can be easily etched by acids in rainwater and bird droppings. Compound that with the fact that they oxidize quickly and you can see why they are so hard to maintain.

 An etching left by bird droppings

  

To remove etchings from your paint, you will need 2000 grit sand paper and a professional grade rubbing compound from your local automotive paint shop. Consumer grade compounds from the auto parts store and Walmart won't work. You need something that specifically states on the label that it is capable of removing sandpaper scratches.

3M Perfect-it system and three clean terry cloth towels

I use 3M Perfect-it for many reasons. The most important is that it is strong enough to remove 1200 grit sandpaper scratches and most blemishes. It's not the heaviest cutting compound that I have, but it is the most versatile. This compound can also be worked by hand, which is important with these kinds of paints which can burn easily. Also, you don't need a chisel to remove it when it dries like other compounds.

Tip: Always be sure to read the label and follow the instructions. The compound you choose must be able to remove 2000 grit sandpaper or greater, and must be able to be applied by hand. Even a D/A can burn these paints if great care isn't taken.

3M P2000 / 2000 grit sandpaper.

This goes without saying, but always use a high quality wet/dry sandpaper. Lower quality sandpapers might not be as uniform and can result in a finish that looks like it was cut with a steel wool.

 Sand in straight lines

Step one: Clean the surface that you are sanding thoroughly. Soak the sandpaper in bucket until it begins to curl. I find that adding just a drop of dish detergent helps the sandpaper glide smoother and prevents build-up which allows the paper to last longer. 

Be gentle, stay away from edges and creases in the body work where the paint is thin. It doesn't take much to remove the paint in these areas. Let the sandpaper do the cutting without adding pressure. Move in straight lines and keep the sandpaper and surface wet. Rinse the paper often to remove buildup and any dirt that might get trapped. This dirt can scratch the paint and the scratches will remain visible even after polishing, so care must be taken. Most of the time you can feel when there is dirt caught under the sandpaper, so move slowly and cautiously.

Tip:  If using multiple grits of sandpaper, you can change the directions for each one, allowing you to tell you what spots you missed.

Etching removed with 2000 grit sandpaper

Here I have gently removed the etching left by the bird dropping with 2000 grit sandpaper. I use a paper towel to wipe away the water periodically to make sure I've completely removed the blemish.  

Tip: The water running off contains a high concentration of paint which can stain anything it comes into contact with. Be sure use paper towels to soak up and prevent the water from running onto your door jams or shop floor! If a hose is available, be sure to spray everything off before it has a chance to dry.

Panel sanded with 2000 grit to remove orange peel finish

I smoothed this panel using the same technique I used to remove the etching left by the bird dropping. Smoothing the paint in this manor removes the undesirable lumpy finish that resembles an orange-peel and leaves the paint looking like a mirror when polished.

Rubbing compound

Step Two: Once all of the blemishes have been sanded away, you are ready for the rubbing compound. 

Simply place about a dime size amount of your compound (3M Step 1) on a new terry cloth and work it back and forth. Don't rub hard, just work it softly and slowly, working only a small area at a time. The more you work the compound the better the shine, so don't add more too often, but don't let the cloth get too dry or it can damage the paint.

Machine: I don't recommend using a D/A or rotary for this step. A terry cloth will make quick work of those scratches and there is little to no risk of damaging the paint so long as you follow the instructions.

Before and after polishing

Step Three: At this point you should have a nice shine, but we are going to take it a step further. 

Start by rinsing the panel to remove any trace of the rubbing compound. Once the panel is dry, use another terry cloth to work in the Machine Polish (3M Step 2) just as you did before.

Machine: If you have a D/A or rotary with a polishing pad, you can use it if you want. Do not use a cutting pad as they can damage this paint. Also don't use a rotary unless you have experience. Regardless of which machine you are using, here are some tips.

Tip: Make sure that you saturate the compound into the pad before starting. Polishing this paint isn't like polishing harder modern paints. On modern paints it's fine for the weight of the machine to be on the paint, however on these paints you do not want much, if any pressure on on the pad. It should just barely touch the surface. Keep the rpms low and the pad parallel to the surface. Don't let the edge of your pad touch the paint. Keep the pad moving constantly not fast, but don't stop. Never let the pad run dry. You only need to make about five passes over a given area, so be careful, and your paint should turn out beautiful! 

The etched area corrected by hand with polishing compound

Step Four: Just as before, rinse the panel to remove the polishing compound. Once dry, apply 3M Step 3 finishing compound to a clean terry cloth and work it in just as you did the other two times.

Tip: I consider this step optional on lighter cars, but is recommended on darker colors like Reds and blacks.

Machine: I have had great results using this compound. It is to be applied with a finishing pad. If you did the previous step with a machine, then you should have no problem doing this step. Be just as gentle as you were before and you'll have great results!

Step 3 + finishing pad = incredible results!

Wax: Waxes will help protect your paint from the elements and prevent this type of paint from oxidizing. They are an interesting topic that I could write an entire post on, but for now I will try to simplify.

Cleaner Waxes

Most car waxes that you will come across are "cleaner waxes". This means is that they have detergents, abrasives, or various other types of chemical solvents designed to remove old waxes, sealants, and light swirl marks, all in one step. Since these types or waxes are worked into the paint, they are not meant to be used on new or polished paint. They might be great for the average consumer that just wants to make their daily driver look nice, but applying a cleaner wax at this point is moving backwards. Your shine will be dulled down and you will need to repeat steps 2 and 3 over again.

Finishing Wax

For the best finish, you will want to use a finishing wax or sealant. Finishing waxes have no cleaning ability and don't require you to work them into the paint. Most waxes/sealants now days have the ablity to glaze built in. However, if you are planing to use a pure carnauba wax, then you will want to do a final polish with a showcar glaze.

That said, I have been using Meguiars NXT and Ultimate wax for years with great results. 

Thanks for reading!