Removing Minor Scratches

[Don Haney]

Hey Guys,
Although all my Porsche buddy's think Im the concour weenie, I can honestly say I just used my first Q- tip last weekend. I would not have gotten them out if I could have gotten my finger in there... Yes I like a clean car, why drive Porsche all dirty..its just wrong...haha
I have been working on bring this C2 back from an abused past life. The paint less dent guy worked on her for 2 days to get all the door dings and parking lot creases out.
I have clay bar'ed the car and only use Zymol's Special Red Wax, but I still have minor scratches in the paint. I don't want to take the buffer to it.
What product have you guys used with success ?
Check out the New No Turn hub caps...Yeah a little on the gucci side, but I like them.

thanks,
Don

[chuckr]

Don,
Very nice car !
I detail Porsches... Only Porsches !
I did the Best of Show winner in the Hill Country Region Concours
here in Austin,Tx. I also have a red (Guards Red 83SC Targa)
911. Scratches.... I always start with the least agressive and progress to the most agressive with scratches, least agressive and best thing to start with would be 3M Imperial Hand Glaze or Griots Garage Fine Hand Polish and I use a 100% cotten towel, dry. Rub in the direction of the scratch only... back and forth or side to side, not circular motions.The next and most agressive would be 3M 1500 grit rubbing compound.This stuff is one of my best friends when used properly, wet 100% cotten towel, apply varying degrees of pressure, light to heavy again, only in the direction of the scratch.Follow this with the Imperial Hand Glaze or Fine Hand Polish, then wax. Good Luck with it !

[Planter91C2]

i used the 3m imp hand glaze and was happy on a black car. i also have a red C2 and will be detailing her this weekend. i'll report my results with the glaze on the red.

"no turn" hubcaps...you may get points taken off for not aligning the bottom of the crest to your valve stem.

[chuckr]

Since I do are Porsches, I have found that different colored cars respond to different products, for example, I have not had much luck with the Imperial Hand glaze on black, I use the One Grand Omega Glaze on Black ! and for some unexplained reason I get the best results on Guards Red with the Griots Garage Fine hand polish and Best of show wax.I do not have the means to try the more expensive waxes, I have to keep my costs down so I try to find the best bang for the buck.I work at a Porsche only shop and I ask customers what they use, I get to see what works or looks good and what does not. My "will work on anything" is the 3M Imperial Hand glaze followed by the One Grand Blitz Wax.Special customers get the Griots and black cars get the Omega Glaze.
I strongly recommend Leatherique on leather and 303 Protectant on vinyl. One other trick, I use cotten flannel towels for the removal steps.

[vesnyder]

I have a black '83 with a ton of small scratches. I have the 3M product for dark color cars but have not used it yet. Anybody had any success with this?

[hilandscott]

I've got a black car as well, and I have worked a bit with the clay bar to still have pits and recessed areas where paint is missing and old wax remains-- white and crusty from previous treatments.

Any advice to return a black car to a deep, shiny luster??

[Brian993]

Just keep in mind that for whatever reason porsche uses white primer. I have the same problem with the black car. So let me know if you come up with a solution other than a respray.

[Bobboloo]

I recently did some paint resto on my "black" 92' Mercedes. The paint had a lot of scratches(cobwebs) and the surface was a little rough (oxidation?). After washing twice I did a light wet sand with 2000 grit. Just a once over with "no" elbow grease. I followed with a light wet sand of 5000 grit. The paint then had a slight fog but was very smooth (flat). Then I compounded with 3M Perfect-It II Fine Cut Rubbing Compound. (I can't rave enough about this stuff) All the scratches are gone.

I finnished up with Liquid Glass. Great stuff it gave the paint a deep shine. It also left a slightly oily feel to the paint but I'm alright with that. It should help protect the paint. The paint feels like silk now.

The paint looks new with exception of some chips that need touching up. Very happy with the results.

Bobby

[RustyWa]

Bobby- How did you apply the 3M Perfect-It II Fine Cut Rubbing Compound? Hand or machine?