[flipper35]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

Once tried to clean the oxidized paint on a Mercedes. It was super oxidized by a car wash's soap. It got down to the primer the soap had oxidized to deep. The car wash shipped the car to Houston to have everything taken off the car and have the body re-dipped. That's how Mercedes did their enamel back then.

Other cars was able to remove and stop the oxidation, then seal, polish, and wax them.

I usually cleaned and waxed a car for $20. Only took me an hour with my buffer.
Also detailed the interior, windows, wheels, tires, etc.

What I called cleaning they call restoring or restoration now. Bought paint cleaner sold in gallon jugs. Could go over a car lightly with it like a liquid wax with my buffer and it was as good a claybar and a cleaner today with a lot less work. Paint did not scratch as easily as clear coat does now.

Sure miss my old metal 8" orbital buffer. It had a big foam pad that didn't absorb the waxes etc. and I used terry cloth covers on it. Pretty much stopped when my buffer broke. Tried finding another but they were all plastic and did a horrible job, not enough pressure.

Would wash the cars at a robo wash. It was a touchless car wash. Then I would chamois them dry and clean the paint with kerosine (would remove bugs/tar/road grime), then rinse them and dry again. Then do a light cleaner to restore the paint, then put either johnson wax, or a polymer was on them. No silicon it made fish eyes and swirls. Then I cleaned all the chrome and glass with a white powder stuff (no streaks), vacuum and shampoo carpets and treat leather/vinyl. had tire cleaner that would clean the rubber better than the stuff today, and it would even clean white sidewalls and lettering. All in 2 hours max if it was really dirty.

Got to do a lot of cool cars since we live next to an expensive neighborhood. My dad would have coffee on Saturday mornings at different drug stores and cafes close by. He picked up my wax jobs before I could even drive. Did a few boat hulls too. They claimed their boats went faster and pulled skiers easier.

I have one of those old orbitals. Inherited from my FiL. Tested it on a bit of wax 20ish years ago and haven't used it since. I should.