Paint correction on DD, breaking it up

[staying_tuned]

Howdy, so I've had the truck for a few weeks now and had the chance to do a few things but I've been anxious to start working on the paint. Service intervals were religiously kept, there is only minor surface rust on the underside, zero on body and in general the truck was in great shape. She's a 2014 5.7 CC with just over 100k miles.

The paint however, wow. It looks like someone washed it with clumps of tumbleweed however I don't see a single case of anything deep into the paint. I started polishing and correcting a few years ago but never have I started with such a thrashed foundation.

I need some help strategizing how to break this up since this is my DD. My plan is to address the truck in sections start to finish. The process being:

Wash > Clay > Wash > Correct (Griot's Fast Correcting Cream) > Polish (Menzerna Super Finish 3500) > Wash > 50/50 Alcohol Water Wipe-Down > CQuartz UK 3.0

I've had great success with the above combo but holy crap, the bed alone took me 3 hours just to correct. I've probably got another 3 hours for final polish and ceramic.

My original goal was to have it done in the coming weeks. Now I'm thinking if I can have it done before winter, great.

I know I'll loose some time by breaking it up rather than just attacking it over a weekend but we have little ones and spend a ton of time doing family stuff so I don't want to (nor could I without imminent dog-house) zone out on this for days.

Can anyone suggest a means to speed up my process? I was thinking maybe go with a more aggressive cutting paste but I'm a bit intimidated by the more aggressive stuff. As mentioned above, I'm like 3 hours into just prepping and cutting the bed. The results (so far) are great, pics attached but damn man. This is going to be a massive project so any feedback would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Pre polish, this is before and after cutting:

 

[AdamsPolishes]

Looks good!

 

[Pull Ya]

I know that the job in front of you looks to be a daunting task---and your right. IMHO, if you worked on it full time it would be a complete weekend and then at the end you have to let the coating set for at least overnight to bond properly. I really don't have any suggestions on how to divide it up but the correction on the tailgate looks really good. Maybe the hood and top next, then the sides--idk--I guess what ever your personal circumstances allow.
Jay

 

[geotex1]

Ok, I'm going to give you the hard advice. Your regiment is too light duty for that much swirl. I've got over 40 years into paint and finishing as a former pro and an extreme enthusiast these days.

Ditch the Griot's and the Menzerna. Before clay, IronX, wash, clay, and wash. Use those fingers, and if you feel drag, you clay again! Begin polishing with Meguiar's 105 with a DA polisher and orange cutting pad if you're a beginner. If not, a rotary with wool bonnet. Buff fully with microfiber towels to remove residue but don't wash. This will cut the swirls and level, but it will leave a haze to the dark paint that'll scare you. When that haze looks even everywhere, you did it right and you're ready for the next step. Move to Meguiar's 205 and use a constant pressure, white foam pad with a DA if a beginner first. If experienced, a rotary with a microfiber bonnet over the wool. You are working to remove all the haze. Buff residue completely with microfiber towels. Because it's dark paint, I would do another pass with 205 and a black foam polishing pad, even after rotary, to bring a deep, even gloss up.

You do not want to mix alcohol and water yourself. You just need to buy and directly use a 70% solution of isopropyl alcohol. Pre-diluted is done with a medical grade, de-aired, deionized, distilled water that is truly free of mineral particulates. With a dark paint, you better have PRIMO microfiber towels, and you spray the isopropyl on the car and remove in one, linear direction only. Then you are ready to apply the ceramic.

If you're an experienced guy on a machine, you can substitute in 210 for 205 and there is absolutely no need for an isopropyl wipe down after its residue is buffed away. The whole point of the x10 formulations are not to leave behind oily or waxy residue.

The short of this is that you need to use the right machine, pads, and polishes. Looking at your before, if characteristic of your truck, I could correct the entire truck in 8-10 hours. I would expect the advanced DIYer, with right gear, should take no more than 2.5 times this considering intermittent pad/bonnet cleaning for a likely single set. The ceramic goes down fast and easy once the paint has been corrected and prepped.

 

[Quick_Shifter]

Looks great @staying_tuned nice to see your PA plates!! The trucks don’t look that big until you start polishing them then you quickly realize there are acres of paint. Keep it up you’re doing great so far, and don’t forget cold beer eases the process

 

[Kinetic]

All you need is the Griot's FCC with their BOSS wool pads, followed by Griot's Perfecting Cream with their BOSS yellow pads. Any modern DA polisher will work just fine, no need for a rotary or anything more aggressive.

On large trucks I start on the hood and work my way down one side, doing that sides roof, then the other side, and finish with the tailgate. Just take it a panel at a time. This truck I'd estimate 10 or so hours for full correction including the coating.

 

[staying_tuned]

Just a quick update, the entire bed, roof and hood have been completed. I've been using Meguire's 105 instead of the Griot's FCC and it cuts faster for sure. I'm probably spending half the time on cutting at this point. I don't want to spend a bunch of extra money so I haven't substituted anything other than the 105 over the FCC with 70% isopropyl rather than mixing my own 50/50 with 90%. Using my existing orange pads with the 105 and black pads for the 3500. After the 105 I go straight to Menzerna SF 3500 and things are going good. I did the hood and roof in one session. The CC roof and hood felt like 10 acres, damn they are big. Start to finish I had it done in 3 hours. 2 hours of actual work, 1 of drying.

I've also decided that the front bumper cover is beyond what I'm comfortable attempting so I plan to take that in to a shop. Here is the post.

Thanks a ton for the tips and advice guys,

 

[Rgomez1787]

What an amazing transformation. I have to do my truck soon. What polisher do you use?

 

[staying_tuned]

What an amazing transformation. I have to do my truck soon. What polisher do you use?

Hey thanks man. I've got a Griots DA/RO 10813STDCRD. I purchased a 5" base for it and use 5.5" pads. The larger 6" and resulting 6.5" pads were too big and clunky for me. The handle of the polisher is removable and comes with plugs. With the handle removed running a 5" disc its super versatile. I tape handles, trim etc. and there wasn't anywhere on the truck that I couldn't polish with this setup.

 

[davemuellen]

I'm going to have to say the 105/205 combo is pretty solid. Or the UC/UP if that's what you can find. Use good judgment on the pads and it'll shine.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Todd C]

Great job! Those before and afters are really impressive! How many times are you doing a panel with the 105?

 

[staying_tuned]

Great job! Those before and afters are really impressive! How many times are you doing a panel with the 105?

Thanks! Ended up only having to do a single pass with the 105 on 90% of it with a follow-up using the Menzerna 3500. Before the 105, I was having to do 2 or 3 passes prior to polishing it out.