really light scratch mark removal

[06Z06DSOM]

So I've spent MONTHS bringing back an 06 z06 from Alaska.   From Wetsanding CCW's and  polishing repeatedly to probably 4 and sometimes 5 polishes a panel.  Using alot of Adam's products for the first time but for the paint correction did the following:

 

- Carpro Ironx - twice..first time you would have thought the car was purple.

- Solid hand wash

- Zaino clay bar, I have a couple from back in the day

- Menzera Intense polish with Orange lakewood pad and porter cable (dusted quite a bit

- Menzera Finish polish with White lakewood pad

- Surface Prep with double soft polish cloth

 

Given time between some of this I did use the waterless wash and towel to get dust off from sitting.  But did the last final polish yesterday.  Opened garage door and there are some light scratches.  Looks like from the microfiber towel.  Not sure if this is from me not polish right or pushing too hard on the towel when trying to clean on bare paint?   Should I hit it with a black pad then be ultra careful surface prep??   they are light enough if I was using Zaino or probably adams sealant they would fill if you know what I mean.  But I'm ceramic coating everything (first time using) and worried I'm coating imperfections for 3 years.

 

Care still has pitted clear coat and scratches but way better than when I started.  It's probably never had paint correction and good washing techniques, Alaska summers even are not easy on cars with the gravel and dirt up there.

 

 

[06Z06DSOM]

LOL my garage is a mess, I've put all my extra time into this car and a master bath remodel.

[Dan@Adams]

Hi there, welcome to the forum, and beautiful Z06 you have there! I see some other nice rides hiding in the background too!

 

What black pad are you using? Our dark gray (some people call it black) pad is zero-cut and made for applying Buttery Wax or Paint Sealant, so it will not remove even very faint scratches. I would recommend trying the White Foam Pad and Finishing Polish in those areas. Also keep in mind that C5 and C6 Corvettes have fairly hard clear coats, so while the scratches might seem very light, they might take a little more effort to remove.

 

If you've already polished 4 or 5 times per panel - were you using a more aggressive compound each time? If so, you may want to consider how much clear coat is left on the panels too...I would hate for you to strike through the panel, but at least the Orange Pad and a Porter Cable isn't too aggressive of a setup.

My opinion, maybe try to go over a few of the fine scratches in one small area with a finishing polish to see if they improve. Use a new plush microfiber towel to remove the polish, with very light pressure, and flip the towel to a fresh side after doing the initial wipe. I love our Borderless Gray Towels for this - we use them almost exclusively on a lot of high-end and delicate paint auction vehicles that we detail at Barrett-Jackson. Use a light mist of Surface Prep to aid in removal of the polish residue if necessary. If you can get the finish to 90% improvement or more, that is usually when I'll stop and ceramic coat the vehicle. There comes a point where trying to get it near 100% perfect can drive you bonkers or end up hurting the finish in the process. I hope that helps out! 🙂

[06Z06DSOM]

Thanks Dan!  I went back out and really took your advice and looked at things and figured I was reaching diminishing returns.   I probably have 100+ hours into this "detail" Between the wheels and touch up paint, and polishing.   

 

Are these the towels you were talking about?  I use them for the surface prep, I'll pick some more up.  I just bought like 40 double plush towels.

 

https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-borderless-grey-edgeless-towel

 

Just hit with Ceramic, I'm going to post a question.  I don't think I let it sit long enough before wiping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[06Z06DSOM]

Here is an example of how far its come!  This is the roof.  I did IronX and claybar and have left it because I'm going to get it wrapped carbon.   This was one of the better panels on the car lol

 

 

[06Z06DSOM]

Got it out in the sun..was worried about how it would look in natural light with the massive amount of polishing and touch up paint i used...it looked better!  Really happy with Adam's products.  Not sure if I'd use the wheel ceramic on polished aluminum again but everything else is absolutely amazing!  If the wheel stuff holds up to dust and dirt I may change my mind