Clearcoat Rejuvenation

Tom Bray · 10-12-2009, 11:12 PM

I think our 72 AS spent a good amount of time indoors as the finish is still in pretty good shape. There are a few scratches in it but for now I am content to leave them alone.

My problem is that there are hand prints all over the areas where I have been working. In particular they are around the windows and the marker lights.

The hand prints don't seem to want to come off. I have tried several mild cleaners and they do nothing. I tried a little cleaner / car wax on it and it made some of the prints less obvious but it didn't remove them.

I have been reluctant to try anything more aggressive for fear of actually removing the coating.

We have had it on the road for the last month after 2 years of restoring it so I am not motivated to do anything dramatic to the finish at this time.

Tom

2airishuman · 10-12-2009, 11:36 PM

hi tom

the 70s have plasticoat or plasti kote.

the original walb' product was intended for THAT coating...

see post #13 and #27 and beyond in this thread...

Order Walbernize?

and here

How to Polish?

looks like 'superseal' is the first choice, with cleaner, polish n glaze for naked skin streams...

because the older plasticoat was soft and HIGHER in plasticizers...

a modern 'vinyl spray' might also be useful, at least it will be SAFE on the old coating.

vinylex made by the lexol folks is a good example, but ANY of the older style vinyl sprays may work.
_________________

the "hand prints" seen may actually be residual SOLVENTS or grease/oil stains...

IF they've soaked INTO the old finish it's possible they will be visible till it peels...

cheers
2air'

Tom Bray · 10-14-2009, 10:41 PM

Well, I tried some automotive plastic cleaner on it. The part in good shape looks really nice. Where I rubbed it a bit, I think the plastic got rubbed through since it has a different sheen to it. So the hand prints remain.

I will wait until I am ready to really address this and probably remove the old coating and put something else on in its place.

2airishuman · 10-14-2009, 10:58 PM

IF u rubbed through the coating, there should be gray or black alum on the rag...

just t b clear my suggestion is NOT a plastic cleaner/polish

but a vinyl DRESSING.

this may not help, but they have ZERO abrasives.

plasti kote is available to re apply.

it's not the same as the 70s stuff but close enough.

cheers
2air'