09-12-2021, 10:57 PM | #1 |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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Overhaul
Just finished paint correcting my newly purchased 2018 Black Camaro. I washed it, clay bar-d it, wet sanded it, compounded it and polished it. Finished off with Montan wax. This thing has more chips than any car I've ever seen. The front bumper looks like a Galaxy. Apparently the windshield was replaced because a rock hit the driver side bounced off hit the window where the roof meets the glass and shattered. There was a pretty nice chip when the rock hit but I touched it up.
Black is soo hard to keep clean but I wouldn't want any other color. |
09-12-2021, 11:04 PM | #2 |
2020 Shadow Gray 2SS
Drives: 2020 2SS - A10, NPP, MRC, CAI Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: SoCal
Posts: 3,031
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Looks AWESOME!!
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2020 SGM 2SS - A10, NPP, MRC, Red Calipers, Black Camaro Fender Badge, Footwell Lighting
Added after delivery: - GMP CAI, GMP Black Strut Tower Brace, MRR017 1LE Wheels, SS Armrest, Black Fuel Door, Stainless Sport Pedals, SS Wheel Caps, Black Lugs/Locks, GM Splash Guards, DD Smoked LED Markers, Smoked Rear Reflectors, Mishimoto Catch Can, Xpel PPF - Full Front, SunTek 35% Tint, CeramicPro coating, RST Stainless Brake Lines, Castrol SRF, MSD Super Conductor Wires Left: My "fun" ride. Right: My "work" ride: a Gulfstream G600. One's top speed is 180 Mph, the other, 620 Mph... |
09-12-2021, 11:26 PM | #3 |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 11,616
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Maximum for the effort you put into keeping a black car beautiful.
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2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6
735 rwhp | 665 rwtq Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley | Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers | JRE smooth idle terminator cam | LT4 FS & injectors | TSP forged pistons & rods JMS PowerMAX | DSX flex fuel kit | Roto-Fab CAI | Soler 95mm LT5 TB | 1LE wheels | 1LE brakes | BMR rear cradle lockout | JRE custom tune 1100 - 1/30/18 | 2000 - 1/31/18 3000 - 2/06/18 TPW 2/26/18 3400 - 2/19/18 | 3800 - 2/26/18 4300 - 2/27/18 | 4B00 - 3/01/18 4200 - 3/05/18 | 4800 - 3/14/18 5000 - 3/16/18 | 6000 - 3/19/18 |
09-13-2021, 09:15 AM | #4 |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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Thanks guys! It's a work in process, I've been just restoring things as I go. It actually looks AWEFUL today because it rained last night(south west Florida) and then it collects all the dust and stuff in the yard. A car cover is coming today for it, should minimize me having to clean it daily lol. I'm actually going to be replacing the front bumper as it's totalled with rock chips and then maybe some more spot sanding stuff as I see it pop up. Black cars are extremely hard to keep clean but they look nice for the 2 hours they're clean lol
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09-13-2021, 07:55 PM | #5 | |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 11,616
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On the topic of car covers, I wouldn't do it just to prevent the collection of dust or everyday grime. You'll scratch your paint way worse with a cover, especially if it's an outdoor one that may even move around slightly on the car with the wind. The less you (or a cover) touch the car, the longer you can preserve the clear coat.
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2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6
735 rwhp | 665 rwtq Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley | Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers | JRE smooth idle terminator cam | LT4 FS & injectors | TSP forged pistons & rods JMS PowerMAX | DSX flex fuel kit | Roto-Fab CAI | Soler 95mm LT5 TB | 1LE wheels | 1LE brakes | BMR rear cradle lockout | JRE custom tune 1100 - 1/30/18 | 2000 - 1/31/18 3000 - 2/06/18 TPW 2/26/18 3400 - 2/19/18 | 3800 - 2/26/18 4300 - 2/27/18 | 4B00 - 3/01/18 4200 - 3/05/18 | 4800 - 3/14/18 5000 - 3/16/18 | 6000 - 3/19/18 |
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09-13-2021, 10:02 PM | #6 | |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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Well the problem is that I do not have a garage for it, it sits in the grass in my yard in full sun all day. So the car cover might be a better option. I know the sun is going to kill it if it doesn't get covered.
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09-13-2021, 10:28 PM | #7 |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 11,616
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Aha, it's exposed to the sun, then I understand, you may actually be better off with a cover and having the car paint corrected every other year or so. I don't have too much confidence in the longevity of GM's modern clear coats.
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2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6
735 rwhp | 665 rwtq Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley | Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers | JRE smooth idle terminator cam | LT4 FS & injectors | TSP forged pistons & rods JMS PowerMAX | DSX flex fuel kit | Roto-Fab CAI | Soler 95mm LT5 TB | 1LE wheels | 1LE brakes | BMR rear cradle lockout | JRE custom tune 1100 - 1/30/18 | 2000 - 1/31/18 3000 - 2/06/18 TPW 2/26/18 3400 - 2/19/18 | 3800 - 2/26/18 4300 - 2/27/18 | 4B00 - 3/01/18 4200 - 3/05/18 | 4800 - 3/14/18 5000 - 3/16/18 | 6000 - 3/19/18 |
09-14-2021, 10:28 AM | #8 |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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I agree, after sanding some spots I have come to the conclusion that GM'S top coat is very hard. It's like a rock, I don't think the paint will last very long on these cars unfortunelty. The constant scratches, rock chips and swirls from everyday driving will I'm sure accelerate it. To be fair to GM, I have been going around analyzing other people's paint and everyone else's seems to be just as cheap. I've seen some newer than mine, cars that have chips, scratches, swirls, orange peel ect. I'd say in my specific year and color(2018,Black) that GM let these go with no quality control. It's mostly just orange peel paint. For only being 3 years old it has a moderate amount of paint damage and the front bumper can't be saved on mine due to rock chips and spray all over it. It also doesn't help that its black and literally shows every little thing on it. I decided after I bought it to just enjoy it and maybe just fix things as I go little by little. I also can't see buying PPF for it or anything expensive because it's not an expensive car to begin with. Just fun to drive around and open it up in a long stretch of road.
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09-14-2021, 10:31 AM | #9 |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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This is a custom fit cover for the 6th gen Camaro. It has a soft Polyester interior and a UV and water resistant exterior. Also has pretty cool reflector strips in it. I'm currently using it because it's gotta be better than letting it sit in the sun all day and have bird poop, tree poop and pollen all over it. I know that they say covers will scratch the paint but bird poop and water spots to me are much worse than a swirl mark from a car cover lol
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09-15-2021, 08:23 AM | #10 |
Drives: 2024 Riverside Blue 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Posts: 1,208
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WARNING do NOT use a car cover if you use it as a daily driver. I don't care what the car cover companies say every time you take the cover off and put it back on you will put another scratch in the paint and after a year of doing this it will look like crap. Only use a cover for long term storage. Rain dropping on your car will not scratch it, car covers will. If I was you after all the hard work you have put in is to invest in PPF on the front and protect from future rock chips then apply a professional ceramic or graphene coating so it's easier to clean. Another tip is to dry your car with a leaf blower cause anytime you touch, micro fiber towel included, you will scratch the paint. The less you touch the better. Great job with the black it looks outstanding.
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09-18-2021, 10:22 AM | #11 | |
Drives: 2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: FL
Posts: 130
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Totally taking your advice, took the cover off I agree it seems it would scratch it. I guess I'll live with bird droppings and rain dropping as they are easier to clean off then to get scratches. I'm trying to go in for a ceramic coating but probably not for another 3 months. I think it'll live until then. Also it rained and now the car is back to water spots all over it🚙 so I'm back to washing it again haha
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09-20-2021, 01:11 PM | #12 |
Drives: 17 2SS, 8L90, Cam, Heads, E85 Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: US
Posts: 1,201
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Is wet sanding as scary as it sounds? This is coming from someone with no paint and body experience. I have tried so many compounds and DAs (never tried a real orbital), and I have concluded absolutely no difference before and after. I have also concluded waxes, sealants do nothing either. A clay bar might make it feel smoother but dosent seem to help anything visually. Waxes and sealants help out shine some after application but the first storm you are caught in, all of that work goes out the window, I don't think they give you any "protection".
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09-22-2021, 09:08 AM | #13 |
Thank you Al Oppenheiser!
Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 4,975
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Yes. Don't do it.
Wet sanding is for removing LOTS of paint, specifically it is done to flatten (remove) orange peel after applying several layers of paint. GM's accountants have been living in the paint booth for decades, so the paint on our cars is as thin as they can possibly make it. So since your car does not have several layers of paint from the factory, wet sanding the already incredibly thin OEM paint is a particularly excellent way of trashing the OEM paint job. |
09-22-2021, 07:30 PM | #14 | |
Drives: 17 2SS, 8L90, Cam, Heads, E85 Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: US
Posts: 1,201
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black, camaro, paint, wax |
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