I started on my moms new to her vette (it has 3,600 miles on it!)... I noticed it had some light swirls and some fine scratches, so I started in with M80. I worked a small section (above the front wheel because that is where the sun hit best). I worked the M80 in using medium pressure with a Megs Yellow pad. I worked it in for a good 5-6 minutes untill the polish looked as if it had disappeared. I wiped the polish off using a soft Microfiber cloth (USA MADE!) and looked in the sun, it didnt do ANYTHING! ... SO I redid the process again using the same techniques. Looked in the sun and NOTHING. I have read the corvettes have HARD Clear Coats, after today I would tend to agree because M80 usually gets all or most of the swirl outta my truck.

What would y'all recommend I pick up to take care of these light swirls/scratches? I have walmart, auto zone, and advance auto parts at my disposal! Thanks!

Also, anyone know what the 2006 corvette wheels are? They are either polished aluminum or chrome... are the cleared? can I polish them? The window sticker says "premium wheels"

 

So your mom has a C6 huh? My dad had a 06 then just got a 08, he's a Corvette fanatic and has owned every generation since the 80's, I'll shot him an email about the rims. My old man uses the Adam's line and does like 8 coats of wax when he details it, OCD for sure.

 

I can't say for certain on the wheels but more than likely they're cleared and can be waxed just as paint.

Vette paint is super hard and 80 isn't very abrasive. Are you using a machine or by hand? There are of course lots of polishes that are more abrasive. But you'll be hard pressed to find them on consumer lines. If working on a vette I'd look into ordering some better products. But that's me. I don't know if you can find anything that will work well on paint that hard that is also ok to apply by hand.

 

Try Megs #105.

Jim

 

What are you working with?

 

I have a DA...

I just picked up some swirlX... I have read it is a step above M83, and M83 is is 2 steps above M80...

Anyone try this stuff?

 

You may need to get some M105 and M205 to knock those swirls out on that Corvette you can give it a try but it still may not be enough to cut it. The other thing to consider is the pad size that you are using and you may want to go to a 4IN pad. I have never used a 4IN pad and PC combo but guys like RollingRock are switching to that combo and are getting great results with it. Hope this helps.

 

Heh, the other day, my friend linked me to this Vette detail. Don't know how bad the Vette you're doing is, but this one took some serious work to get rid of the swirls.

Click Me

 

Man that was some job done on that Vette. Loads of knowledge.
I have been having problems with M105 and by accident stumbled onto that same trick the detailer used.
Thanks for sharing that.

 

Yea, the water trick is pretty much awesome.

 

Here's what my pops wrote, may or may not help you out:

"The 2006 stock C6 wheels come in two options; painted or chrome finish. Obviously, you can polish the chrome… just wash/wax the painted to keep them looking nice."
"there might have been a third option, depending…but it would of come with the stock wheel in aluminum/which would have been polished/clear-coated. In those instances, polishing does little to enhance the shine. Initially, I didn’t think many of the “Gumby” wheels came polished… but in retrospect, I believe polished was polished/painted were the most common options, w/chrome being the most expensive. In any case, its easy to tell the difference between chrome and polished."

 

Corvette clear is generally pretty hard, so it is going to take a lot more time to correct. I would suggest getting M105 or similar and it will probably take quite a few passes with a DA.

 

Did anybody really read that link? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what that guy considers a pass or maybe I'm just under estimating the hard clear but on just the deck lid, he did 8 passes of 105 on wool, 3 with SIP and a green pad and one with 106 on yellow. I'm ammusing he wasn't using LC pads because he finished with a yellow pad and 106. The yellow LC pad is really aggressive.

 

Yea, and he also did it with a rotary. Guess those Vette clears are serious business. Which brings to question if a DA will even touch the swirls?

 

Still sounds strange though. I know Adam sponsors, or at least used to, a Corvette forum. A lot of the guys used his products. I'm not knocking Adam's products but I don't feel any of his polishes are super strong. Couple that with a DA, which is all he sells, and some of those guys were still putting out good results. That makes me wonder a bit about the guy in that link.