my friend got a new paint job [enamel i think] when should he wax his car? its a black 87 firebird and he is scared to hell of getting swirl marks, any way to avoid them?

 

You should wait a month before waxing.

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'86 Camaro Sport Coupe

 

can you drive it during that month?
i am getting my base/clear started tuesday, and he said after he bakes it, it will be about two weeks before i can Zaino it.
i know it will turn out good!!
and i hope to get my Zaino order in soon!!

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior

mods: AFPR, B&M megashifter-HD4ft cable, Underdrive Pulleys, Ported plenum, K&N's, Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum Driveshaft, Gutted Air Boxes w/ Ram Air, and more!!
soon to have new PAINT, and suspension work

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD -

 

Yep, you can drive it. Just don't follow any big dump trucks

 

I would wait a minimum of a month before waxing/polishing it. Even though the paint is dry on the surface, it can still be soft underneath and hard rubbing can disturb it. I recommend just washing it regularly with a car wash soap and then waxing it after you are certain it is very hardened. If the weather is getting hot where you are, the shorter the time it will take.

 

the guy who did my car told me I should wait 3 months.. don't put any covers on it or anything.. just let paint set for 3 months, and wash it regularly

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92 Rs Heritage Edition Camaro
305
3.27 posi Rear end
Flow masters
not to much else to make it more than stock until I put that 350 in shortly

IM: DarkHal 2000
Feel free to join my Webring listed on my web page (X-treme Fbody). I'm always looking for third gen's to add.
My site, http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/m/jmj211/index.htm

 

oh.. and wash the damn birds.. I swear.. I'm going to make an anti bird crap alarm.. and it'll destroy the crap, then pick off the bird who did it..

------------------
92 Rs Heritage Edition Camaro
305
3.27 posi Rear end
Flow masters
not to much else to make it more than stock until I put that 350 in shortly

IM: DarkHal 2000
Feel free to join my Webring listed on my web page (X-treme Fbody). I'm always looking for third gen's to add.
My site, http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/m/jmj211/index.htm

 

ok guys, painter says two weeks then i can Zaino, which doesnt take hard rubbing,
and you guys say a month, then it is hardened and i can rub,
which one? i dont wanna drive my car until its either polished or waxed.. i am very picky, thanks.

and on a new paintjob, should i use Z5 shiwl eliminator? i know its new, but will it help?

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior

mods: AFPR, B&M megashifter-HD4ft cable, Underdrive Pulleys, Ported plenum, K&N's, Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum Driveshaft, Gutted Air Boxes w/ Ram Air, and more!!
soon to have new PAINT, and suspension work

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD -

 

The waiting part makes no sense to me. When the painter wet sands the car and buffs it out wouldn't that be harder on the paint than applying wax.

Sal Zaino told me if paint isn't dry enough to wax in 10-14 days it ain't ever going to dry.

I zaino'd mine 2 weeks after, and it only took that long cause it was too cold out.

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1985 ASCD Ram Air Trans Am
Readers Ride at https://www.thirdgen.org/rides/index...ew&rideid=1067

-=ICON Motorsports=-

" I get drunk, I race cars and I fondle women. But... I have weekends off and I am my own boss"

 

The reason I've always heard (from paint manufacturers like PPG)is that it takes almost a month for most of the solvents to evaporate out of the paint, and that wax can create a barrier that doesn't let the paint cure properly leading to other problems down the road which can shorten the paints life. Zaino may not create that type of barrier, I don't know.

 

I work at a body shop, if you just got your car painted you dont need to be waxing it till it needs it. Definitely dont need to be using any kind of swirl eliminator, or rubbing compound on soft paint. If you do anything I would wax it after about 30 days. Washing your car alone is sort of like buffing it. You need to make sure to dry your car after you wash it for the first couple of months, if you dont then any drops of water that dry on the paint will be stuck with you for awhile. That goes for bird crap and tree sap also. Hoped that helped ya out. Later

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91RS305TBI

 

DONT WAX YOUR CAR!!!! its not good for the finish, in time it will yellow and dull the finish. I just had my 89 firebird repainted to the origional red and the only thing i use to wash it is basic dishwashing soap, a super soft polishing cloth and a sheep skin washing mitt. The shine dont get much better. Look at my sig for pics. AS for hardening, i had my car repainted about 1 month before winter and i barely drove the car as it is si im not sure how long it should sit i jsut klnow that mines been sitting in storage looking pretty for the last 8 months. Now its time to bring her home and wash it again, winter dust is a son of a bitch....

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1989 pontiac firebird
bright red exterior(just repainted)
grey interior
5 spd
305 TBI (stock)
WS.6 formula wheels
3.73 posi rear end
http://members.aol.com/j007golden/Mikey89.html
http://www.geocities.com/firebird/myfirebird.html
-------------------------
1985 trans am
factory bright yellow
4 wheel disks
16 inch wheels
305 TPI
power antenna and mirrors
t tops

 

OneFine8T9- are you saying that wax in general is bad? I thought it actually made the paint last. It keeps **** from sticking to it and has UV protectant.

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'87 SC 305 "Chrome Yellow"
ASCD Turbo hood
AR rims
Flowmaster cat-back
Alpine deck to 4 Polks
'81 Z-28 "Dodge Viper GTS pearl blue"
H.O. 350, TH-400 w/ B&M megashifter
Harwood LS1 hood
Z-racing rims
True Dual

 

I would wait a month just to be safe,what is 2 weeks difference,i think waxing is a must to protect it but dont go overboard and wax it every week or it builds up and starts to look hazey and foggy,dishwashing soap is good to take off old wax before you put on a fresh coat,it has degreasers that remove wax pretty good.I really dont wax my car much but i do handwash it alot with Armor All carwash soap,it keeps her looking good and nothing beats a handwash.

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www.rearman.com/camarokid.htm

If it aint a V-8 that $hit aint fast!,unless its a GN,lol!

305 tpi,700r-4 with shift kit,16 by 9 American Racing cross laced wheels,My mods are minimal,just a bunch of little $hit.Anyone know where to get underdrive pulleys for a v-belt set up?