• Registered users are encouraged to enable MFA/2FA to add an aditional layer of security to their account. More information can be found here: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/top-tips-for-staying-secure-online/activate-2-step-verification-on-your-email

My dull BC carbon bonnet.

G

G

A veritable chap
Messages
4,448
Ok so after time, and due to an incident where had to leave my car one summer under a tree, resulting in a bird poop bombardment on the bonnet of cataclysmic proportions my nice BC bonnet ended up dull. I guess I used the wrong polish on the surface when I cleaned it.

Anyway when scouting out body shops for my next stage of the cars development. I got chatting to a guy who suggested I use this aggressive cutting compound called G3. I was a bit doubtful but as it had quite a thick epoxy top coat he said it should work ok. So anyway using a little of this compound and his machine polisher he tested it on a corner and what do ya know it worked bringing it back to as new.

This was before christmas and I kept an eye on it and it still looks shiny. So I managed to borrow a dollop off a local crash repairers (long story). And thought I'd give it a go myself yesterday. It came up ok, not as good as the pro did, a mixture of there being a knack I am sure, and the fact the bonnets I bought for the machine polisher borrowed from work were to big so if I applied any pressure the head would just rotate inside the bonnets and the bonnet keep still (not the carbon bonnet of course, lot of bonnets going on here huh), oops!

Before:
yr6wph.jpg


yr6wpi.jpg


After:
yr6wpx.jpg


As you can see better but still needs work. I will try and get better fitting bonnets and try and work on a smaller area a time, I think I may have tried to do to big an area at first.
 
Cheers fellas, but it needs a bit more work as there are still some slightly cloudy patches. I think as I said I needed to do a smaller area at a time. I am unsure if that technique or polish will work on all carbon bonnets of course. Or just ones that have a thick gellcoat.
 
Thats very aggressive stuff G!!!!

I'm sure you'd get even better results usings a rotary with a couple of different polish & pad combos without eating as much clearcoat, but it does look shed loads better mate ;)
 
While we are on the refurb topic..

dotty said:
My headlight had seen better days, It was getting that bad I was toying with buying a new one. I was noseying around in my missus's garage this weekend and found some megs scratch x...

I applied it to a duster cloth and smeared my cloudy and worse for wear nearside headlight.

I left it on there to dry for half an hour then with a clean dust cloth I removed the scratch x.

This is the result 8)

Before :arrow:

Not the best pic but you get the idea.





After meguirs scratch x 'mod' :lol: :arrow:

Click to expand...

Scratch X FTW.
 
SpaceMonkey said:
Thats very aggressive stuff G!!!!

I'm sure you'd get even better results usings a rotary with a couple of different polish & pad combos without eating as much clearcoat, but it does look shed loads better mate ;)
Click to expand...

I know, I was a little nervous but tbh I had planned on painting the bonnet the new body colour anyway. However the bit he did on the l/h raised edge as you look at the bonnet, looked amazing. Like new. I will have another go when I get correct fitting pads. The polisher is one I was given from work, but I think I will invest in a new Megs polisher.

Dotty: great work there fella, looks very different.
 
If you are using an agressive cutting compound, will you need something less course to finish off with to get a nice glossy shine?
 
He only used the cutting compound on my bonnet. And from what I remembered he just used the fluffy finishing bonnet on the polisher. But I guess he is a pro... so new just what pressure to use.

I may try a light wax after once I have finished, but tbh the are he did has survived unblemished through christmas and some grim weather and a couple of washes. Again I will stress the carbon has a pretty thick gellcoat on it so I think I have some depth to play with.
 
Looks like a pretty good job to me!!

Gelcote isn't meant to be in contact with the elements so thats why it does that. As long as you keep waxing her she will stay good for some time. Nice job G!! :D
 
Just be careful with G3 and a rotary. For polishing laquered carbon fibre i'd only use a DA polisher and a light polish.

It sounds like (although i cannot say for definite) the guy in the bodyshop was using a wool pad (very agressive). Did he vary the speeds when polishing (come down to finish at the lowest speed)?

What others are saying is that G3 is an agressive compound and needs to be refined by using a finishing polish. G3 can leave, albeit better than previously, a dull finish as a result of micro marring.

IMHO G3 is far too much to use on a carbon bonnet.

Try and get your hands on some Megs #83/#80, Menzerna 106FA, 3M Perfect IT etc.

Also if using a rotary you need to have one with variable speeds to refine the finish - 600rpm -> 900rpm -> 1200rpm -> 900rpm -> 600rpm (Zenith method)
 
I will be getting a new megs machine through work. but all I can say is whatever the guy did, was it worked, it looked like new on the area he worked on. Not dull, just crystal clear. I did watch it as I said for some time and it kept the shine. I do take the point about the machine I was using however. I did not have the right control I think. Or the right bonnets. Remember I am working on the clear coat which on the BC carbon is very thick. at least 3 or 4 mm I'd say on the surface.

I will look into the products you recommend however and see if I can work on it a bit. Oh I was looking into some 3m products as I know you can get a polish used in the marine industry on epoxy and carbon parts of boats. Otherwise I will just take it to the same guy and let him do it :D. Otherwise I will just take it to the same guy and let him do it :D.
 
My mate jetsealed mines as soon as I got it - I hope that protects it as this seems to be a common problem with the buddyclubs :(
 
TerryCTR said:
My mate jetsealed mines as soon as I got it - I hope that protects it as this seems to be a common problem with the buddyclubs :(
Click to expand...

The BC on my DC5 was fine.
As mentioned by someone else, it was kept well waxed up & seem & this seemed to do the trick, although my car slept in a garage which no doubt helped.
 
I'm suprised the bonnet oxidises so quickly. I'm going to find out why and how to prevent it.

It must be to do with the laquer they use as the John Cooper Works Mini items don't have this problem, although they are small by comparison.
 
If you read my first post you will see it faded more to do with my error in keeping it. It lasted over a year perfect I have had the bonnet for a couple of years now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top