91 164 S & wax/Paint help

["Rich Lasner" <richlasner@domain.elided>]

Kerry asks about tips on maintaining the red paint on his 91 164S with 23K
miles on the clock. My advice- Sell it to me cheap and Ill baby it forever!
Seriously, my red 92 164S with 126K on the dial still looks very good in the
paint department.

I would suggest first using a clay bar kit to remove contaminants and
overspray (available from various companies at most auto parts stores) from
the red painted surfaces. Dont use it on the gray cladding paint. Care of
the gray cladding is a different story. Use a good swirl remover from a name
brand like Mothers, Griots or Meguirs next. Finish it off with a quality
carnauba wax. Do this a couple times a year, depending on the harshness of
the weather where you live. Keep in mind that your car has a clear coat over
the red paint that can begin to peel under certain conditions. If you catch
the lifting clear coat early, you can lightly sand the edge that is lifting
with 400 grit sandpaper and feather a little brushed-on clear touch-up paint
over it to keep it from spreading.

The gray cladding paint is likely to wear through after a few years. Youll
start to see the yellow/orange plastic underneath. Some 1991 164Ss had the
gray paint permanently damaged by factory application of Cosmoline (sp?)
protectant smeared on it prior to shipping to the States. I had two 91 Ss I
bought new- Both had the cladding resprayed at the dealers expense when
they couldnt remove the nasty dark streaks the Cosmoline left. Your best
bet, IMHO, is to buy a few cans of SEM Dark Titanium Urethane Bumper Coater
from an auto paint supply shop, rough the gray paint with a Scotchbrite pad,
tape off the marker lights and red accent stripe and repaint the bumpers and
door cladding. The paint flows really well and is self-leveling.

Rich Lasner
92 164S
ARA
AROC
Mill Valley CA
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