Hints for Motorists

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20065, 23 March 1935, Page 10

Hints for M o torists

(BY W. BARNARD)

Keeping: that “New Car Complexion” Duco, a pyroxylin lacquer, made by du Pont, will give long service, and if properly cared for will retain its colour and high lustre finish. The finish must be kept clean with suitable materials. There are a number of good products on the market that can be used with satisfactory results, for polishing and cleaning but there are other materials that will give questionable results.

All automobile finishes become dull and faded when exposed to the weather. Prolonged exposure to the ultra-violet rays of sunlight, causes a slow but gradual disintegration of the finish. This is frequently referred to as “chalking” or “weathering.” As a result the surface becomes miscroscopicaly roughened, loosening tiny particles of pigment. Additional dulling is caused by an accumulation of dirt forming a thin hard coating, called Traffic Film, which cannot be removed by soap and water. The original colour and lustre can be restored when dull and faded, by polishing if there is a finish still on the car. Of course, if the finish has weathered through to the undercoats, a refinish job is necessary. Most dull cars simply need the removal of Traffic Film and chalked pigment to make them look like new.

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS

No advantage is gained by using an oil-type polish on a badly weathered car. While this develops a temporary lustre, it leaves the surface greasy, and will soon gather more dust. The correct plan is to use a polish that contains safe solvents to soften the Traffic Film; and a mild abrasive to scour away the scum and chalked pigment. It is sometimes assumed, when colour comes off on the polishing cloth, that the polish is too severe, and that its continued use will take off all the finish. This is not the case if a correctly formulated polish is used. The colour on the polishing cloth simply indicates that tiny particles of chalked pigment which have become loosened through weathering, are being removed. This chalked pigment and Traffic Film should be removed in order to uncover the hard, live lacquer underneath.

A polish which contains harsh abrasives will wear away the good lacquer as well as the chalked pigment. A properly formulated polish however, will clean away the dirt film and chalked pigment without injury to the live finish. It may leave the finish a trifle thinner than when new, but the sun (and not the polish) has been responsible. The chalked pigment will finally blow away if it is not removed with polish, and the weathering process will continue without interruption.

The safest method of polishing a car is to use the polish recommended in the manufacturer’s instruction book which will be a combination cleaner and polish of the liquid type which does the complete job in one operation. This will remove Traffic Film and restore the original colour and lustre. The car will have to be polished at regular intervals to maintain the lustre.