mazdaspeed00

iTrader: (6)

does the FD have a clearcoat over the paint?
the reason why i ask is because i am about to order some zaino polish for my car and there are 2 polishes one that is for a clearcoat and one without. my car has never been repainted an its a black r1

BigRed

yes it does.

if you've never used zaino before make sure you follow the full instructions via the website.

you'll want to order the following

z-1
z-2
z-5 (depending on the condition of your paint)
z-18 (most claybars are the same so you can save some cash by getting it from the auto store)

z-6, z-7 and zfx are optional

mazdaspeed00

iTrader: (6)

thanks red thats just what i needed to know

JConn2299

No, some colors had clearcoat, others like my Vintage Red did not. Someone can correct me on this, but I think it's only the metallic colors that have a clearcoat. If I had to guess, I would say your black car doesn't have a clearcoat. I'm sure someone out there who has a black car can say for sure.

BigRed

um. my 93 VR R1 has a clear coat and Batman's Black 94 also has a clearcoat. We washed them both at the same time. My 94 montego blue also had a clear coat, and NeoOmega's 93 VR R1 also had a clear coat (it was peeling off where it got bumped in the parking lot) I'm pretty sure all FDs have it.

amp

iTrader: (50)

I have heard the same...indication would be the quick fading found on the spoilers and side views from colors such as VR...for those who insist on having clear coat...chances are it was repainted ...

RX7FAN

I just painted my hood, mirrors and wing. Giving the shop my color code for vintage red ( which is NU ) The PPG paint that I used was base coat-top coat The top coat is not clear but tinted and looks pinkish but the end result it a good match for VR.

BigRed

here's validation that at least the VR is 3 stage (with clear coat) paint

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...ght=clear+coat

BigRed

actually, now that I read more, the 93 base vr models might not have had stage 3 paint. only the touring and r1 models. can anyone verify this? other searching has found that montego blue and silver definately have clear coats. CYM maybe, and no posts about black or white.

GsrSol

My white PEG defiantly does. Don't know about the base model white fd's though.

JConn2299

Lots of confusion here. 93 touring models with the hi-flex paint...the kind that chipped all over the place...had the 3 stage paint. That was changed to a non clearcoat type, I believe while the 93 year was still being produced. Non touring VR, and Vintage Red cars built in 94 and 95 had regular, non-clearcoat paint. So if you have a 93 touring of any color, you may have a clearcoat. Other than that, I think it's only the metallic /mica colors which have a clearcoat.

mazdaspeed00

iTrader: (6)

uhhh so does my briliant black r-1 have a clear coat? ? ?

rynberg

umm....All 94 and 95 FDs came with a clear coat. I'm pretty sure that the 93's did too. The hi-reflex paint has NOTHING to do with a clear coat. I know for sure my 95 VR is clear coat as some rubbing with a paint cleaner came up clean. However, the engine bay is NOT clear coated, as paint cleaner immediately turned my towel red.

Seeing as how virtually every car made by the 90s had a clear coat and this was Mazda's top of the line car, I would find it hard to believe that any of the FDs were not clear coated.

KZ1

maybe of no consequence, but just how how my car waxes, and cleans I thought it didn't have a clear coat. it is a black R2 1994.

Wade

iTrader: (1)

You guys should talk to turbojeff. He has had 8 or 9 FDs. The only colors with clear coat from the factory were the metallic colors, silverstone, montego blue, competition yellow. White, Black, and Red were NOT clear coated.

A lot of cars have been repainted and body shops almost always use clear coats.

Wade

maxpesce

Remember a LOT of the FDs (mostly VR) were repainted by MAZDA under warranty and would therefore have aftermarket clearcoat paint jobs

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Thanks Wade. As of today it is 10 FDs.

Anyway this is for 93's only, I have one 94 white 94 but I haven't tested to see if it has clear.

VR and BB Tourings DO have clear coat.

VR and BB R1's and base models don't have clear coat.

I'm pretty sure that R1s and Base models would be built on the same line, the only differences in the two cars are bolt-ons with the exception of the holes in the hatch for the spoiler, they could still be painted in the same line.

All the Montego Blue, Silver, CYM cars will have clear, clear is a matter of fact when the color is metallic.

Many repaints will have clear even if it is a R1 or Base. It is very easy to tell if your car has clear, wax a spot on the body, rub sorta hard. If there is a little color on the rag you applied the wax with then no clear. No color= clear coat. The mirrors on ALL the solid colors on all models don't have clear.

The paint is a different color for a VR R1 or Base vs a Touring.

Jeff

BigRed

well spank my *** and call me sally. Thanks for the info. it looks as if my car has been repainted and now contains a clear coat. If for some reason i'm mistaken and it does not, will wax designed for clear coats harm the paint?

Wade

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the correction Jeff...

One more 94 data point, mine is a black base/pep and the original paint is not clear coated.

BigRed, if you talk to Zaino he'll tell you that it doesn't really matter if you use the clear coat stuff or not.

Wade

maxpesce

Its not so much the WAX as the POLISH you need to worry about - a pure WAX (not Cleaner Waxes) have NO abrasives or Cleaners in them - ALL Polishes have some sort of Abrasive and/or "Cleaner" (CLEANERS are just abrasives that are so finely powered as to NOT be classified as ABRASIVE by the ASTM) in them. since CLEAR coats are much SOFTER than pigmented finishes they require much FINER and/or SOFTER Abrasives/Cleaners to prevent damaging the finish.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Most any car made in the 90's (and even before) is clearcoated... including all FDs. The fading in the red models?particularly on the plastic/urathane parts was due to crappy materials, not the prersence (or lack thereof) opf a clearcoat.

BigRed

so using a polish made for clear coats on non-clear coated paint is okay because it is less abraisive than polish made for non clear coated paint. got it. I wouldn't go the other way around, so I'm not worried about that

a follow up question.

My VR has the fading mirror and wing syndrome. I noticed when I used Turtle Wax's new polish that has color corrective polish in it, it seemed to restore most of the color/shine after about 2 applications. I then zaino'd my car last friday, and first had to strip off the other wax/polish, bringing back the faded mirrors/wing

So my next plan is to use the turtle wax on the front, mirrors and wing, and zaino the rest.

Should I stick to this, or should I try a rubbing compound?

I got a quote of $300 from the body/paint shop in town (The works in Santa Clara. I don't trust anyone else) to repaint the mirrors and wing. which isn't too bad, but the polish seems to be working.

any suggestions/insight would be great.

maxpesce

NOT TRUE - Many NON-METALIC paints are NOT clear coated, especially on BASE/Stripper model PICKUPS and Commercial Trucks however ALL Metallics by their very nature HAVE to be Clear coated and since over 80% of all cars sold in the US have Metalic Finishes they are Clearcoated. in Other Markets they have a much lower percentage of Metallic finishes.

KZ1

Yeah, I figured mine didn't have clear, I new the instant I had birdshit on my car and it has been stained ever since. Having no clear is amzing IMHO anyways, Much harder to maintain, but look sbetter when it is. Always sucks when you ahev to put on 4 coats of wax though.

maxpesce

STAY AWAY from RUBBING COMPOUND - it is WAY TOO ABRASIVE for cleaning old paint - it is designed to remove major imperfections from new paint (ie Orange peel or Overspray) On my other cars I too found the TURTLE WAX "COLOR BACK FINISH RESTORER" did a great job restoring faded paint (especially on a red Fiat I had) ues it on the Mirrors and Wing etc and then Protect the newly restored finish with a good PURE YELLOW CARNUBA wax like MOTHERS, HARLEY, or MEGUIRES

REMEMBER:
Polishes CLEAN and POLISH (smooth) the Paint - they don't provide any PROTECTION - ALWAYS WAX after you POLISH - Wax provides PROTECTION as well as adding depth to the SHINE