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  #11  
Old 12-04-2011, 08:04 PM
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@Octavious: My biggest concern is getting the edge trim and the dome lamp trim off without breaking it. I have headliner adhesive ready and waiting. Thanks for the ideas about the fabric.
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@sw2cam
I like the sanding concept cause it actually physically removes some of the damaged plastic -- though with 1100 this will be minimized --but then again its the surface layer that's damaged and the damage hopefully is not too deep.

Can you be more specific on the 3M product? Is this an all purpose polishing compound used for detailing that I'd find in an autoparts store?
 
  #12  
Old 12-05-2011, 06:38 AM
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I have mother's products in my cleaning kit, by name anyway. Mother's Power Plastic cleaner ina small bottle, Mothers head light Restoration kit for use with a battery powered electic drill and a small bottle, name gone of a spray liquid I use to maintain the plastic with.
I have used a power buffer, speed too high, did not think of it and regular body rubbing compound, that really screwed one up when heat from high speed wheel damaged the cover, the other one worked out.
Personally I am not big on the sanding idea, it is really difficult to try to polish it out, and I color sand my paint jobs, but some people might get lucky with it. But if you are not really good at sanding prep, it is a recipe for damage.
I live in the desert, 1/3 of the year the temperature is triple digits. The UV and Heat takes out plastic, big time, head light covers, tires and batteries. I have lost track of the number of dry rotted tires I have replaced. And the cosmetic damage on headlight covers? By the time you decide you have to do something with it, the damage is already too deep. As to removing the head liner, the center console (mine also runs the sun roof) in the roof and the plastic side pieces. I have already broken them, multiple times. Every time I am in a wrecking yard I try to get one out. I break 4 out of 5. I have given up touching my own car for fear of damaging something I can no longer find or repair.
As I said earlier, I have seen far to much damage done by a back yard repair gone wrong through lack of knowledge. And breaking which is easy and repairing which is not, is a job I'll pay some one to do if I can not figure out how to do it myself. And the roof of a Saturn is one of those areas for me. I am totally satisfied with the job that was done on my car and having been backed into a corner more than once, I am glad this one I had done.
Saturn Plastic Pieces are gone!
If any one has them, I am not aware of it.
The parts I have tried to order do not exist and here in the heat, wrecking yards are a waste of time.
The upholstry shop damaged the plastic bits and pieces too. I took it to a good shop and I have 2 other jobs to take there but the fact is, not many Saturns actually end up getting taken care of, they too are not all that familiar with getting things like the head liner out with out damaging the trim pieces, but one thing they are good at is getting it back together with no physical appearance of damage.
I can live with that.
And if I have to, pay for it.
 
  #13  
Old 12-05-2011, 06:31 PM
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derf, you'll have to ask RjION. I stopped at his place and he was doing his wifes Solstice, and I gave it a try. He's the one that knows what he's doing. Can tell you they looked brand new.
 
  #14  
Old 12-05-2011, 08:21 PM
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Does anyone know where to get fine sandpaper? Around 1000-2000. I have looked all around and still no luck. The finest i have found was 600 grit and I used that. It worked pretty good for the time being.
 
  #15  
Old 12-05-2011, 10:59 PM
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I would think your local home cheapo or blows would have it, if not, the internet is now a giant marketplace.

@derf, I didn't have a problem with the side trim, that was actually the easiest for me, its a matter of pops, just take your time with the dome light, maybe look in a chitlin manual, I ended up tearing a clip off mine on accident and had to double side tape it up there again. One of the handles gave me some trouble though. Your best bet to take it out is out the front passenger side, recline the seats as far back as they go, and be careful, the back board is pretty easy to break (but you can fix it with duct-tape as long as its not a bad break/ all the way through)
 
  #16  
Old 12-06-2011, 06:25 AM
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Default Color Sanding.

Originally Posted by Hart010
Does anyone know where to get fine sandpaper? Around 1000-2000. I have looked all around and still no luck. The finest i have found was 600 grit and I used that. It worked pretty good for the time being.
Grits in that area are pretty much a specialty sand paper. They are commonly used for some of the new high tech automotive paints, Clear Coat for Clear Coat/base coat or a Catalyzed Enamal or Single Stage Enamal. Those paints are very hard and actually require some fairly expensive tools to do a real good job of color sanding and buffing with out leaving scratches. And the paint is bloody hard and a course paper (600) will scratch.
Easier said that done, I buy that grit sand paper at a location that actually handles the sale of automotive paint. I think I bought some at ACE Hardware too so check out a Hardware store. As it is s specialty paper I am not sure that Home Depot or Lowes or a home improvement store actually may have it. If they do it will be in a Wet/Dry sandpaper area.
As to being able to salvage interior plastic bits and pieces if you can get them out with out breaking them and here in the Phoenix area that is a lot harder than some where that does not routinely get the temperatures I see her. When I am looking I will hit the internet and try to get some one to salvage them out of a car from the snow belt or Canada, but once out. SEM a line of automotive interior "Dye" products has the materials to clean, prime and re-color plastic interior pieces to OEM color requirements. If the directions are followed it is permanent, if not, then the paint comes off (paint = dye) The end result can make your interior look brand new. I have two cars I am restoring and they will look show room fresh when done. OEM replacement parts did not come interior color, they came one color and you had to paint them in most cases.
And as here they got damaged by the heat so fast, I have not been able to order some plastic pieces for quite some time. They have not been in stock. Here when hey break it is little plastic shards, no salvage possibilities at all using tape and wishful thinking.
 
  #17  
Old 12-06-2011, 10:15 AM
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Hart:
Wet/Dry sandpaper like Unc says can be bought from Automotive Paint Supply Store.

Derf:
1100 wet/dry
3M Perfect-It II Liquid Rubbing Compound number 05973
3M Perfect-It III Machine Glass number 05937

used them both by hand and they also come from auto paint stores.
 
  #18  
Old 12-06-2011, 02:03 PM
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thank you sir
 
  #19  
Old 12-06-2011, 06:27 PM
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I don't think we have a Automotive Paint Supply Store in the town I live in, but we do have an Ace Hardware. Next time im out and about i will browse around and see what they have.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Really helpful.
 
  #20  
Old 12-08-2011, 05:13 PM
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ACE sould have the sand paper you need.
 


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